Lined barb
Striuntius lineatus
Also known as Striped barb, Puntius lineatus, Barbus lineatus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 5.0–6.5
- Adult size
- 2 in
- 5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Origin
- Found in blackwater streams, swamps, and peat forests of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo.
Overview
The lined barb is a small, peaceful schooling barb for the middle of a mature blackwater tank. It is a step up from the easiest barbs.
Did you know
The lined barb is sometimes confused in shops with other striped barbs, such as Desmopuntius johorensis. Its thin, continuous stripes, rather than blotches or bars, set it apart from most look-alikes.
Caring for the lined barb
Keep lined barbs in a group of at least eight, in a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more. They need stable, soft water in a mature blackwater tank rather than a brand new setup.
Give them soft, acidic water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. If your tap water is hard, they are a poor choice. Alder cones, leaf litter and gentle filtration through peat help hold the low pH. In a proper blackwater tank, they are hardy and long-lived.
Feed small flakes and micropellets, plus frozen daphnia, cyclops and bloodworm. Lined barbs are peaceful and safe in a community tank. Breeding them is hard.
Good to know
The lined barb belongs to the family Cyprinidae and carries several thin dark stripes along a slender, pale body. It was once placed in Puntius as Puntius lineatus. A 2013 reclassification of the old barb group moved it to the genus Striuntius.
In the wild
The lined barb lives in soft, tea-colored blackwater across the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo, in streams, swamps and peat forests. These are shaded, acidic waters stained by decaying leaves, with very little dissolved mineral content.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The lined 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.
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Emperor tetra
Nematobrycon palmeri
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Adolfo's cory
Hoplisoma adolfoi
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)
Peppered cory
Hoplisoma paleatum
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Kuekenthal's halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon kuekenthali
Freshwater3.3 in (8.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common spiny loach
Lepidocephalichthys thermalis
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a lined barb need?
A lined barb needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a lined barb need?
A lined barb is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.5.
What does a lined barb eat?
A lined barb eats small flakes and micropellets, along with frozen daphnia, cyclops and bloodworm.
How big does a lined barb get?
An adult lined barb reaches about 2 in (5 cm).
Does a lined barb need a group?
Yes. A lined barb is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
2 in (5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Bandula barb
Pethia bandula
2 in (5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2 in (5 cm)14 gal (54 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Cherry barb
Rohanella titteya
2 in (5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
2 in (5 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Cuming's barb
Pethia cumingii
2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
2 in (5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Five-banded barb
Desmopuntius pentazona
2 in (5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2 in (5 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Graceful rasbora
Trigonopoma gracile
2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
2 in (5 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Harlequin rasbora
Trigonostigma heteromorpha
2 in (5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)