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Immaculate barb

Systomus immaculatus

Also known as Spotless systomus, Cute face barb

FreshwaterFish

Immaculate barb (Systomus immaculatus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
6.0–7.2
Adult size
7.5 in
19 cm
Minimum tank
66 gal
250 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Assam, northeast India

Overview

The immaculate barb is a peaceful schooling fish that grows into a fairly large, deep-bodied barb. It is a step up from the easiest community fish.

Did you know

The immaculate barb's name is a quiet joke at its family's expense. In a group famous for spots, stripes and shoulder blotches, its field mark is having no markings at all.

Caring for the immaculate barb

An immaculate barb needs a spacious tank of 66 gal (250 L) or more, well beyond what a small barb would need. Give it length, with open swimming lanes and some planted cover along the edges. A sand or fine gravel bed, smooth stones and driftwood suit it.

Run a steady, well-oxygenated current, and keep the water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.2. It is an omnivore that readily takes sinking pellets, flake and frozen foods.

Keep immaculate barbs in a group of at least six. In a shoal they swim openly through the middle water and stay calm toward their tank mates. Pair them with other active but even-tempered community species, rather than small fish they might unsettle at feeding time. Their breeding is not documented in aquariums.

Good to know

Systomus immaculatus is a barb in the carp family, Cyprinidae, and its species name means spotless. It is one of the larger barbs, not the modest ten-centimeter fish it is sometimes listed as.

In the wild

Records place the immaculate barb in Assam and the wider Brahmaputra drainage of northeast India. It lives in clear, flowing subtropical rivers and streams.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The immaculate 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 an immaculate barb need?

An immaculate barb needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an immaculate barb need?

An immaculate barb is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.

What does an immaculate barb eat?

An immaculate barb is an omnivore that readily takes sinking pellets, flake and frozen foods.

How big does an immaculate barb get?

An adult immaculate barb reaches about 7.5 in (19 cm).

Does an immaculate barb need a group?

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

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