Festive sharkminnow barb

Labiobarbus festivus

Also known as Festive apollo barb, Arrow shark

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 5.5–7.2
Adult size: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Minimum tank: 66 gal (250 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Malay Peninsula and Borneo
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

This is a large, active schooling barb, so plan on a group of at least six and give them open water to swim; lone fish stay nervous and lose their color. They cruise the middle of the tank and stay peaceful, so match them with other sizeable but calm river fish rather than tiny nano species that could be pushed aside at feeding time. In the wild they graze biofilm and take most foods, so offer a varied diet of sinking pellets, algae wafers, and frozen items such as bloodworm and daphnia. A long tank of around 250 liters or more suits a starter group, with room to add length as they grow toward 20 centimeters.

In the wild

The festive sharkminnow barb lives in the rivers and streams of the Malay Peninsula and Borneo, moving through flowing, well-oxygenated water. Recreate that with steady current from a strong filter or powerhead, a substrate of sand and smooth gravel, and some water-worn rock and driftwood for cover. Keep it warm at 23 to 28 degrees Celsius, with a pH from 5.5 to 7.2 and soft to moderately soft water. Tannins from leaf litter or wood suit its blackwater-edged home.

Good to know

Labiobarbus festivus belongs to the carp family, Cyprinidae, and is the most colorful member of its genus, with a tall, long-based dorsal fin that streams back like a low sail and a dark tail edged in red. It reaches around 20 centimeters, sometimes a little more, which makes it a fish for spacious setups. Its breeding in aquaria is not documented, and like most large river cyprinids it is presumed to be an open-water egg scatterer that spawns on seasonal cues.

Did you know

The tall dorsal fin earns it the trade name signal barb: the raised fin flashes a dark, red-edged banner each time the fish turns through the current.

Tank mates

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