TankBud

Filament barb

Dawkinsia filamentosa

FreshwaterFish

Filament barb (Dawkinsia filamentosa)
Elizabeth Barrett / animal.photos · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–77°F
20–25°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
India

Overview

The filament barb is a peaceful, energetic schooling barb that needs plenty of swimming room. It is an easy fish to keep.

Did you know

The filament barb's genus, Dawkinsia, was named in 2012 after the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, for his work explaining science to the public. Dawkins said he was delighted, noting that an aquarium he helps look after already kept a pair of this very fish.

Caring for the filament barb

Keep filament barbs in a group of at least six, and more if you can. In a group they show their best colors and channel their energy into the shoal. They are strong swimmers that use the full length of the middle water. Give them a roomy tank of 53 gal (200 L) or more, with a long, open swimming lane down the middle.

Use a gravel and sand base with water-worn rock, driftwood and some current from the filter. Keep any planting to the sides and background so the shoal has room to move. Keep the water at 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.

Feed a varied diet of flake, pellets and frozen foods, with some vegetable matter and green algae. Filament barbs are calm and suit a spacious community with other medium-sized, active fish. Small, timid species may find them a little boisterous.

Mature males grow long, thread-like extensions from the rays of the dorsal fin, which trail behind them as they swim. Filament barbs scatter their eggs among fine plants and do not guard them. They can be bred in a dedicated tank with moderate effort.

Good to know

Dawkinsia filamentosa is a member of the family Cyprinidae. Its name refers to the filaments on the male's dorsal fin. The genus Dawkinsia was split from the old catch-all genus Puntius in 2012.

In the wild

The filament barb comes from the rivers and coastal floodplains of southern India, especially the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It lives there in flowing, well-oxygenated water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The filament 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 filament barb need?

A filament barb needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a filament barb need?

A filament barb is comfortable at 68–77°F (20–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a filament barb eat?

A filament barb eats a varied diet of flake, pellets and frozen foods. Give it some vegetable matter and green algae as well.

How big does a filament barb get?

An adult filament barb reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

Does a filament barb need a group?

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

How can you tell a male filament barb from a female?

Males grow long, thread-like extensions from the rays of the dorsal fin as they mature, and these trail behind them as they swim.

How does a filament barb breed?

Filament barbs scatter their eggs among fine plants and do not guard them. They can be bred in a dedicated tank with moderate effort.

Related species