TankBud

Cuming's barb

Pethia cumingii

Also known as Two-spot barb, Puntius cumingii, Barbus cumingii, Pethia cummingii

FreshwaterFish

Cuming's barb (Pethia cumingii)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
6.0–7.0
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
16 gal
60 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Endemic to the Bentota and Gin river basins of southwestern Sri Lanka.

Overview

Cuming's barb is a small, peaceful schooling barb for a shaded, planted tank. It is an easy fish to keep.

Did you know

Male Cuming's barbs deepen to a strong red or yellow in the fins when they display to each other. A well conditioned group in a dark tank is one of the more colorful small barbs.

Caring for the Cuming's barb

Keep Cuming's barbs in a group of at least six to eight, in a tank of 16 gal (60 L) or more. A shaded tank with plants, leaf litter and a dark substrate brings out their fin color.

Keep the water soft and on the acidic side, at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Feed small flakes and micro pellets, with frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm.

Cuming's barbs are peaceful and swim in the middle of the tank, where they suit a quiet community. Males spar with each other for display, but they do no harm. Breeding them is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

Cuming's barb, also called the two-spot barb, was long known as Puntius cumingii or Barbus cumingii. It moved to the genus Pethia in a 2012 revision of the small South Asian barbs. Its name honors Hugh Cuming, a nineteenth century collector of shells and specimens. Wild fish carry two smudgy dark bars on a silver body. Their fins range from yellow to red depending on population, and both color forms are sold under the same name.

In the wild

Cuming's barb is found only in the Bentota and Gin river basins of southwestern Sri Lanka. It lives in small shoals in shaded, slow to moderate forest streams. The shoals stay among leaf litter and submerged plants, in soft, slightly acidic water. Habitat loss has made it scarcer in the wild, so most tank fish are captive bred.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Cuming's 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 a Cuming's barb need?

A Cuming's barb needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Cuming's barb need?

A Cuming's barb is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.0.

What does a Cuming's barb eat?

A Cuming's barb eats small flakes and micro pellets. Give it frozen foods as well, such as daphnia and bloodworm.

How big does a Cuming's barb get?

An adult Cuming's barb reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

Does a Cuming's barb need a group?

Yes. A Cuming's barb is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

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