Barna baril
Opsarius barna
Also known as Barilius barna, Striped hill trout
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 64–79°F
- 18–26°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.8
- Adult size
- 5.9 in
- 15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 53 gal
- 200 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Danionidae
- Origin
- India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar
Overview
The Barna baril is an active, trout-like schooling fish for a long river tank. It is best with a little experience.
Did you know
Barils feed the way trout do, rising to snatch insects off the surface. A school of Barna barils working the current line gives an aquarium something close to a river rise.
Caring for the Barna baril
Give Barna barils the longest tank you can. A tank of at least 53 gal (200 L) with real flow suits a group. Build it like a river, with high oxygen, plenty of open length and a substrate of sand, gravel and rounded stones. Barils are champion jumpers, so a tightly fitting lid is not optional.
They handle a fairly wide temperature range, at 64 to 79°F (18 to 26°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Feed floating and sinking foods, along with frozen and small live items such as bloodworm and insect larvae.
Keep a group of five or more, so any chasing is spread across the school. They patrol the current in open midwater and strike fast at food. Choose robust companions and avoid small or timid fish. Their breeding is not recorded in aquariums.
Good to know
Opsarius barna is a danio-family cyprinid in Danionidae, silver with tall blue-gray bars along the flank. Hamilton described it in 1822, using barna, the local Bengali name for the fish.
In the wild
The Barna baril lives in clear, gravelly hill streams and larger rivers from India through Nepal and Bangladesh into Myanmar.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Barna baril is a mostly 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.
Green turushuki catfish
Hemidoras morrisi
Freshwater6.3 in (16 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Blue spotted hill trout
Barilius bakeri
Freshwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Niger tetra
Arnoldichthys spilopterus
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 50 gal (190 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Meridionalis eartheater
Gymnogeophagus meridionalis
Freshwater4.3 in (11 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)
Forest halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 34 gal (130 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Spotted silver dollar
Metynnis lippincottianus
Freshwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Barna baril need?
A Barna baril needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Barna baril need?
A Barna baril is comfortable at 64–79°F (18–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.
What does a Barna baril eat?
A Barna baril eats floating and sinking foods. Add frozen and small live items such as bloodworm and insect larvae.
How big does a Barna baril get?
An adult Barna baril reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).
Does a Barna baril need a group?
Yes. A Barna baril is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
5.5 in (14 cm)53 gal (200 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)Shacra baril
Opsarius shacra
5.5 in (14 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)53 gal (200 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Jeweled baril
Opsarius pulchellus
5.1 in (13 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)
4.3 in (11 cm)42 gal (160 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Bernatzik's baril
Opsarius bernatziki
4.3 in (11 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)
4.3 in (11 cm)42 gal (160 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Malabar baril
Opsarius malabaricus
4.3 in (11 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)
4.1 in (10.5 cm)42 gal (160 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Fiery baril
Opsarius ardens
4.1 in (10.5 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)42 gal (160 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Gangetic scissortail rasbora
Rasbora rasbora
5.1 in (13 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)