Martorell's barb

Enteromius martorelli

Also known as Barbus martorelli, Martorelli barb

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3.5 in (9 cm)
Minimum tank: 24 gal (90 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Cameroon and Gabon
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Martorell's barb is a peaceful, active schooling barb, so keep a group of at least six in the middle water. It is an easygoing community fish that settles in beside other African species such as Congo tetras and kribs without trouble. It is an unfussy omnivore, taking flake, small pellets, and frozen foods readily. A planted tank of around 90 liters with some current and clear swimming lanes suits a small group well.

In the wild

This barb comes from the forest streams and rivers of Lower Guinea in west-central Africa, across Cameroon, Gabon, and neighboring drainages. Recreate that with a planted tank, driftwood, some leaf litter, and moderate flow. Keep it at 22 to 27 degrees Celsius, with a pH from 6.0 to 7.5 and soft to moderately soft water. Gentle current and some shade from planting or wood suit its stream-dwelling nature.

Good to know

Enteromius martorelli is a member of the carp family, Cyprinidae, one of the many small barbs of the Lower Guinea forests. It reaches around 9 centimeters, silvery gold with a dark line along the flank. Its breeding is not documented in aquaria, though these barbs are generally egg scatterers. The species is soft-water by nature and does not fare well in hard water.

Did you know

Like most of west-central Africa's little barbs, it was once filed under the giant catch-all genus Barbus and only recently moved to Enteromius, which now holds several hundred small African species.