Siamese Tiger Fish

The Siamese Tigerfish, not to be confused with the more feared African Tigerfish, is an aggressive species that is not seen in aquariums very often. There are two main species of Siamese Tigerfish..Datnioides microlepis and Datnioides quadrifasciatus.

Datnioides microlepis is the more hardy of the two main types of Tigerfish covered here. The background coloration of this fish varies from a clear creamy white to pale tan, with verticle jet black bars on its body. The number of black bars actually depends on its geographic location. Fish from the Asiatic mainland have six bars, and those from the indo-Australian archipelago have seven. These bars do not converge with age.

There are two species in the genus Datnioides. Both are discussed on this web page. One species is Datnioides microlepis, which is also called the Gold Tiger, Yellow Tiger, Black Barred Tiger, and the Siamese Tiger Fish. The second species is Datnioides quadrifasciatus which is also called the Black and White Tiger Fish or Silver Tiger Fish. Recently the genus of these fish has been changed from Datnioides to Coius.

Black Barred Tiger Fish will quarrel and spar with each other and will eat any fish that can be swallowed, but Tiger Fish do not bother other species of fish that are too big to swallow. Tiger Fish grow fast to large sizes and eventually require very large aquariums. Siamese Tiger Fish are also called Black Barred Tiger Fish, Yellow Dats, Gold Dats, and Datnoids. For many years the word Datnoid has been commonly used to describe this fish. As far as we know, this is incorrect, and Datnoid is probably just a very common misspelling of Datnioides, which is the correct way to spell the name of the genus of this fish.

This fish adapts easy to aquarium conditions and several of them can be kept together, providing they have a very large aquarium. The tank should be planted with large-leaved plants as the Tigerfish likes to lurk beneath the leaves. Its swimming movements are usually slow and deliberate, especially when stalking prey. As it approaches a fish that is a potential meal, the Tigerfish slowly sways from side to side, as if sighting the prey. Then it strikes and eats the victum. This fish does not require live foods.

Siamese Tigerfish like hard, alkaline water that is clean and well filtered. While D. quadrifasciatus will only thrive in brackish water, D. microlepis has shown to flourish in fresh water. When buying this fish, ask your dealer what type of water they have been imported in and kept in, as it will vary. In Thailand, the Tigerfish is sought after as a fish to be eaten, as the flesh is reported to have a good flavour.

Here is a young Datnioides species probably D. quadrifasciatus, which is called the Black and White Tiger Fish or a Silver Tiger Fish. This fish was about 7" long.

Attitude: All datnioids are fascinating to watch eat. They sidle up to their prey, then suddenly open their mouth like a vacuum cleaner. The surprisingly large prey gets sucked in fast.

Datnioides microlepis(Siamese Tiger)

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Other names:...........none
Origin:......................Brackish waters of Thailand, Borneo, Sumatra, Cambodia
Max size:..................19"
PH:............-..............7.0-7.5
Temperature:...........75-80 F.
Min tank size:..........80 gallons
Food:.........................live foods, beef heart, worms, pellets

Appropriate Home
An aquarium with at least 50 gallons of water, and eventually a much larger aquarium with an exterior power filter with a BIO-Wheel, a maximum of 1/4 inch of gravel, and an aquarium heater adjusted to keep the water between 78 and 82 degrees F. Tiger fish do fine with or without aquarium salt in their water.

Recommended Diet
Tiger Fish are piscivors that eat feeder fish such as 2" long common goldfish. When Tiger Fish are small, they will eat Guppies, Live Black Worms, and Ghost Shrimp.

Compatibility :

Tiger Fish are best kept with other fish that are too large to be swallowed. Tiger Fish will quarrel with each other, so they are best kept one Tiger to an aquarium, unless the aquarium is very large. Tiger Fish are often seen in the same aquarium with large Oscars, large Pacus, large Tinfoil Barbs, Large Bala Sharks, and large Clown Knife Fish. Tiger Fish can also be kept with catfish that are too large and spiny to be eaten. For example, White Tip Shark Cats, Pictus Catfish, and Synodontis Catfish.