Page 84 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

82 FRESHWATER FISH DIRECTORY

Pethia conchonius
Rosy Barb a day; the fry become free-swimming after a
further two or three days. Rosy Barbs can be
ORIGINS Asia, where it occurs in northern India, in areas reared on commercial foods formulated for egg-
including Assam and Bengal. layers. Their relative hardiness means that they
SIZE 6 in (15 cm). can be housed in well-planted outdoor ponds in
DIET Prepared foods and live foods. subtropical and tropical parts of the world. There
WATER Temperature 64–77°F (18–25°C); hard is likely to be enough natural food in the pond to
(100–150 mg/l) and around neutral (pH 7.0). nourish the young fry at first, and they are soon
TEMPERAMENT Peaceful and social. able to take food provided
for the adult fish.
The characteristic rosy coloration of these barbs is Longfin variant The longfin characteristic has been
seen at its brightest in males that are in spawning combined both with the native form seen here and also
condition. Only male fish have pinkish fins, while with recently developed colors, like the coppery variant.
those of females are clear. Rosy Barbs are relatively
undemanding in terms of their water chemistry
needs, but they will benefit from being kept in
a tank with subdued lighting, beneath floating
plants. This is one of the easier egg-laying
species to breed, with live foods being
valuable for conditioning purposes.
Prior to spawning, transfer pairs to
a separate aquarium with fine-leaved
plants such as Myriophyllum and a
reasonably low water level. The eggs, which
are scattered among the plants, hatch in about
Rosy Barb Selective breeding has tended to enhance the
natural coloration of these barbs, with some strains now
having a distinctive coppery-red appearance, as seen here.

Desmopuntius pentazona Pethia nigrofasciata Dawkinsia filamentosa
Banded Barb Black Ruby Barb Black-Spot Filament Barb

ORIGINS Southeast Asia, occurring throughout the ORIGINS Asia, found in sluggish streams in the ORIGINS Asia, occurring in mountain streams in south
Malay Peninsula; also present in Borneo. mountains of Sri Lanka. and southwestern India, as well as in Sri Lanka.
SIZE 2 in (5 cm). SIZE 2 ⁄2 in (6.5 cm). SIZE 6 in (15 cm).
1
DIET Prepared foods and live foods. DIET Prepared foods and live foods. DIET Prepared foods and live foods.
WATER Temperature 68–75°F (20–24°C); hard WATER Temperature 72–79°F (22–26°C); soft WATER Temperature 68–75°F (20–24°C); soft
(100–150 mg/l) and around neutral (pH 7.0). (50–100 mg/l) and acidic (pH 6.0). (50–100 mg/l) and acidic (pH 6.0).
TEMPERAMENT Peaceful and social. TEMPERAMENT Peaceful and social. TEMPERAMENT Peaceful and social.
The male Black Ruby Barb, shown below, is larger
Dark bands may be and more colorful than the silvery female. A tank
broken in some cases
for these barbs needs subdued lighting, to prevent Juvenile
the fish from becoming nervous, and it must also
include retreats. In the wild, seasonal changes
in the water temperature trigger breeding;
raising the temperature in the tank to the upper
end of the specified range will achieve the same
result. Spawning is likely soon after sunrise.
The first of the five bluish-black bands encircling The scientific name of this barb derives from the
the body of this fish runs through the eyes; the long filaments that develop on the dorsal rays of
broadest lies at the front of the dorsal fin. Males the mature male. In spawning condition, the male
are more brightly colored than females, with develops small white spots on its face. These
a richer shade of coppery-red on the back and barbs should be kept as a shoal, so they require
paler underparts. These barbs are a good choice a relatively large aquarium. As with other barbs,
for community tanks, although they need to be Black-Spot Filament Barbs are more likely to spawn
transferred to a spawning tank for breeding. The successfully if the sexes are separated beforehand.
young can eat brine shrimp at about 10 days old. Each female will produce as many as 1,000 eggs.

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