Spotscale Barb

Barbus holotaenia

Also known as African Spotscale Barb

FreshwaterFish

Spotscale Barb (Barbus holotaenia) — Jonathan (Jon) Armbruster · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–86°F (24–30°C)
pH: 6.0–7.0
Adult size: 4.7 in (12 cm)
Minimum tank: 32 gal (120 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Africa
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Spotscale barbs are peaceful, active shoaling fish that should be kept in a group of at least six, and more if you have room, as a good shoal keeps them settled and out in the open. They swim in the middle water and suit a spacious community with other calm, similarly sized fish that enjoy warm, soft water. They are easy to feed, taking flake, pellets, and frozen or live foods, with some vegetable matter to round out the diet. A larger group keeps their focus on one another rather than on smaller tankmates. A tank around 120 liters or larger keeps an active shoal content.

In the wild

This barb is an African species, native to the warm rivers and streams of the Congo basin and nearby waters in central Africa, where it lives in soft, often tannin stained water. It does best in warm conditions of about 24–30 C and a soft, acidic to neutral pH of 6.0–7.0. Recreate that with a gentle current, a base of sand and fine gravel, and driftwood and leaf litter to soften and shade the water. Some hardy planting and open swimming space complete a comfortable setting for this active fish.

Good to know

Barbus holotaenia is an African member of the family Cyprinidae that reaches around 12 cm. It is a streamlined, silvery barb whose most obvious feature is a dark stripe that runs unbroken along the length of the body from snout to tail. The species name holotaenia refers to that complete band. It is presumed to be an egg scattering, non guarding spawner like its relatives, but there is no established record of it being bred in home aquaria.

Did you know

The scientific name holotaenia comes from words meaning whole band, a reference to the single dark stripe that runs the entire length of the body without a break. That continuous line, rather than the spots the common name suggests, is the easiest way to pick this African barb out from its relatives.