Freshwater Fish
Tiger Barb.
The classic tiger barb — gold with bold black bars and a busy, nippy energy. Beginner-tough but best kept in a group of six-plus to spread out their fin-nipping; give an active school a 20-gallon-plus tank with sturdy tankmates.
We keep this species at our Erie store. Come and see it in the tanks, or call (814) 456-9445 and ask what we have in right now.
Sea Cave keeps this species. You will find these in the tanks at 660 East 14th Street in Erie. We never ship live animals.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
We never ship fish, coral, or invertebrates — every animal here is one you meet in person. Each one is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it goes out into the display tanks. This is a species we keep, and what is swimming on any given day changes with the deliveries, so please call (814) 456-9445 before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Beginner
- Temperament
- Semi aggressive
- Community
- Semi community
- Adult size
- 3"
- Min tank size
- 20 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Puntigrus tetrazona
Good tank mates
Semi-aggressive and a notorious fin-nipper, so it needs similarly-sized, not-timid tankmates and isn't for a peaceful nano community. Keep it in a group of six or more (a bigger school spreads out the nipping) with sturdy, fast companions like other barbs, larger danios, or platies. Avoid long-finned and slow fish such as bettas, angelfish, gouramis, and fancy guppies, plus anything small enough to harass. If you're unsure about a mix, call us and we'll help you stock it.
Good to know
Tiger barbs are native to Sumatra and Borneo, and keeping them in a larger group reduces their fin-nipping by redirecting that behavior within the school.
What is in the tanks and each animal's temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. What is in the tanks and each animal’s temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for advice on pairing.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
Clown Loach
A well-documented compatible pairing: both species share similar tropical water parameters (pH 6.5–7.5, 75–82°F) and clown loaches' active, bold temperament lets them hold their own alongside tiger barbs without being stressed. Multiple hobbyist communities and species-care guides confirm this pairing works when tiger barbs are kept in groups of 6+ and the tank is large enough to accommodate adult loach size.
Zebra Danio
Fast, short-finned open-water swimmers that can easily outpace any fin-nipping attempt. Their energy level matches tiger barbs, water parameters overlap cleanly, and they are not slow or long-finned enough to trigger sustained harassment. Consistently listed as a safe pairing across multiple care guides.
- M
Most Plecos
Bottom-dwelling, fully armored algae eaters that occupy a completely different water column level from tiger barbs. Tiger barbs show no interest in harassing plecos, and plecos are indifferent to them. Bristlenose (Ancistrus) and clown plecos are specifically called out as ideal for tiger barb tanks given their smaller adult size.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.