Beijiang barb

Acrossocheilus beijiangensis

Also known as Beijiangensis barb

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 64–79°F (18–26°C)
pH: 6.5–7.8
Adult size: 5.1 in (13 cm)
Minimum tank: 53 gal (200 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Beijiang and Pearl River tributaries, southern China
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Keep this subtropical stream barb as a group of five or more in a roomy tank; it is mostly peaceful but lively, and a group spreads out its energy. It works the middle and lower water, grazing surfaces as much as swimming open water. Suitable tankmates are other active, sturdy fish that enjoy cooler, flowing water, such as danios, hillstream loaches and other stream barbs. Feed a mixed diet leaning on vegetable matter and biofilm, with algae wafers, spirulina flake and some frozen foods. Give it at least 200 liters with strong flow.

In the wild

The Beijiang barb lives in clear, swift, subtropical streams of the Bei and Pearl river systems in southern China. That home runs cooler than most tropical tanks, so it does not need a heater in a warm room and prefers well-oxygenated water with current over rock and gravel. Keep it around 18 to 26 degrees Celsius at pH 6.5 to 7.8.

Good to know

Acrossocheilus beijiangensis is a cyprinid reaching about 13 centimeters, brassy with bold dark vertical bars along each flank and thick, fleshy lips over an inferior mouth built for grazing. Wild fish rasp biofilm from stones and pick benthic invertebrates. It is not known to have been bred in home aquaria.

Did you know

Its bold flank bars recall a tiger barb, but this fish lives two climate zones north in cool southern Chinese streams, and it grows to roughly twice the length of the little tiger barb it resembles.

Tank mates

Beijiang barb is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.