Order Cypriniformes ( Cypriniformes )
Family Cyprinidae ( Cyprinidae )
Subfamily ( Barbinae )
Genus Barbus — Barbus.
Continued…
— Clipper Barb — Barbus callipterus [Boulenger, 1907]. Synonym: Barbodes, Puntius callipterus. (Eng. Clipper Barb). West Africa, from Niger to Cameroon. 9 cm. Slightly convex dorsal profile, short barbels. Upper part of the eye is orange-red. Fish coloration is golden-yellow with iridescence, back is darker. Scales with brown edges. Dorsal and caudal fins are light red, sometimes red-orange, with a black spot on the first rays of the dorsal fin. Other fins are colorless. Males are more slender in shape and brighter in color. Females are larger.
A robust, modestly colored, peaceful, active, and undemanding schooling fish. Aquarium with dark, fine substrate, floating plants, and dense vegetation along the side and back walls; cover tightly as the fish are prone to jumping. They need plenty of free swimming space. Aggressive towards conspecifics and other fish families. Any aggression is minimized if kept in a school of 4-6 fish and together with appropriately sized fish. However, mixing with timid and very small species is not recommended. Soft to moderately hard water. Omnivorous; accepts frozen, live, vegetable, and dry foods. pH 6.0-7.0; dH 3-15°; T 19-25°C.
— Redfin Butterfly Barb, Three Spot Barb — Barbus candens [Nichols & Griscom, 1917]. (Eng. Redfin Butterfly Barb, Three Spot Barb). Northeastern regions of the Congo River basin. Inhabit very soft (low hardness), acidic, cool waters, often poorly lit due to the tropical rainforest canopy. 3-4 cm. Terminal mouth with one pair of short barbels. Body is elongated, pinkish-beige, upper half with a brownish-golden tint. Belly is light pink, flanks are pink, back has a golden shine (brownish).
Three black spots on the flanks: a large one under the dorsal fin, a smaller one at the base of the caudal fin, and the smallest at eye level in front of the gill cover. The caudal spot is lower than the other two. A black stripe is present on the blue dorsal fin (with the fin red underneath). Anal and ventral fins are yellowish with a black border. Caudal fin is two-lobed. Caudal fin coloration varies from blue to black. The male is larger, more slender than the female, and more brightly colored (especially the fins), while the female has practically transparent fins.
Peaceful, schooling, active. Must be kept in a group of 6 or more specimens. A hierarchy develops among the various males; the aquarium must be large enough to allow weaker fish to get some respite from dominant conspecifics. Requires an aquarium with plant thickets (along the edges and back wall), shady areas, various shelters (grottoes, driftwood), and open swimming space, covered with a glass lid on top. Fish stay in all water layers. Compatible with small, inactive aquarium fish species.
Lighting should be dimmed and diffused. Do not introduce this fish into a biologically immature aquarium, as they are sensitive to fluctuations in water chemistry. Soft and slightly acidic water is required. In tannin-rich waters, the fish show more intense coloration. Filtration, aeration, and regular water changes are necessary. Water movement should not be too strong. Eats live, vegetable, and dry flake foods. Reaches sexual maturity at 4-5 months of age. pH 5.0-6.5; dH 2-6°; T 18-24°C.
— African Banded Barb — Barbus fasciolatus [Gunther, 1868]. A barb with an elongated body and remarkably beautiful coloration featuring dark transverse stripes. Coloration is bright, orange or red, fins are yellowish, with a bright red spot in the middle of the dorsal fin. 10-15 blue-black vertical lines-streaks cross the body, with the second and third typically oval-shaped, and the last usually forming a spot at the caudal base. Under good aquarium lighting, the numerous dark blue streaks located transversely across the fish flanks periodically light up on body bends when turning.
A barb with an elongated body and remarkably beautiful coloration featuring dark transverse stripes. 10-15 blue-black vertical lines-streaks cross the body, with the second and third typically oval-shaped, and the last usually forming a spot at the caudal base. Under good aquarium lighting, the numerous dark blue streaks located transversely across the fish flanks periodically light up on body bends when turning.
Unpaired fins are reddish-brown. Males are more intensely colored, becoming brick-red during spawning and excitement, and the vertical stripes acquire an iridescent color with dark red unpaired fins. Males are smaller, with a narrower body, dark red unpaired fins, whereas females have reddish-brown ones. Females are usually larger, with more yellowish-orange tones in their coloration. Young fish are colored dirty yellow with thin transverse black striping. Fins are transparent.
Aquarium with a sufficient number of shelters and vegetation to allow weaker specimens some respite from dominant conspecifics. Somewhat timid, spend most of their time in the bottom water layers, prefer dimmed lighting, and like to hide in plant thickets. Should be kept in groups of 8 or more; in small groups or kept singly, they are timid and aggressive.
Males may quarrel with each other, displaying bright colors, rubbing flanks, and circling in place in various directions. Unable to withstand the pressure, the weaker rival leaves the “battlefield”, while the victor completely shifts his attention to the females. In both cases, the fish do not cause any harm to each other. Swimming throughout the aquarium, these schooling fish like to make short stops among dense plantings. Therefore, vegetation along the edges of the tank can be truly lush. Use a few floating plants to subdue the light. Under strong lighting, the fish become timid.
Soft, sandy substrate, with the addition of some driftwood and stones arranged to create numerous shady areas. Prefer slightly soft, acidic water. Color fades when kept in water that is too hard or alkaline. Filtration and regular water changes are required. Water movement from filtration should not be too strong. For feeding, it is best to use live food, crustaceans, tubifex, chopped bloodworms, and glassworms, as well as supplementary vegetable feeding. They greedily attack offered food, catching it in the water column, and later eagerly scavenge it from the bottom. Mature at 8-10 months. Lifespan is 3-5 years. T 20-25°C; dH 5-12°; pH 5.6-6.5.
Identification: African Banded Barb — Barbus fasciolatus.
Barbus hulstaerti, holotaenia, eutaenia, jae.
