Tic-Tac-Toe Barb

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Scientific Name

Puntius ticto

Min. Tank Size

40 gallons

Personality

Peaceful

Temperature

70-79°F

pH

6.0-7.0/3-10°dGH

Size

4"

Diet

Omnivore

Breeding

Egglayer

Compatibility

Other Cyprinids, Livebearers, Danios, Rasboras, Tetras, Corydoras, Loaches and Gouramis.

Tic-Tac-Toe Barb

Also called the Ticto Barb and the Twospot Barb, Tic-Tac-Toe Barbs are silver and gold in coloration. The characteristic black spots for which these fish are named appear near the back fin and above the pectoral fins. These fish have a large habitat range – they have been found in India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos and southern China. Tic-Tac-Toe Barbs live in shallow lakes, ponds and rivers where the water is calm and the substrate is mud or silt.

Tank Set-Up

In the home aquarium, Tic-Tac-Toe Barbs should be kept in large schools with 8 to 10 of their own species. These fish prefer heavily planted tanks with dark substrate and low to moderate water movement. This species may tolerate low temperatures but they prefer slightly acidic water ranging from 70 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Because these fish enjoy shady environments, add some floating plants to the surface of your tank.

Feeding

In the wild, Tic-Tac-Toe Barbs are omnivores, feeding on a variety of worms, algae and insect larvae. In captivity, these fish are likely to accept anything you give them but they should be offered a staple diet of high-quality dried flakes or granules. Supplement this diet with plenty of plant matter like Spirulina flakes or blanched vegatables along with live and frozen foods like brine shrimp, Artemia and Daphnia.

Breeding

Tic-Tac-Toe Barbs are fairly easy to breed and are best spawned in pairs in a separate breeding tank decorated with clumps of fine-leaved plants. The breeding tank should be kept at a neutral pH and a temperature between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Because they are likely to eat their own eggs and fry, parent fish should be removed from the breeding tank following spawning. The eggs usually hatch in 24 to 48 hours and the young fry will become free swimming after another 24 hours or so.