African Banded Barb

Barbus fasciolatus

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–79°F (20–26°C)
pH: 5.0–6.5
Adult size: 2.4 in (6 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Africa
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Keep them in a school of at least six so they feel secure and color up properly. They are peaceful and active, spending most of their time in the middle of the tank. They get along with other calm community fish of similar size. Feed a varied diet of flakes or micro pellets with regular frozen or live food like bloodworms and brine shrimp. A tank around 75 liters gives them room to swim.

In the wild

The African banded barb lives in warm, well-planted streams and rivers in Africa. These are quiet waters with soft, acidic conditions, plenty of plants, and leaf litter on the bottom. A planted tank with some open swimming space and soft, slightly acidic water suits it. Keep the temperature in the low to mid 20s C.

Good to know

This barb belongs to Cyprinidae, the carp and minnow family. Adults reach about 6 cm, with dark vertical bars over a golden body. Males color up more strongly than females, especially when in good condition. They are egg scatterers with no parental care, and breeding them in the home tank is difficult.

Did you know

Males display hardest when they have rivals nearby, sparring with flared fins but rarely doing any real damage. Keeping a slightly larger group actually spreads this behavior out and brings out better color across the whole school.