Pool barb

Puntius sophore

Also known as Spotfin swamp barb, Stigma barb, Pyramid barb

FreshwaterFish

Pool barb (Puntius sophore) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–81°F (20–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.8
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: South and Southeast Asia from Pakistan to Yunnan
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

The pool barb is one of the most undemanding of all barbs, a peaceful, hardy schooling fish, so keep a group of at least six in the middle water. It is community-safe and adaptable, prospering where fussier fish struggle. It is a true omnivore that takes flake, pellets, vegetable matter, and frozen foods with equal appetite. A planted tank of around 110 liters with open swimming space suits a group, and it will settle into almost any peaceful community without special treatment.

In the wild

This barb fills ponds, ditches, canals, and rivers across an enormous swathe of South and Southeast Asia, from Pakistan and Afghanistan through India and Nepal to Myanmar and Yunnan in China. It thrives in still and flowing water alike, so a planted community tank with gentle current suits it. Keep it at 20 to 27 degrees Celsius, with a pH from 6.0 to 7.8. Its tolerance of a wide range of conditions is exactly why it is so easy to keep.

Good to know

Puntius sophore is another of Francis Hamilton's 1822 barbs and a member of the carp family, Cyprinidae. It commonly reaches around 10 centimeters, gold with a dark blotch on the dorsal fin and a spot at the tail base. It is one of Asia's most widespread and abundant freshwater fish, important locally as food. Its aquarium breeding is not formally documented, though barbs of this kind are egg scatterers.

Did you know

It may be the most successful barb of all: from Afghanistan to southern China, wherever there is a village pond or a roadside ditch, there is a fair chance a pool barb is living in it.