Page 89 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

CYPRINIDS/BARBS 87

Puntius bimaculatus
BARB BREEDING BEHAVIOR
Red-Striped Barb however, have a black spot in the middle of the
base of the dorsal fin and another black spot on The shoaling instincts of barbs, such as these
ORIGINS Southeast Asia, occurring in Sri Lanka, as well the caudal peduncle. Males are more slender in Red Tiger Barbs (see p.83), even extend to
as in Mysore, southern India. appearance than females. These fish are quite their spawning behavior. Several males take
SIZE 2 ⁄4 in (7 cm). nervous, even when kept in a shoal, and they part in this process in the wild, so it is best to
3
DIET Prepared foods and live foods. prefer to occupy the lower areas of a tank. house a single female in the breeding tank
WATER Temperature 72–79°F (22–26°C); soft Increasing the water temperature toward the with at least two males. Females release
(50–100 mg/l) and acidic (pH 6.5). upper end of the stated range and adhering to hundreds of eggs at each spawning, so the
TEMPERAMENT Peaceful and social. the water chemistry criteria given here should risk of a large number not being fertilized is
encourage spawning behavior. Red-Striped greater if there is only one male present. The
The intensity of the red stripe on this Asiatic barb Barbs can be prolific; the females are capable age of the male barbs can also be a factor in
varies significantly, and in some individuals it is so of breeding several times during the year and successful spawning, as some species may not
faint that it is barely visible. All Red-Striped Barbs, laying as many as 400 eggs on each occasion. be fully mature until they are 18 months old.

Pethia cumingii Enteromius trispilos Barbus roloffi
Cuming’s Barb Black-Spotted Gold Barb Roloff’s Barb

ORIGINS Asia, where it is restricted to the southwestern ORIGINS Western Africa, with distribution extending ORIGINS Southeast Asia, where its distribution centers
part of Sri Lanka. from the western part of the Ivory Coast to Guinea. on Thailand.
1
SIZE 2 in (5 cm). SIZE 3 ⁄2 in (9 cm). SIZE 2 in (5 cm).
DIET Prepared foods and live foods. DIET Prepared foods and live foods. DIET Prepared foods and live foods
WATER Temperature 72–81°F (22–27°C); soft WATER Temperature 72–77°F (22–25°C); soft WATER Temperature 72–79°F (22–26°C); soft
(50–100 mg/l) and neutral (pH 7.0). (50–100 mg/l) and acidic (pH 6.0). (50–100 mg/l) and acidic to neutral (pH 6.5–7.0).
TEMPERAMENT Peaceful and social. TEMPERAMENT Peaceful and social. TEMPERAMENT Placid and social.
On its native island of Sri Lanka, the red-finned This small barb has a deeply forked caudal fin and
form of Cuming’s Barb, pictured here, occurs from a streamlined, silvery body, with a prominent black
the Kelani River northward, while a yellow-finned marking on its dorsal fin. Roloff’s Barb is an agile,
variant extends as far north as the Kalu River. Like fast-swimming species that should be kept in
most barbs, Cuming’s is suitable for a community groups. Provide well-planted areas in the tank to
tank with nonaggressive fish that need similar give the fish a sense of security. These barbs eat a
water conditions. Breeding is rare in home variety of foods, including flake, and benefit from
aquariums, usually because of a lack of compatibility. the regular addition of small live foods to their diet.

Fins have a Two black marks Black blotch on
reddish tinge on bronze body large dorsal fin
This barb may have as many as five black spots
on each side of its bronze body. Ensure that the
tank is well planted, but allow space at the
front for swimming. The male Black-Spotted
Gold Barb, shown here, is slimmer and more
brightly colored than the female. Like other
African barbs, this species is less commonly
available than many of its Asiatic relatives.

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