TankBud

Sickle-fin barb

Puntioplites falcifer

Also known as Sicklefin barb

FreshwaterFish

Sickle-fin barb (Puntioplites falcifer)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
15.7 in
40 cm
Minimum tank
264 gal
1,000 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Mekong basin, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia

Overview

The sickle-fin barb is a mostly peaceful Mekong barb that suits only very large aquariums or indoor ponds. It is a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

The sickle-fin barb's long front dorsal spine carries roughly thirty tiny serrations down its back edge. So the fin that gives the fish its name is also a saw.

Caring for the sickle-fin barb

Keep sickle-fin barbs in a group, since they shoal as they travel. A tank of at least 264 gal (1,000 L) is a realistic minimum for even a small group, and more length is always better. Give them long, uninterrupted swimming lanes and a substrate of sand and rounded stone.

Keep the water warm, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Strong, well-oxygenated flow and open water suit them. Provide heavy filtration to match the waste of a large, active shoaling fish.

Feed a broad diet of large sinking pellets, wafers, vegetables and meaty frozen foods. The sickle-fin barb cruises the open middle water and is mostly peaceful. Keep it with other big, calm species rather than small fish that could pass for food. It is a river spawner and is not bred in aquariums.

Good to know

Puntioplites falcifer is a high-backed, silver carp-family fish in the Cyprinidae, described by Smith in 1929. Its name means sickle-bearing, for the long, curved dorsal fin. The fin's leading spine can be so extended that it nearly reaches the tail.

In the wild

The sickle-fin barb is a migratory fish of the Mekong basin, across Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. It is common in the main river and its floodplain, moving with the seasonal flood.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The sickle-fin 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 sickle-fin barb need?

A sickle-fin barb needs at least 264 gal (1,000 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a sickle-fin barb need?

A sickle-fin barb is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a sickle-fin barb eat?

A sickle-fin barb eats a broad diet of large sinking pellets, wafers, vegetables and meaty frozen foods.

How big does a sickle-fin barb get?

An adult sickle-fin barb reaches about 15.7 in (40 cm).

Does a sickle-fin barb need a group?

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

How does a sickle-fin barb breed?

The sickle-fin barb is a river spawner and is not bred in aquariums.

Related species