Railway barb

Acrossocheilus fasciatus

Also known as Banded stream barb

FreshwaterFish

Railway barb (Acrossocheilus fasciatus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 61–75°F (16–24°C)
pH: 6.5–7.8
Adult size: 7.5 in (19 cm)
Minimum tank: 79 gal (300 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Coastal drainages of eastern China
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

This is a large, active coolwater barb that lives in shoals, so plan on a group of six or more rather than one or two; single fish are restless and lose their nerve. It holds the middle water and open swimming lanes, so give it length and steady current from a strong filter or powerhead. Temperament is mostly peaceful but boisterous, and adults reach a hand-and-a-half long, so pick robust, similarly sized tankmates that will not be bullied or outcompeted at feeding. It is an unfussy eater: sinking pellets, wafers, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, and some vegetable matter all go down well. A tank of around 300 liters gives a small group the room and swimming distance it needs.

In the wild

The railway barb comes from quick, cool coastal streams and mountain rivers of eastern China, water that runs clear over gravel and stone and never gets tropical-warm. Keep it unheated to mildly warmed, 16 to 24 degrees Celsius, with pH 6.5 to 7.8 and plenty of oxygen and flow. A river setup of smooth rounded stones, some larger boulders, and hardy plants or none at all suits it, and brisk turnover keeps the fish coloured up and settled.

Good to know

Acrossocheilus fasciatus is a member of the carp family, Cyprinidae, and reaches about 19 centimetres, maturing at two to three years and living four to five. It carries a row of dark vertical bars down a silvery flank, the marking the railway name plays on. Home breeding is essentially unrecorded; like its river relatives it is a seasonal, current-spawning fish rather than a tank breeder.

Did you know

In the trade it also travels as the redfin torpedo barb, a nod to its muscular, current-built shape and the reddish wash its fins can take on in cool, well-oxygenated water.

Tank mates

Railway barb is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.