TankBud

Mad barb

Leptobarbus hoevenii

Also known as Hoven's carp, Sultan fish

FreshwaterFish

Mad barb (Leptobarbus hoevenii)
Zahar AZ · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
23.6 in
60 cm
Minimum tank
317 gal
1,200 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Mekong and Sundaland rivers

Overview

The mad barb is a peaceful but enormous schooling fish that is sold as a lively little juvenile. It belongs in a very large custom system or an indoor pond, not a standard tank. It is a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

The mad barb takes its name from what happens when it eats the seeds and fruit of certain toxic trees, such as chaulmoogra. The fish become disoriented and swim erratically, as if intoxicated. They can also store the toxins in their flesh.

Caring for the mad barb

Plan on 317 gal (1,200 L) and up, really a pond, before taking on a mad barb. It wants big, open, flowing water, so the system needs robust filtration, strong current and a lot of length. Clean, well-oxygenated water is essential for a fish this large and active.

Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed a varied omnivore diet with plenty of vegetable matter and fruit, plus pellets and the occasional meaty item.

Mad barbs are a true shoaling species and want company of their own kind. A group of adults needs pond-scale space. They are calm and safe with other big fish, but they will eat small ones.

Aquarium breeding is not recorded. The mad barb's size makes it impractical to spawn outside commercial ponds.

Good to know

Leptobarbus hoevenii is a large cyprinid in the carp family, Cyprinidae. In Malaysia it is prized as the sultan fish, once reserved for royalty. It is also farmed as a food fish.

In the wild

The mad barb cruises large rivers across the Mekong basin and the Greater Sunda Islands. When the waters rise, it moves into flooded forest to feed.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The mad 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 mad barb need?

A mad barb needs at least 317 gal (1,200 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a mad barb need?

A mad barb is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a mad barb eat?

A mad barb eats a varied omnivore diet with plenty of vegetable matter and fruit. Give it pellets and the occasional meaty item as well.

How big does a mad barb get?

An adult mad barb reaches about 23.6 in (60 cm).

Does a mad barb need a group?

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

How does a mad barb breed?

Mad barbs have no recorded aquarium breeding. Their size makes spawning them impractical outside commercial ponds.

Related species