Canius barb

Pethia canius

Also known as Puntius canius

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–79°F (20–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Ganges delta region, India and Bangladesh
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

This is a small, shy dwarf barb, so keep it in a group of at least eight to ten; single fish or small groups stay nervous and hidden. It swims in the lower and middle water among plants and does best in a calm setup with other little, gentle community fish such as honey gouramis and small rasboras. Feed small foods: fine flake, micro-pellet and small frozen or live items like daphnia and baby brine shrimp. A planted, dimly lit tank of around 75 liters with driftwood and cover suits a group.

In the wild

Pethia canius comes from still and slow-moving waters of West Bengal, in the Ganges region of eastern India, quiet and often shaded habitats. Recreate that with a well-planted tank, driftwood, a dark substrate and subdued lighting, with gentle filtration and little current. It prefers the cooler tropical band, around 20 to 26 degrees Celsius, at pH 6.0 to 7.5.

Good to know

Pethia canius is a dwarf barb of the family Cyprinidae, described by Hamilton in 1822 and closely related to the golden dwarf barb, Pethia gelius. It is very small, maturing at only around 2.5 to 3 centimeters, flat-bodied with an incomplete lateral line and no barbels. Its captive breeding is poorly documented; like its kin it likely scatters eggs among fine-leaved plants.

Did you know

This is a true miniature, maturing at under three centimeters, and it belongs to the small golden-dwarf-barb group whose members carry only a short, incomplete lateral line rather than the full row of pored scales most fish have.