TankBud

African banded barb

Barbus fasciolatus

Also known as Fire Barb

FreshwaterFish

African banded barb (Barbus fasciolatus)
Citron · CC BY-SA 3.0

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
Egg scatterer · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Africa

Overview

The African banded barb is a peaceful, active schooling fish for a planted community tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

Male African banded barbs display hardest when rivals are nearby. They spar with flared fins but rarely do any real damage.

Caring for the African banded barb

Give a group of African banded barbs a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more. A planted tank with some open swimming space suits these active fish.

Keep the water soft and slightly acidic, at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) and a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. Feed a varied diet of flakes or micro pellets, with regular frozen or live foods such as bloodworms and brine shrimp.

Keep them in a school of at least six so they feel secure and color up properly. A slightly larger group spreads out the males' sparring and brings out better color across the whole school. They are peaceful and get along with other calm community fish of similar size.

Males color up more strongly than females, especially when they are in good condition. African banded barbs are egg scatterers with no parental care, and breeding them in a home tank is difficult.

Good to know

The African banded barb belongs to Cyprinidae, the carp and minnow family. Adults have dark vertical bars over a golden body.

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.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The African banded barb is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an African banded barb need?

An African banded barb needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an African banded barb need?

An African banded barb is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.5.

What does an African banded barb eat?

An African banded barb eats flakes or micro pellets. Give it regular frozen or live foods as well, such as bloodworms and brine shrimp.

How big does an African banded barb get?

An adult African banded barb reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

Does an African banded barb need a group?

Yes. An African banded barb is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How can you tell a male African banded barb from a female?

Males color up more strongly than females, especially when they are in good condition.

How does an African banded barb breed?

African banded barbs scatter their eggs and give them no parental care. Breeding them in a home tank is difficult.

Related species