Tank mates for tiger barbs

Good Compatible tank mates (33)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

• Bristlenose pleco

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 20+ gal

• Common pleco

  40 cm (15.7 in) · 150+ gal

• Nerite snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 5+ gal

• Assassin snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 5+ gal

• Bala shark

  30 cm (11.8 in) · 230+ gal · groups of 5+

• Clown loach

  25 cm (9.8 in) · 180+ gal · groups of 5+

• Denison barb

  13 cm (5.1 in) · 75+ gal · groups of 6+

• Electric blue acara

  15 cm (5.9 in) · 40+ gal

• Firemouth cichlid

  13 cm (5.1 in) · 29+ gal

• Kribensis

  10 cm (3.9 in) · 29+ gal

• Malaysian trumpet snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 10+ gal

• Mystery snail

  5 cm (2 in) · 10+ gal

• Pictus catfish

  13 cm (5.1 in) · 75+ gal · groups of 3+

• Rainbow shark

  15 cm (5.9 in) · 75+ gal

• Ramshorn snail

  2 cm (0.8 in) · 5+ gal

• Red-tail shark

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 75+ gal

• Siamese algae eater

  15 cm (5.9 in) · 55+ gal

• Silver dollar

  15 cm (5.9 in) · 75+ gal · groups of 5+

• Yoyo loach

  13 cm (5.1 in) · 75+ gal · groups of 5+

• Agassiz's dwarf cichlid

  7 cm (2.8 in) · 20+ gal

• Buenos Aires tetra

  7 cm (2.8 in) · 29+ gal · groups of 8+

• Cockatoo cichlid

  7.5 cm (3 in) · 20+ gal

• Gardneri killifish

  6 cm (2.4 in) · 10+ gal

• Golden wonder killifish

  9 cm (3.5 in) · 20+ gal

• Kissing gourami

  20 cm (7.9 in) · 75+ gal

• Rabbit snail

  8 cm (3.1 in) · 29+ gal

• Red rainbowfish

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 40+ gal · groups of 6+

• Ropefish

  35 cm (13.8 in) · 75+ gal

• Rubber lip pleco

  14 cm (5.5 in) · 29+ gal

• Scissortail rasbora

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 55+ gal · groups of 6+

• Serpae tetra

  4.5 cm (1.8 in) · 20+ gal · groups of 10+

• Swordtail

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 29+ gal · groups of 4+

• Turquoise rainbowfish

  11 cm (4.3 in) · 29+ gal · groups of 6+

Caution Possible, with care (90)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

• Bronze corydoras · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bronze corydoras.
• Common goldfish · 75+ gal
  • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
  • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
• Neon tetra · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like neon tetras.
• Panda corydoras · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like panda corydoras.
• Zebra danio · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like zebra danios.
• African dwarf frog · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like African dwarf frogs.
• Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
• Black skirt tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black skirt tetras.
• Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
  • Blood parrot cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase tiger barbs, which use the same area.
• Boesemani rainbowfish · 29+ gal
  • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–27°C).
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like boesemani rainbowfish.
• Cardinal tetra · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like cardinal tetras.
• Celestial pearl danio · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like celestial pearl danios.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller celestial pearl danios.
• Cherry barb · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like cherry barbs.
• Chili rasbora · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like chili rasboras.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller chili rasboras.
• Chinese algae eater · 80+ gal
  • Chinese algae eater is aggressive. Tiger barbs can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
• Convict cichlid · 29+ gal
  • Convict cichlid is aggressive. Tiger barbs can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
• Dojo loach · 75+ gal
  • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
  • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like dwarf neon rainbowfish.
• Ember tetra · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like ember tetras.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller ember tetras.
• German blue ram · 20+ gal
  • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 27–27°C).
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like German blue rams.
• Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb hunts shrimp. Larger ghost shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
• Glowlight tetra · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like glowlight tetras.
• Harlequin rasbora · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like harlequin rasboras.
• Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
  • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like hillstream loaches.
• Jack Dempsey · 55+ gal
  • Jack Dempsey may eat tiger barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Jack Dempsey is aggressive. Tiger barbs can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
• Julii corydoras · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like julii corydoras.
• Kuhli loach · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like kuhli loaches.
• Molly · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like mollies.
• Otocinclus · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like otocinclus.
• Peppered corydoras · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like peppered corydoras.
• Platy · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like platies.
• Pygmy corydoras · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like pygmy corydoras.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
• Rosy barb · 29+ gal
  • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like rosy barbs.
• Rummy-nose tetra · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like rummy-nose tetras.
• Sterbai corydoras · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like sterbai corydoras.
• White cloud mountain minnow · 15+ gal
  • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
  • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like white cloud mountain minnows.
• X-ray tetra · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like x-ray tetras.
• Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb hunts shrimp. Larger bamboo shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
• Black neon tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black neon tetras.
• Black phantom tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black phantom tetras.
• Bleeding heart tetra · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bleeding heart tetras.
• Bloodfin tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bloodfin tetras.
• Bolivian ram · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like Bolivian rams.
• Bumblebee catfish · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like bumblebee catfish.
• Clown killifish · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like clown killifish.
• Clown pleco · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like clown plecos.
• Diamond tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like diamond tetras.
• Dwarf chain loach · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like dwarf chain loaches.
• Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
  • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Tiger barb may attack small crustaceans like dwarf orange crayfish, especially after they molt.
• Emerald green corydoras · 55+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like emerald green corydoras.
• Emperor tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like emperor tetras.
• Endler's livebearer · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like Endler's livebearers.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller Endler's livebearers.
• Forktail blue-eye · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like forktail blue-eyes.
• Giant danio · 55+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like giant danios.
• Glass catfish · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like glass catfish.
• Gold barb · 29+ gal
  • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like gold barbs.
• Green terror · 80+ gal
  • Green terror may eat tiger barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Green terror is aggressive. Tiger barbs can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
  • Green terror defends its patch of the tank and may chase tiger barbs, which use the same area.
• Head and tail light tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like head and tail light tetras.
• Jewel cichlid · 40+ gal
  • Jewel cichlid is aggressive. Tiger barbs can hold their own only in a large tank with plenty of cover.
  • Jewel cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase tiger barbs, which use the same area.
• Kubotai rasbora · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like kubotai rasboras.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller kubotai rasboras.
• Lambchop rasbora · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like lambchop rasboras.
• Lemon tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like lemon tetras.
• Marbled hatchetfish · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like marbled hatchetfish.
• Odessa barb · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like odessa barbs.
• Panda garra · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like panda garras.
• Paradise fish · 20+ gal
  • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
• Peacock gudgeon · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like peacock gudgeons.
• Penguin tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like penguin tetras.
• Rosy loach · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like rosy loaches.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller rosy loaches.
• Rosy tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like rosy tetras.
• Scarlet badis · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like scarlet badis.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
• Severum · 55+ gal
  • Severum defends its patch of the tank and may chase tiger barbs, which use the same area.
• Sparkling gourami · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like sparkling gouramis.
• Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
  • Tiger barb may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
• Tinfoil barb · 200+ gal
  • Tinfoil barb may eat tiger barbs, especially young or small ones.
• Upside-down catfish · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like upside-down catfish.
• Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
• Zebra loach · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like zebra loaches.
• Zebra pleco · 20+ gal
  • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–27°C).
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like zebra plecos.
• Black ruby barb · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black ruby barbs.
• Checkerboard barb · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like checkerboard barbs.
• Dwarf rasbora · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like dwarf rasboras.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller dwarf rasboras.
• Flame tetra · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like flame tetras.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller flame tetras.
• Glowlight danio · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like glowlight danios.
• Green neon tetra · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like green neon tetras.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller green neon tetras.
• Keyhole cichlid · 29+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like keyhole cichlids.
• Least killifish · 10+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like least killifish.
  • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller least killifish.
• Pearl danio · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like pearl danios.
• Silvertip tetra · 20+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like silvertip tetras.
• Variatus platy · 15+ gal
  • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like variatus platies.

Avoid Bad tank mates (26)

• Angelfish: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of angelfish.
• Betta fish: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of bettas.
• Cherry shrimp: Tiger barb eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
• Dwarf gourami: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of dwarf gouramis.
• Fancy goldfish: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of fancy goldfish.
• Guppy: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of guppies.
• Oscar: Oscar can eat tiger barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Discus: They need different temperatures: Tiger barb 22–27°C (72–81°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
• Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Tiger barbs don't belong in that setup.
• Honey gourami: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of honey gouramis.
• Pea puffer: Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
• Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Tiger barbs don't belong in that setup.
• Pearl gourami: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of pearl gouramis.
• Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Tiger barbs don't belong in that setup.
• Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat tiger barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Three spot gourami: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of three spot gouramis.
• African butterfly fish: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of african butterfly fish.
• Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat tiger barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Congo tetra: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of Congo tetras.
• Crystal red shrimp: Tiger barb eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
• Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Tiger barbs don't belong in that setup.
• Frontosa: Frontosa can eat tiger barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Tiger barbs don't belong in that setup.
• Shell dweller cichlid: Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Tiger barbs don't belong in that setup.
• Threadfin rainbowfish: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of threadfin rainbowfish.
• Moonlight gourami: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of moonlight gouramis.
• Thick-lipped gourami: Tiger barb is a well-known fin nipper and will shred the long fins of thick-lipped gouramis.