Threespot barb

Enteromius trispilos

Also known as Barbus trispilos

FreshwaterFish

Threespot barb (Enteromius trispilos) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2.8 in (7 cm)
Minimum tank: 24 gal (90 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: West Africa from Ivory Coast to Ghana
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

The threespot barb is an easy, peaceful, unfussy shoaler, best kept in a group of six or more so it stays confident and active in the open. It swims through the middle water of a planted tank and makes an undemanding centrepiece for a West African community of other small, gentle fish. It takes all the standard foods without complaint: flake, micro pellets, and small frozen or live foods such as daphnia and bloodworm. Plant the sides and keep a clear channel for swimming. A tank of around 90 liters gives a group of these lively barbs plenty of room.

In the wild

Enteromius trispilos lives in the forest and savanna streams of West Africa, in the Ivory Coast to Ghana region, in clear to lightly stained flowing water. A planted tank with soft substrate, wood, leaf litter, and gentle to moderate flow reflects that home and shows off the fish. Keep it at 22 to 27 degrees Celsius with pH 6.0 to 7.5. It is hardy and adaptable, but clean, softly acidic water suits it best.

Good to know

Enteromius trispilos is a dwarf carp-family fish, Cyprinidae, reaching around 7 centimetres. The name trispilos means three spots, for the three round dark marks it carries along the flank. Described by Bleeker in 1863, it is another of the small African barbs moved from Barbus into the genus Enteromius. Aquarium breeding is not documented for it.

Did you know

The three-spot name is a built-in field mark: every fish carries three evenly spaced dark dots down the side, so counting the spots is the simplest way to put a name to this small West African barb.