TankBud

Shovelmouth barb

Chagunius chagunio

Also known as Chaguni

FreshwaterFish

Shovelmouth barb (Chagunius chagunio)

Care at a glance

Temperature
61–79°F
16–26°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
19.7 in
50 cm
Minimum tank
317 gal
1,200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages, India and Nepal

Overview

The shovelmouth barb is a heavy, mostly peaceful river barb for a pond or show tank rather than a living-room setup. It is a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

The shovelmouth barb's scientific name comes from a local Bengali name, chaguni. Both the species and its whole genus, Chagunius, still carry that borrowed name.

Caring for the shovelmouth barb

Keep shovelmouth barbs in a group, since they shoal in the wild and really want numbers. Plan on at least 317 gal (1,200 L), and a proper group needs far more. They patrol the middle and lower water and need long, open, current-swept space.

Give them strong current, a bed of rock and gravel, and lots of open water. Keep the water at 61 to 79°F (16 to 26°C), cooler in winter, with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Keep oxygen and turnover high.

Feed meaty and vegetable foods on the bottom, such as large sinking pellets, prawn, mussel, earthworms and blanched greens. The shovelmouth barb is mostly peaceful for its bulk and will not hunt tank mates it cannot swallow. It dwarfs ordinary community fish, so companions must be large, calm and coolwater-tolerant.

Breeding males develop a mask of nuptial tubercles that densely covers the snout and cheeks. Shovelmouth barbs spawn in rivers and are not bred in home aquariums.

Good to know

Chagunius chagunio is a large member of the carp family, Cyprinidae. Francis Hamilton recorded it in his 1822 account of the fishes of the Ganges.

In the wild

The shovelmouth barb lives in the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages of India and Nepal. It holds deeper, well-oxygenated runs of foothill rivers that stay cool for much of the year.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The shovelmouth barb is a mostly 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 shovelmouth barb need?

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

What temperature and pH does a shovelmouth barb need?

A shovelmouth barb is comfortable at 61–79°F (16–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a shovelmouth barb eat?

A shovelmouth barb eats meaty and vegetable foods from the bottom. Offer large sinking pellets, prawn, mussel, earthworms and blanched greens.

How big does a shovelmouth barb get?

An adult shovelmouth barb reaches about 19.7 in (50 cm).

Does a shovelmouth barb need a group?

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

How can you tell a male shovelmouth barb from a female?

Males in breeding condition develop a mask of nuptial tubercles that densely covers the snout and cheeks.

How does a shovelmouth barb breed?

The shovelmouth barb is a river spawner and is not bred in home aquariums.

Related species