TankBud

Fiveline bonylip barb

Osteochilus pentalineatus

Also known as Five-lined osteochilus, Borneo bonylipped barb

FreshwaterFish

Fiveline bonylip barb (Osteochilus pentalineatus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.0
Adult size
2.2 in
5.6 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Southern Borneo, Indonesia

Overview

The fiveline bonylip barb is a small, active schooling grazer for a long tank with steady flow. It suits a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

The fiveline bonylip barb's species name means five-lined. Its genus, Osteochilus, means bone lip, for the hardened, fringed lower lip it drags over wood and stone to scrape a living from algae.

Caring for the fiveline bonylip barb

Keep fiveline bonylip barbs in a group of at least six, and more if you can, so they stay bold. Though small, they are restless swimmers, so a longer tank of 53 gal (200 L) gives a group room to cruise. They swim in the middle and lower water.

Give them a sandy bottom, smooth stones and driftwood to graze, some leaf litter and steady, well-oxygenated flow. Soft water and a dim, planted layout help them show their stripes and settle in. Keep the water warm, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), with a pH on the acidic side, from 5.5 to 7.0.

They spend the day working surfaces for algae and biofilm, and their diet leans vegetable. Offer algae wafers and a spirulina-based food alongside sinking pellets and the occasional frozen treat.

Fiveline bonylip barbs are peaceful and suit a community of other calm, current-loving fish. Their breeding is not documented in aquariums.

Good to know

Osteochilus pentalineatus is a bonylip barb in the carp family, Cyprinidae, described by Maurice Kottelat in 1982. It is a modest grazer rather than the mid-size fish it is sometimes sold as.

In the wild

The fiveline bonylip barb comes from rivers and blackwater-edged streams of southern Borneo. Its home water is soft and often stained with tannins.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The fiveline bonylip 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 fiveline bonylip barb need?

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

What temperature and pH does a fiveline bonylip barb need?

A fiveline bonylip barb is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a fiveline bonylip barb eat?

A fiveline bonylip barb grazes algae and biofilm, and its diet leans vegetable. Feed algae wafers and a spirulina-based food, with sinking pellets and the occasional frozen treat.

How big does a fiveline bonylip barb get?

An adult fiveline bonylip barb reaches about 2.2 in (5.6 cm).

Does a fiveline bonylip barb need a group?

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

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