Blackspot dwarf barb

Enteromius stigmatopygus

Also known as Barbus stigmatopygus, Speckled barb

FreshwaterFish

Blackspot dwarf barb (Enteromius stigmatopygus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.4 in (3.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Chad and Central African Republic drainages
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Keep this African dwarf barb as a group of eight or more; small schooling fish like this are timid and only relax and color up in numbers. It swims in the middle water and is thoroughly peaceful, best suited to a quiet nano community with other tiny, gentle species. Feed small foods it can manage: finely crushed flake, micro-pellet and small frozen or live items such as baby brine shrimp and cyclops. A planted tank of around 40 liters with cover and gentle filtration suits a group.

In the wild

The blackspot dwarf barb lives in savanna streams and pools of north-central Africa, including the Chad basin, typically soft, warm, slow-moving water. Recreate that with a densely planted tank, some shade, a dark substrate and gentle flow. Keep it warm at 22 to 27 degrees Celsius across a wide, forgiving pH band from 6.0 to 7.5, with stable, clean water.

Good to know

Enteromius stigmatopygus is a small African barb of the family Cyprinidae reaching only about 3.5 centimeters. Its name points to a dark mark toward the rear of the body, near the tail. It is one of many small African barbs formerly lumped in the genus Barbus and now placed in Enteromius. It has no aquarium breeding records, though its relatives scatter eggs.

Did you know

This is a thumbnail-sized barb, barely three and a half centimeters grown, and its scientific name singles out the one obvious feature it carries: a dark mark near the base of the tail.

Tank mates

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