Tiger Barb (Puntius tetrazona)

Puntius tetrazona is one of the most recognizable schooling fish in the hobby, bold black bars over orange, and also one of the most misunderstood: the fin-nipping reputation is almost entirely a numbers problem. In a school below six or so, unspent aggression gets directed at slower tankmates; scale that group up and the same energy gets absorbed as normal internal shoal dynamics instead. Sumatra and Borneo native, fast, active, and genuinely a different fish depending on how many you keep.

Care level: Easy · Temperament: Semi-aggressive, shoaling · Max size: ~3" · Min tank: 20 gal · Diet: Omnivore, flake/pellet