TankBud

Spanner barb

Barbodes lateristriga

Also known as Spanner T-Barb

FreshwaterFish

Spanner barb (Barbodes lateristriga)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
74 gal
280 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Southeast Asia: Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo

Overview

The spanner barb is an active barb that swims through the middle of the tank and grows large. It is a step up from the easiest fish to keep.

Did you know

The spanner barb's common name comes from the markings on juveniles. Their dark bars can look like the open jaws of a spanner, or wrench. As the fish grows, the bold young markings fade and break up.

Caring for the spanner barb

Give spanner barbs a long, open, stream-style tank of at least 74 gal (280 L), with a footprint near 150 by 45 cm. They are built for moving water rather than still tanks, so add some current and plenty of swimming room.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, well oxygenated and with moderate flow. They do not tolerate organic pollution, so run weekly water changes of 30 to 50 percent to keep it pristine. Spanner barbs are unfussy omnivores. Feed quality pellets or flake with frozen and live treats.

Buy juveniles in a group of six or more, since young fish shoal. Adults grow more solitary, and males can get pushy in tight space, so a big footprint matters more than a strict headcount. They are mostly peaceful but boisterous and compete hard at feeding. Keep them only with similarly sized, robust, active fish, and skip anything shy or long-finned.

They are egg scatterers with no parental care, and breeding is moderately tricky in a home tank. They get large and hardy, so never release unwanted fish into local waters, and check your local rules before buying.

Good to know

The spanner barb, Barbodes lateristriga, is a robust, long-lived member of the family Cyprinidae. It has been recorded at up to roughly 18.6 cm in length.

In the wild

Spanner barbs come from clear, slightly acidic mountain streams across the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Wild fish sit in water of around pH 6.0 to 6.5, with steady flow and good oxygen.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The spanner barb is a mostly peaceful, social 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 spanner barb need?

A spanner barb needs at least 74 gal (280 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a spanner barb need?

A spanner barb is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a spanner barb eat?

A spanner barb is an unfussy omnivore. It eats quality pellets or flake, with frozen and live treats.

How big does a spanner barb get?

An adult spanner barb reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

How does a spanner barb breed?

Spanner barbs are egg scatterers and give their eggs no parental care. Breeding them in a home tank is moderately tricky.

Related species