Snakeskin barb
Desmopuntius rhomboocellatus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–82°F
- 22–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 2.2 in
- 5.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Egg scatterer · Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Origin
- Borneo
Overview
The snakeskin barb is a peaceful schooling fish for a quiet, planted community or a soft blackwater tank. It is easy to keep and swims in the middle water.
Did you know
The snakeskin barb's species name, rhomboocellatus, points to the row of rhombus-shaped markings along its body. Each diamond is edged so that it reads almost like an eye spot. Linked together down a coppery orange flank, they create the chain mail, or snakeskin, look behind both its scientific and common names.
Caring for the snakeskin barb
Keep snakeskin barbs in a group of at least eight in a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or larger. A good shoal keeps them settled and brings the males into their richest color. Give them a dark substrate, plenty of driftwood and leaf litter, and subdued light. Plant generously, but leave open swimming space.
Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. They do best toward the softer, more acidic end of that range. Gentle flow and tannin-stained water suit them. Feed a varied diet of small flake, micro pellets and frozen or live foods such as daphnia and bloodworm.
Snakeskin barbs are peaceful, so keep them with other small, gentle species. A larger group also keeps their attention on each other rather than on smaller or long-finned tank mates.
They scatter their eggs and do not guard them. Breeding them is difficult and seldom achieved in a home aquarium.
Good to know
The snakeskin barb, Desmopuntius rhomboocellatus, is a small, warm orange to red member of the family Cyprinidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Puntius.
In the wild
The snakeskin barb comes from the blackwater streams and peat swamp forests of Borneo. The water there is soft, acidic and stained dark brown with tannins beneath dense forest.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The snakeskin barb is a 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Six-barred panchax
Epiplatys sexfasciatus
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Marble wood shrimp
Atya scabra
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma agassizii
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a snakeskin barb need?
A snakeskin barb needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a snakeskin barb need?
A snakeskin barb is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a snakeskin barb eat?
A snakeskin barb eats a varied diet of small flake, micro pellets and frozen or live foods such as daphnia and bloodworm.
How big does a snakeskin barb get?
An adult snakeskin barb reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).
Does a snakeskin barb need a group?
Yes. A snakeskin barb is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
How does a snakeskin barb breed?
Snakeskin barbs scatter their eggs and do not guard them. Breeding them is difficult and seldom achieved in a home aquarium.
Related species
2.4 in (6 cm)24 gal (90 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Six-banded barb
Desmopuntius hexazona
2.4 in (6 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)
2 in (5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Five-banded barb
Desmopuntius pentazona
2 in (5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Foersch's barb
Desmopuntius foerschi
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Twin-striped barb
Desmopuntius gemellus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
4.7 in (12 cm)40 gal (150 L)73–79°F (23–26°C)Striped barb
Desmopuntius johorensis
4.7 in (12 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
2.2 in (5.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Congo clipper barb
Clypeobarbus congicus
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)