Name: Gold Tiger Barb
Brand: Brooklands
SKU: TN52
Price: 11.95 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

Gold Tiger Barb

Product Details

Gold Tiger Barb (Puntigrus tetrazona variant)

NOT AVAILABLE FOR SHIPPING - In-store Only

Overview: The Gold Tiger Barb is a vibrant, selectively bred color morph of the wild-type Tiger Barb. This striking variety swaps out the traditional green-black body for a bright, creamy golden-yellow background. However, it proudly retains the classic four vertical stripes, which display as a beautiful, high-contrast platinum-white or iridescent gold. To top it off, their nose, dorsal fin, and tail fin are tipped with a fiery orange-red accent, making them a sparkling addition to the mid-layers of the aquarium.

Origins: The ancestral wild Tiger Barb is native to the quiet, slow-moving rivers and forest streams of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. The "Gold" (or Albino/Xanthic) variant was meticulously line-bred in captivity for the ornamental aquarium trade to provide a bright, warm color profile.

Personality: Gold Tiger Barbs are hyperactive, boisterous, and full of attitude. They swim at a frantic, playful pace and are highly inquisitive. However, they carry a major reputation in the hobby for being notorious fin-nippers. They are intensely hierarchy-driven and establish a complex pecking order through constant chasing and sparring. If they aren't kept in proper conditions, they will take that energetic bickering out on their tank mates.

Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi-aggressive (Fin-nipper if kept incorrectly)
Diet: Omnivore (Very enthusiastic feeders; they happily gorge on standard flakes, pellets, and frozen foods like bloodworms or brine shrimp)
Max Size: 7 cm
Family: Cyprinidae
Tank Size: 100 Litres minimum (They need plenty of open horizontal space to burn off their high energy)
Temperature: 22°C – 26°C
pH: 6.0 – 7.5
Should be kept in groups? Yes, strictly. They must be kept in a school of at least 6 to 8 (10+ is even better). Keeping them in a large group creates a self-contained "barb dynamic"—they will be so entirely focused on chasing each other to maintain their internal pecking order that they will leave the rest of the fish in the tank completely alone.

Tank Mate Compatibility Warning: Never house Gold Tiger Barbs with slow-moving fish that possess long, flowing fins (such as Angelfish, Bettas, or Guppies). Those delicate fins look like chew toys to a Barb, and they will relentlessly nip them to shreds. Instead, house them with fast, robust tank mates like Danios, Rainbowfish, or fast-moving tetras (like the Black Neon or Pristella Tetras).