Tank setup
A minimum 80L aquarium suits Tiger Barb. Match décor to natural behaviour — plants, rockwork, or open swimming room as needed.
Where to buy
Compare prices from SA aquarium shops listing Tiger Barb.
What Tiger Barb costs in South Africa
6 price points from 4 shops over 90 days
R38
cheapest of 4 shops today
↤ R39med R44R48
Great price−13%Holding steady over the last 90 days
SA median R44 across 4 shops over the last 90 days.
4 shops
Community Marketplace
Fellow hobbyists may also be selling Tiger Barb.
Want Tiger Barb?
Tell shops you're looking — be the first to signal demand.
Overview
What to know before you buy.
A classic and lively aquarium fish known for its striking black stripes on a gold and orange body. Tiger Barbs are notoriously active and playful, but their boisterous nature can lead to fin-nipping, especially towards slow-moving, long-finned fish like bettas or angelfish. To mitigate this behavior, they must be kept in schools of at least 6-8 individuals, which helps them establish a pecking order among themselves. They are hardy and adaptable, making them popular, but their semi-aggressive temperament requires careful planning of tank mates in a community setup.
Key traits
barb
semi aggressive
schooling
community
fin nipper
medium
active
omnivore
breeds in captivity
Compatibility
Select a tank to see how this species fits.
Care guide
Everything you need to keep Tiger Barb healthy in a South African setup.
Water parameters
Keep pH 6–7.5 and 22–26°C. Stable parameters matter more than chasing perfect numbers — acclimate new arrivals slowly.
Feeding
Tiger Barb is omnivore. Feed a varied diet appropriate for freshwater fish — quality flakes, pellets, or frozen foods sized to the mouth.
Behaviour
Tiger Barb is generally semi-aggressive. Keep in a group where possible for natural behaviour.
Tankmates
Pair with similarly sized semi-aggressive tankmates in freshwater fish. Avoid fin-nippers or species that outgrow this fish.
Breeding
Breeding notes for Tiger Barb vary by line and water chemistry — ask your local shop about proven pairs in SA.
Settling this fish in?
Condition the tap water, seed the filter, test through the first weeks — most early losses trace back to one of those.
3-PIECE KIT
Availability confirmed with the distributor before dispatch · free delivery over r750
Community photos
From hobbyists across SA.
Photo by FishHubAdmin
Market intelligence
Price trends and buyer demand — data only FishHub tracks.
Price history — last 90 days
SA price range this month: R38–95 · Average: R70
This data is unique to FishHub
Demand by province
No active alerts for Tiger Barb yet. Be the first to set one.
Often kept with
Real pairwise verdicts for Tiger Barb, not a same-category guess. Always confirm adult size and your tank's specifics before buying.
- Often kept together
Oscar
Astronotus ocellatus
In a 80L+ tank
- Often kept together
Tiger Shovelnose Catfish
Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum
In a 2000L+ tank
- Often kept together
Alligator Gar
Atractosteus spatula
In a 10000L+ tank
- Often kept together
Red Devil Cichlid
Amphilophus labiatus
In a 400L+ tank
- Often kept together
Asian Arowana
Scleropages formosus
In a 1250L+ tank
- Often kept together
Fahaka Pufferfish
Tetraodon lineatus
In a 500L+ tank
- Often kept together
Ornate Bichir
Polypterus ornatipinnis
In a 600L+ tank
- Often kept together
Fire Eel
Mastacembelus erythrotaenia
In a 700L+ tank