TankBud

Manipur barb

Pethia manipurensis

Also known as Puntius manipurensis, Red jasper barb

FreshwaterFish

Manipur barb (Pethia manipurensis)

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–77°F
20–25°C
pH
6.0–7.2
Adult size
1.8 in
4.5 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Manipur, northeast India

Overview

The Manipur barb is a small, peaceful schooling fish for a cool, planted tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The Manipur barb's home includes Loktak Lake, which is famous for its phumdis. These are floating mats of matted vegetation, thick enough to carry huts and even a national park. Fish communities live in the water beneath them.

Caring for the Manipur barb

Keep Manipur barbs in a group of at least eight, since a good group looks its best and keeps the fish confident. A well-planted tank of 14 gal (54 L) or more houses a group comfortably. Add a soft substrate, driftwood and gentle current.

They prefer cooler water than most tropicals, at 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C). Aim for a slightly acidic to neutral pH of 6.0 to 7.2. Steady, clean, moderately soft water keeps them healthy. Their mouths are small, so feed fine flake, micro pellets and small frozen foods such as daphnia and cyclops.

Manipur barbs are peaceful and swim in the middle of the tank. They suit a cooler nano or hill-stream community with small danios and other gentle species. Aquarium breeding is not documented, though their relatives typically scatter their eggs.

Good to know

Pethia manipurensis is a copper-toned dwarf barb in the carp family, Cyprinidae, with a deep-keeled body. The genus Pethia gathers many of the smaller South Asian barbs once lumped into Puntius.

In the wild

The Manipur barb comes from the upland waters of Manipur in northeast India, including the country around Loktak Lake.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Manipur 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 Manipur barb need?

A Manipur barb needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Manipur barb need?

A Manipur barb is comfortable at 68–77°F (20–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.

What does a Manipur barb eat?

A Manipur barb has a small mouth, so it eats fine flake, micro pellets and small frozen foods such as daphnia and cyclops.

How big does a Manipur barb get?

An adult Manipur barb reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

Does a Manipur barb need a group?

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

How does a Manipur barb breed?

Manipur barbs have no documented aquarium breeding. Their relatives typically scatter their eggs.

Related species