TankBud

Eyespot hampala barb

Hampala dispar

Also known as Spotted hampala, Two spot hampala barb

FreshwaterFish

Eyespot hampala barb (Hampala dispar)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
13.8 in
35 cm
Minimum tank
159 gal
600 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Mekong basin

Overview

The eyespot hampala barb is a fast, predatory barb that needs a very large tank. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

The eyespot hampala barb is a pursuit hunter rather than a gentle grazer like many barbs. Hampala barbs make their living the way pike or jacks do. Anglers across Southeast Asia prize them as hard-fighting sport fish taken on lures.

Caring for the eyespot hampala barb

Give the eyespot hampala barb a long tank of at least 159 gal (600 L), with strong flow and open swimming lanes. Add cover of wood or rock to break up sightlines. It swims in the open middle water and strikes at prey with real speed.

Keep the water warm, at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It needs clean, well-oxygenated water and heavy filtration to match its appetite. Feed meaty foods such as large pieces of fish flesh, prawn and mussel, along with sinking carnivore pellets.

Treat the eyespot hampala barb as a predator, since it is aggressive at feeding and will hunt down smaller fish. Choose its tank mates with caution, and pick only sturdy fish of a similar size that are too big to be swallowed. It can live alone, or in a small group of its own kind where there is enough room. It is not bred in normal fishkeeping.

Good to know

Hampala dispar is a predatory cyprinid of the Mekong. It is silvery, with a rounded dark blotch on the flank. Its better-known relative, Hampala macrolepidota, carries a vertical bar there instead.

In the wild

The eyespot hampala barb hunts in the flowing rivers and tributaries of the Mekong basin. It patrols open water there for smaller fish.

Common questions

What size tank does an eyespot hampala barb need?

An eyespot hampala barb needs at least 159 gal (600 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an eyespot hampala barb need?

An eyespot hampala barb is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does an eyespot hampala barb eat?

An eyespot hampala barb eats meaty foods, such as large pieces of fish flesh, prawn and mussel, plus sinking carnivore pellets. It will also hunt down any smaller fish in the tank.

How big does an eyespot hampala barb get?

An adult eyespot hampala barb reaches about 13.8 in (35 cm).

Related species