We will talk about Tigerfish care in this article. We will also discuss the important factors such as Tigerfish habitat. Feeding habits and tank size, etc. Everything that you need to know about Tigerfish care will be briefly discussed.
Why is tigerfish care necessary?
Tigerfish is one of the most common pet fish breeds and many hobbyists keep it in the aquariums. Tigerfish just like other fish need complete care and regular feeding. It is also against the special animal welfare rights to treat your pet without care and affection.
To know in detail about Tigerfish care you should know the main features of a tigerfish just as its origin, habitat, and feeding requirements. Tigerfish require large space to breed and survive. Keeping the Tiger Fish in a small place can cause difficulty for the fish to move freely. It can also affect the lifespan of the tigerfish.
Let’s know about the Tigerfish in detail, so we can understand everything we need to know about Tigerfish care.
Tigerfish
Tigerfish is one of the most famous fish you will find in aquariums and large fish tanks. They have semi-aggressive natures which make them extremely territorial in marine life. Following are some basic things that you need to know about the Tigerfish:
- Tigerfish belongs to the genus Hydrocynus
- Tigerfish belong to the family Alestidae
- The scientific name of Tigerfish is Hydrocynus goliath
- It can grow up to 24 inches
- The largest Tigerfish was observed to have more than 70kgs
- It is found in the lakes and freshwater around Egypt such as the Nile
- It is a carnivore and feeds on the small aquatic life.
- It does not eat vegetables or green plants.
Let’s talk about these points one by one to know everything that we need to know about Tigerfish care.
Tigerfish Habitat
It is found in freshwater and can not survive in seawater conditions. It is found around the belt of Egypt such as The Nile. It is also found in freshwater regions in Africa and is considered the pirana equivalent of America due to its sharp razor-like teeth.
It feeds on the small aquatic life and is completely carnivore. Tigerfish does not eat small plants or corals like some of the other aquatic animals. It feeds on flesh and animal source food. Tigerfish is one of the active predators of marine life.
The feeding habit of tigerfish makes it aggressive as well. It is very territorial and does not go well along with small mild fish. Therefore if you are looking forward to keeping the tigerfish in your aquarium you should provide it clean fresh water with a carnivores diet.
Tigerfish does not eat a simple flake diet and require ideal water and temperature conditions to thrive. Therefore knowing about the habitat of the Tigerfish is an important point in Tigerfish care.
Tigerfish Lifespan
The lifespan of tigerfish depends upon different conditions. If it is kept in aquariums or water tanks with proper care and feed it can live up to 10 to 15 years. In wild conditions due to high food competition or chances to get eaten by other predator fish, the lifespan may range between 8 to 10 years.
Tigerfish require abundant water to thrive naturally and grow well. Keeping tigerfish in close water spaces may induce stress in the fish and trigger aggressive behaviors. It may decrease the lifespan of tigerfish significantly, and become the cause of sudden death in tigerfish.
It has been seen that people who keep fish like tigerfish in closed water spaces end up causing the fish to die. Therefore it should be avoided. Maintaining the life of tigerfish is one of the main points in tigerfish care.
Tigerfish appearance
They have laterally compressed bodies and have stripes on the body. The tigerfish gets its name from the tiger-like appearance, having stripes on its body. They are found in different colors depending upon the species, but mostly the tigerfish has orange to yellow bodies having back stripes on them.
It has an oval body and two small eyes located on the top of its head. Tigerfish is also famous for having a wide range of species. These species basically differ from each other in their appearance. Tigerfish usually have sharp razor-like teeth that it uses to catch and eat its prey.
Tigerfish Water conditions
Tigerfish live in fresh clean water with a pH level from 6.5 -7.5. The ideal water temperature ranges from 78 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, maintaining ideal water conditions is an important attribute in tigerfish care.
The water of the tank should be regularly clean especially when it becomes turbid. Tigerfish are carnivores and secrete acidic wastes, that is why cleaning the tank is important for maintaining the ideal water conditions for the tigerfish to survive.
The temperature should not exceed or lessen from the given temperature conditions. The tigerfish should be provided with optimal water conditions, that is the reason why knowing tigerfish water conditions is an important factor for tigerfish care.
Tigerfish tank size
Tigerfish are aggressive and can grow up to 24 inches that is why they need a big water tank to thrive well. Tigerfish require at least 100 gallons of water to survive and breed in the aquarium. Keeping in mind that tigerish requires a large tank size for its survival, is one of the mandatory factors in Tigerfish care.
It is a giant special animal welfare rights to keep fish like tigerfish in small places such as small fish tanks. It is inhumane to do that and considered illegal in most parts of the world. That is why tigerfish should be kept in large fish tanks having almost 100 gallons of water in them.
Due to the large requirement of water to love, tigerfish are the best aquarium fish. Tigerfish are moderate to be taken care of, they are one of the most famous fish in freshwater aquariums. Tigerfish tank size should be according to the given details. Tankies less than 100 gallons are against the protocols of tigerfish care.
Tigerfish feeding requirements
Tigerfish is purely carnivore and feeds on small aquatic animals. It can not survive on plants, corals, or algae. Therefore maintaining idea feed conditions for tigerfish is the most important step in tigerfish care.
Tigerfish eat small worms, fish, or shrimps found in marine life. They have fine sharp razor-like teeth that help them being the most famous predators among their own category of fish.
Small chunks of chicken, worms, or frozen meat are the best diet for tigerfish. Tigerfish are an extremely competitive and voracious eater. Therefore the feeding requirements of tigerfish should be fulfilled ideally.
Juvenile tiger fish need continuous feeding therefore they should be fed continuously in their growing periods. Tigerfish does not eat a simple flake diet and must be given food from animal sources to maintain the normal body metabolism of the tigerfish.
Tigerfish are not picky eaters, they can eat anything until it’s complete carnivores friendly. They become weak if they don’t get the required amount of animal protein and energy. Proper feeding prevents the triggerfish from getting different diseases such as fin rot or tuberculosis etc.
Tigerfish Tankmates
It is very important to put tigerfish along with the carnivores and the same habitat fish. They are extremely territorial and aggressive that is why you don’t want to put them among community-friendly small fish.
It is better to keep triggerfish among different species of its own genera. Following are some different species of tigerfish:
- Silver tigerfish
- Datnioides Campbell
- Siamese tigerfish
- Mekong Tiger perch
Other carnivores’ fish can also be kept along with tigerfish but it is preferred to keep a different kind of tigerfish together rather than mixing them with other kinds. Keeping tigerfish together with fish that would not cause any harm to it. And tigerfish, also being harmless to the other fish in the tanks, is one of the important points in Tigerfish care.
Tigerfish health care
There are different types of microbial diseases that can affect fish in the water tank. Therefore proper cleansing of water and maintaining proper hygienic measures is very important in managing tigerfish care.
Following are some common underwater diseases of fish such as tigerfish:
Swim Bladder Disease
The swim bladder helps the fish to swim properly underwater. Any harm to the swim bladder can cause impairment in the swimming of the fish. Swim Bladder diseases can be of different causes for example physical injuries, viral or bacterial attacks on the swim bladder of the fish.
Fungal Infections
Fungal infections are very common in fish and most of the fungal infections arise from unhygienic conditions of the water. If the water in the tank is not being cleaned and changed regularly it can lead to many fungal infections. Fungal mouth disease is one of the most common fungal diseases found in fish. Other diseases such as fin rot or tail torr can also be a consequence of fungal infections.
We learned that the water should be completely cleaned and kept hygienic for the fish. It is very important to provide a clean and hygienic environment for the fish to thrive healthily in the water.
Conclusion
We talked about Tigerfish care in this article. We also discussed the important factors such as Tigerfish habitat. Feeding habits and tank size, etc. Everything that you need to know about Tigerfish care was briefly discussed.
Feel free to ask anything about Tigerfish care in the comment section below
FAQs Tigerfish Care
Frequently asked questions about tigerfish care are:
How many triggerfish can you keep?
You can keep almost 31 tigerfish. It is important to keep it in almost 100 gallons of water, otherwise, it will be against animal rights welfare.
What does a triggerfish eat?
Tigerfish is purely carnivore and feeds on small aquatic animals. It can not survive on plants, corals, or algae. Therefore maintaining idea feed conditions for tigerfish is the most important step in tigerfish care. Tigerfish eat small worms, fish, or shrimps found in marine life.
What size tank does a triggerfish need?
Tigerfish require at least 100 gallons of water to survive and breed in the aquarium. Keeping in mind that tigerish requires a large tank size for its survival, is one of the mandatory factors in Tigerfish care. Tigerfish are aggressive and can grow up to 24 inches that is why they need a big water tank to thrive well.
Do triggerfish eat other fish?
Yes, tigerfish eat other fish. Tigerfish are carnivores. Tigerfish is purely carnivore and feeds on small aquatic animals. It can not survive on plants, corals, or algae. Therefore maintaining idea feed conditions for tigerfish is the most important step in tigerfish care.
Are all triggerfish aggressive?
Yes, almost all tigerfish are aggressive and exhibit highly territorial behaviors.
Reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigerfish
