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Gold-finned Barb - Puntius sachsii |
Showing posts with label Barbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barbs. Show all posts
2020-10-18
2018-11-10
Fact Sheet: CHERRY BARB - Puntius titteya
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| Cherry barb, Puntius titteya (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The Cherry Barb grows to about two inches (5cm) long. The average lifespan of this fish is about four years, but some have been recorded up to seven years old.
Threatened Species
This fish is threatened in the wild. Juniper Russo Tarascio in his excellent article on Associated Content:
"The Cherry Barb: A Threatened Freshwater Aquarium Fish" puts its rarity down to overfishing for the Aquarium Trade. Although this may certainly have been a factor in the reduction in numbers of this fish, my own research suggests that the continuing problems the wild population of the Cherry barb are more to do with the destruction of habitat rather than overfishing.
In our own shop, all these species (and nearly all the fish) are bred in captivity.
Water Conditions
The Cherry Barb will be happy at a temperature of 24 degrees C (75 degrees F), with a pH of 7 and soft to moderate hardness. Nowadays, practically all the Cherry Barbs offered for sale are captive bred ones, and like many captives bred fish tend to be able to adapt to a wider range of conditions than the wild ones could. However, particularly for this fish, do not change the water temperature or chemistry too quickly.
The Tank set up should have plants, preferable growing right up to the surface, and some clear section for swimming.
Food
Like most fish, Cherry Barbs are omnivores. In the wild, they will eat insect larvae, especially the young of mosquitoes, algae, and a wide range of other things of the right size. In the aquarium, they will eat all normal fish foods and are an easy fish to feed.
Like nearly all aquarium fish, they appreciate the occasional feed of live food like daphnia or wrigglers. Good frozen foods like frozen bloodworms are a good treat.
Companions
The Cherry Barb is not a fish that forms a very tight school. Nevertheless, if only one is kept it tends to be stressed. I recommend a group of at least six.
It is one of the most peaceful barbs, and I have kept them even with slow, moving long finned fish like Siamese Fighting Fish, Guppies and Endlers Guppies.
Cherry Barbs are also happy with other small reasonably peaceful fish.
I have also kept them with slightly more aggressive fish like Paraguay Tetras, Buenos Aires Tetras, Colombian Tetras, Rosy Barbs, and Tiger Barbs, but I would hesitate to recommend these fish as companions for Cherry Barbs. I suggest caution with these fish.
Sexing
The Male Cherry Barbs are a much more definite cherry color than the females which are more faded in color. The females tend to be plumper.
Breeding
The Cherry Barb is an egg-laying species, producing something like 200 eggs from one female. This fish spawns readily. A fine-leaved plant in the breeding aquarium will increase the chances of them laying.
The eggs hatch in about one day. The parents eat their own eggs as well as the young babies, so to have much chance of raising the young, the parents need to be removed as soon as possible after spawning.
An alternative way of breeding it is simply to keep a small group of them in a large aquarium with a lot of plants, and no other fish. Under these conditions, many of the eggs and fry will get eaten, but some may survive. This is a little closer to what would happen in the wild.
Pest Fish
Although I do not have evidence that the Cherry Barb is a pest fish anywhere, any fish introduced into a foreign ecosystem can damage it. The fact that it is not common in its native area is not a good reason to put it into inappropriate places in the wild.
2018-10-11
Aquarium Fish Care - BARBS In Your Aquarium!
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| Photo by Katty Fe |
Ceylon is the origin of the Purple Head Barbs and the Black Ruby. The fish do well in communal tanks and grow to about 2 1/2 inches. The female barbs are yellow-gray with dark stripes running in blotches and vertical lines. They lend colorful environments to the aquarium. The male barbs are brownish-black in color and/or black with vermilion red frontals. This fish lives well in communal waters, unlike the boisterous Puntius Conchonius groups. This fish feasts on all foodstuffs and is not finicky. It is also not demanding when it comes to water conditions and will survive even in moderately hard neutral waters. This is an easier fish to breed like the Puntius. The barb spawns like other barbs and lays about 300 eggs.
The Sumatra and the Tiger Barb belong to the Capoeta Tetrazona species, which originates from Sumatra and Borneo. Their size is about 2 inches when fully grown. This is a colorful fish with reddish-yellow bodies with a wide variety of black stripes. Its attitude is changeable which is the reason for its being the most diverse fish in the market. Some people are of the opinion that this fish bullies other fish, nipping at their fins, while other people feel that they have a calm disposition.
The Sumatra and Tigerfish share the same water condition needs as other barbs. The Sumatra and Tiger Barbs flourish in impartial or practical alkalinity water, as also in hard water. Fish owners are advised to set the temperatures at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The Sumatra and Tigerfish will crave and eat all foodstuffs heartily. All barbs spawn healthily and they are the first choice of breeders.
The male Sumatra and Tigerfish are slim and colorful while the female species are plump. The female is simple and breeds like other barbs. The fry is, however, susceptible to bladder problems and tend to rot at the fins. The water then has to be extremely spotless and should be monitored very carefully during breeding, as the spawn of the Sumatra and Tigerfish is gnawed at by the mutants.
Ceylon is the origin of Capoeta Titteya fish or Cherry Barbs, which are about 2 inches in length. The fish have a red-brown or yellow-brown color and are outstanding by their top to bottom dark black stripes. This is a communal fish and needs the same water and feeding conditions like those of other barbs. Male counterparts of Capoeta Titteya are of dark colors and change colors when bred. They are usually cherry red and black, with stripes that virtually evaporate.
Breeding of the Cherry Barbs is similar to the breeding of other barbs and they spawn nearly 200 eggs. There is variety in Cherry Barbs, with some barbs feasting on their own kind, while others refraining from it.
You should have a look at the line of Harlequins if you are a novice to aquariums and fish care and are new to the hobby.
Abhishek is an avid Fish Lover and he has got some great Aquarium Care Secrets up his sleeves! Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-09-19
TIGER BARBS - A Beginners Fish
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| Tiger barb (Puntius tetrazona). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Tiger Barb
Puntius tetrazona
Max. size: 7.0 cm / 2.8 inches
pH range: 6.0 - 8.0
dH range: 5 - 19
Temperature range: 20 - 26°C / 68 - 79°F
The tiger barb has long been one of the most popular and most kept aquarium fish species and there are today a wide variety of different color morphs available in the aquarium trade besides the common tiger barb. Such morphs include albino tiger barbs, green tiger barbs, and golden tiger barbs.
The tiger barb originates in South-East Asia and is native to Indonesia and Malaysia. They live on the Malay Peninsula, on the island of Sumatra and on the island of Borneo. The tiger barb can however today be found in many waters around the world where it voluntarily or involuntarily has been introduced by man. Countries, where it has been introduced, includes Australia, Singapore, Suriname, and Colombia.
Tiger barbs are suitable for beginner aquariums where they are best kept in large schools. Tiger barbs can often resort to fin nipping if they are kept in too small schools but this is seldom a problem if they are kept in large schools. It is however still recommended to avoid keeping tiger barbs with slow-moving, long finned fish species. The average lifespan in a well-kept aquarium is 6 years. Tiger barbs should preferably be kept in aquariums no smaller than 60 centimeters (24 inches) long. The aquarium should be decorated with hiding places among plants and plenty of room for swimming. Rocks and driftwood will also be appreciated.
Tiger barbs are very easy to care for as long as you keep the water parameters within the ranges given at the beginning of this article. Try to keep the water temperature in the upper part of the recommended range, ideally 23 - 26° C (74-79° F). They are omnivorous and will accept almost all the food that is presented to them and they will accept flake food. Try to vary the diet of your tiger barbs as much as possible even if it possible to keep and breed tiger barbs on nothing but flake food.
Tiger barbs are easy to breed and the largest problem is usually to prevent the parents from eating the eggs and fry. They often spawn in regular community aquariums but it is rare for any fry to survive in a community aquarium. Most often the eggs get eaten well before hatching. They are easy to sex as the female tiger barb is larger and have a much rounder belly. Males have distinctive red noses, and above the black part of their dorsal fins, you can see a characteristic red line. The dorsal fin of the female is mainly black.
If you want to breed your tiger barbs it recommendable to set up a breeding aquarium with some kind of egg protection device in it that prevents the parents from eating the eggs. A layer of common glass marbles on the bottom of the tank will do well for this task. Fill the breeding aquarium with water from the main tank. Move around the female to the tank and a male to the breeding tank.
They will likely spawn the next morning or at the very least the morning after if they are in spawning condition. If you fish hasn't spawned in three days a recommend trying another pair instead. The eggs are sticky, do not float in freshwater and are usually slightly above 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) in length. The number of eggs usually ranges from 300 to 500. The fry becomes free swimming after about 5 days and can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp. The fry grows relatively fast and usually reaches sexual maturity in about seven weeks at what point they are 2-3 centimeters (0.8-1.2 inches).
This is a short version of more in-depth tiger barbs and tiger barb breeding articles available at AC tropical fish where you also can read an in-depth article about a number of other barb fish species. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-08-25
Fact Sheet: ROSY BARB - Puntius conchonius
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| Photo by Cylindric |
The Rosy Barb, Puntius conchonius, is a very easy fish to keep. Sometimes the Common Name is spelled Rosey Barb. Barbus Conchonius is a junior synonym of the scientific name. It comes from Assam and Bengal in the Indian Sub Continent. In the wild, it can grow to about 6 inches (16cm) long, but in an aquarium does not generally get longer than about 4 inches (10cm).
Water Conditions
The Rosy Barb is very flexible in its requirements. A pH of between 6.5 and 7.5 suits this fish. Although it will survive slightly acid water, it seems to prefer slightly alkaline water.
It is not too bothered by water hardness but seems to like some hardness in the water.
It can take temperatures of between 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) and 32 degrees C (90 degrees F). I would not recommend the extremes of its range, but I have heard of cases where it has been successfully kept as a pond fish in Adelaide even in the winter which suggests it can take even lower temperatures than 10 degrees C (50 degrees F). This is one of the fish that is happy in ether tropical or cold water aquariums as long as the conditions are not too extreme.
Food
This fish is extremely easy to feed. It will eat practically all types of fish food. It is an omnivore and will eat soft-boiled spinach as well as a flake, pelleted, live and frozen foods. In a mixed tank watch, the fish make sure the Rosy Barbs are not getting all the food. They eat a lot. Make sure you do not pollute the aquarium by putting more food than the aquarium and its filter can handle.
A good live food for Rosy Barbs is Daphnia.
Companions
The Rosy Barb is a schooling fish and at least 6 are to be preferred. In a school, they are much less likely to be a problem for other fish. It is a bigger fish than many of its common companions as well as being extremely active; naturally, it can sometimes cause problems.
Some suitable companions are: ParaguayTetras, PristellaTetras, Buenos Aires Tetras, Colombian Tetras, Rummy Nose Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras, Scissortail Rasboras, Lemon Tetras, Black Widow Tetras, Emperor Tetras, Head and Tail Light Tetras, Glass Bloodfin Tetras, Swordtails, Platies, Mollies, Zebra Danios, Glowlight Tetras, and White Cloud Mountain Minnows, as well as the Corydoras catfish like the Peppered Catfish.
Some fish I would definitely not recommend as companions for this fish are Siamese Fighting Fish, Guppies, and Endlers Guppies.
Some small Fish like Neon Tetras and Cardinal Tetras may be all right while the Rosy Barbs are small, but whatever sort of fish you put together, you need to be guided by the sizes on the individuals as well as the species.
Varieties
There are several varieties of Rosy Barb including the Neon Rosy Barb, the Long Fin Rosy Barb, Red Glass Rosy Barb, the Blushing Rosy Barb, and the Gold Neon Rosy Barb.
Breeding
The Rosy Barb is one of the fish that frequently lays eggs in a home aquarium without their owner ever being aware of it. The eggs will normally get eaten long before they hatch, and any that do hatch get eaten as tiny babies with their owner never even seeing them.
Male Rosy Barbs have the reddish color that gives the species its common name while the females are more a yellowish color.
Frequently, hobbyists trying to breed them will use trios of two males and one female. The fish need to be well conditioned with rich food beforehand. This is particularly easy to do with this species because they are such good eaters. I find that frozen bloodworms are a good food.
The breeding tank should have plenty of plants; both submerged and floating ones. Neutral pH is probably best. The trio is often put into the breeding tank when it is getting dark and will spawn the following morning, or the second morning. When they have spawned, the female should be noticeably thinner, and the parents should be removed. Each female will lay hundreds of eggs.
The eggs hatch in 24-48 hours. The babies are fairly small. At first, they will eat infusoria or the finest fry foods, but they grow quickly and will soon be able to eat bigger food like screened Daphnia.
Professional breeders will sometimes simply let their Rosy Barbs breed naturally in ponds.
Once, to confirm my observation that my rosy barbs were frequently spawning without any special stimulus being given, I put a few Rosy Barbs into a type of breeding trap with a perforated bottom so that any eggs laid would fall through and hatch in the aquarium. I got a number of babies this way.
Growing the Babies
Baby Rosy barbs are vigorous fish. They eat well and can grow very fast, but it is necessary to give them enough space and keep the water quality high. I suggest more partial water changes that are usually done.
They will be able to eat screened Daphnia quite quickly. The definitely benefit from Daphnia and other suitable sized live food.
Feeder Fish
The Rosy barb is one of the many fish sometimes used as feeder fish. From the point of view of people selling them, they have some advantages for this. They are easy to breed, easy to grow, and the males sell better than the females, so if they can separate many of the males early on they can get something for the young females.
Personally, I think that feeder fish are often used when it is not necessary, although I recognize that there are cases where there is little alternative. In our shop, we do not sell any fish designated as feeder fish, but I am well aware that some of the small Rosy Barbs we sell cheaply are fed to other things.
Pest Fish
The Rosy Barb certainly has the potential to cause great damage to fragile ecosystems. With any pet fish, it should never be put into a situation where it can escape into natural waterways. They should never be released, and not used for live bait. The plants from a pond with fish in it also should not be put into natural waterways. Twice in setting up a new pond, baby fish have appeared. My theory is that fish eggs were on the plants put into the ponds.
2018-07-30
Tips on TIGER BARB Care and Spawning
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| A young tiger barb, Puntius tetrazona (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Their name is purely descriptive. Tiger barbs have an orange body with vertical black striping. Tigers are just one of over 70 species of barbs made commercially available by the aquarium industry. Selective breeding has produced a wide variety of color variations. Color morphs are green, gold and albino tiger barbs. The green tiger barb is highly melanistic. Their body reflects green over the black due to a Tyndall effect.
The tiger barb has an even temperament and makes for a good community fish. They are mid-level swimmers. Barbs do have a tendency to be fin nippers though. This behavior increases in bigger groups. Avoid mixing them with large finned species such as angelfish, bettas, and fancy guppies. They are a smaller fish. They only grow to about 2.5 inches long as adults. You'll want to raise them with similarly sized species to avoid waking up to one less fish in your tank.
Barbs are a shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are community dwellers. They instinctively travel in groups. Shoaling fish are ill-adapted to a life of solitude. It is recommended that you have at least four of any shoaling fish in an aquarium. Six to eight is even better.
Barbs thrive in soft, slightly acid water with a temperature range between 68-77 °F.
They are omnivorous. They can live out their entire life fed nothing but common tropical fish flakes. But a diet supplemented with pure protein will help keep them fit, vigorous and colorful.
It is not difficult to distinguish between male and female tiger barbs. The males are typically more colorful. Males tend to have more red on their fins than females. The male's nose will turn red when it enters into its breeding cycle.
Breeding Tiger Barbs
Tiger barbs can be induced to spawn when provided with the right conditions. Tigers typically breed in early summer in the wild. Turn the aquarium thermostat up to 77 or 78 degrees. You want them in softer water such as bottled water or reverse osmosis filtered water. You will also want to increase the waters acidity level to approximately pH 6.5. If these conditions are not conducive to your other community dwellers simply use a breeding tank to create a controlled environment conducive to spawning. You will also want to increase their protein intake by feeding them brine shrimp, bloodworms or meat-based frozen or freeze-dried food.
Tiger barbs are egg layers. A trait common to egg layers is that they will eat their eggs if given the chance. This can be best avoided by placing a layer of marbles over the breeding tank substrate. The eggs will sink down in between the marbles and keep the eggs safely out of harm's way. After the adults have spawned they should be removed from the breeding tank.
The fry will hatch in about 36 hours. They will be free swimming in 2-3 days. Once they are free swimming they can be fed infusoria or liquid fry food formulated for egg laying fish. Larger fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp. In about two weeks you will be able to change their diet to finely crushed fish flakes.
The latest trend among Saltwater Tank enthusiasts is raising pet jellyfish. Jellyfish need specially designed Jellyfish Fish Tank Aquariums. Jellyfish tanks are easier to maintain than traditional saltwater setups. Moon Jellies are the most popular jellyfish among home aquarists both for their exotic beauty and their ease of care. They have become so popular that two US-based websites are now tank raising them to meet the growing demand. Pet Moon Jellyfish look absolutely incredible under a fading LED lighting system. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-06-27
Important Varieties of BARBS Available in the Market
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| Tiger Barbs (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
There are a number of barbs species available for keeping in the aquarium but some of them are popular and preferred by fish keepers. Here is a list of some of them:
1. Tiger barbs - They are really handsome because of their stripy nature, which looks like the skin of a tiger. They are very active and they prefer to live in their own group. Some experts have ranked them as the 10th popular species among the fish keepers. They are good for the beginners but they are equally good for experienced fish-keepers because of simplicity in their requirements. They prefer to stay in shallow waters and get along in normal temperatures.
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| Rosy Barbs (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
2. Rosy barbs - They are relatively big in size as they can grow up to 6 inches. They were very popular in the last century due to their attractive color. They are also not of 'demanding' nature and they can tolerate a wide range of temperatures as well as conditions of water. They love to shoal and they can breed very easily and quickly.
3. Panda barbs - They are of black and silver color and very shy in nature. They can get along with other species of fish comfortably and they too can tolerate adverse conditions for some time. They are slightly expensive than other types of barbs and they are not easily available in pet shops. You have to be careful about their care because they can get sick because of stress and may die.
4. Cherry barbs -They are called community fish and they are smaller in size. They can grow only up to 2 inches and they do not require big tanks. If you keep them in their own group of about 10 fish, they can live happily. They are picky about their food but once you start offering them standard types of food, they will acclimatize themselves with it. They require dense plantation in the tank because they will lay their eggs scattered on the leaves of the plant and they also require a lot of places for hiding. They are popular amongst the fish keepers because of their dark blackish red color and there dance. They would like to dance around at the time of spawning, which is quite entertaining.
5. Denison barbs - Many times these barbs are mistaken for sharks! They are bright in color and they are angular in shape. They eat a lot of vegetables and they are fond of jumping. So you have to close your aquarium with a tight lid, otherwise, they can easily jump out and come to your dining table! Much fish-keepers order for them because of their shape. Though they look like sharks, they can get along with other species of fish without any problems.
6. Two spot barbs - They have the smallest among the barb community. They are very delightful because of their colors and graceful swimming. The only problem with them is their peculiar behavior. They are very aggressive at the time of spawning and they may hurt the female. So it is advisable to keep them in the proportion of three females to one male!
When you decide to purchase barbs, you should remember some important things - they may not look as attractive as your thought in the pet shops. This is because their colors are not as bright and prominent when they are young. When they grow and are ready for spawning, their colors brighten up. Another peculiarity of barbs is their habit of jumping. If you are not keeping them in a closed aquarium, they may easily come out of it. So you should consult pet shop staff before you make a decision to purchase them.
Chintamani Abhyankar is a goldfish enthusiast and has been raising and breeding goldfish for many years. He is an expert on their care and an advocate for raising healthy goldfish the natural way. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2018-06-05
Tips on RASBORA - Care and Spawning
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| Harlequin rasbora, Trigonostigma heteromorpha (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Rasboras are commonly referred to as harlequin fish or harlequin rasboras. This reference alludes to the black triangular patch on the back half of their bodies which is reminiscent to the patterns found on the costume of a harlequin.
Rasboras have a docile temperament. They make a good choice for a community tank provided their tank-mates are equally peace loving and not large enough to view them as a source of nutrition. Rasboras are shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are highly social creatures that function best as a community. They don't adapt well to a solitary existence. It is recommended that you have at least four of these upper to mid tank swimmers in an aquarium.
Rasbora is a small fish. They only grow to an adult size of 1.5-1.75 inches. They thrive it soft, slightly acid water with a pH 0f 6.8 and a water temperature ranging between 74-78 °F. Under ideal conditions you can expect them to live up to 10 years of age.
Rasboras are omnivores. They will survive just fine on a diet of common tropical fish flakes.
Distinguishing sexes in rasbora is relatively easy. The male bodies are thinner. Females are more full bodied especially when carrying eggs. The distinct triangular marking on the rear of their bodies differs between sexes. The males have more defined angular markings that extend further back on the lower abdomen than the females.
Breeding Rasbora
In their natural habitat, they inhabit streams that are littered with jungle decay. As a result peat grows abundantly in the streams releasing humic acid into the water. These same conditions can be simulated by filtering the breeding tank's water through peat or adding a thin layer of peat to the substrate. This will naturally increase the acid levels in the water. Make certain the peat contains no chemical additives or fertilizers.
A high protein diet of brine shrimp, tubifex or bloodworms will help induce the spawning cycle. Provide plenty of plant life to replicate their natural spawning grounds.
The male will begin chasing the male as a manner of courtship. Once the courtship phase is over the pair will spawn amid the foliage. Their eggs will be deposited on the underside of a broad leaf. Remove the adult from the breeding tank.
Once spawning has occurred you will want to darken the tank. The fry are susceptible to fungal growth. Surround the with paper or tin foil until the fry hatch and are free swimming. Eggs will hatch in about a day. After they hatch check the tank once a day. When you see the fry are free swimming it is time to start feeding them. This should take no longer than 3 days or so.
Free swimming fry can be fed liquid fry food formulated for egg layers or newly hatched brine shrimp. An economical and readily available alternative is powdered eggs. Make sure not to put too much in the water to avoid clouding it up.
The latest trend among Saltwater Tank enthusiasts is raising pet jellyfish. Jellyfish need specially designed Jellyfish Fish Tank Aquariums. Jellyfish tanks are easier to maintain than traditional saltwater setups. Moon Jellies are the most popular jellyfish among home aquarists both for their exotic beauty and their ease of care. They have become so popular that two US based websites are now tank raising them to meet the growing demand. Pet Moon Jellyfish look absolutely incredible under a fading LED lighting system.
Article Source: EzineArticles
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2018-05-26
Breeding BARB FISH
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| A school of Red Lined Torpedo Barbs swim in an aquarium. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Barbs are egg scatterers; they prefer to scatter their eggs over plants. Most of them come from soft acidic water. The most suitable temperature for breeding varies with the species. Barbs tend to be ravenous eaters of fish eggs and fry.
A suitable breeding tank set up will need to take these things into account. Generally, the breeding tank should have soft, slightly acidic water. There will need to be some fine-leaved plants like Java Moss for the fish to lay their eggs over. And of course, the parents need to be removed after spawning. This is an overview of the most common set up for breeding barbs, but there are other ways.
If you have enough space, it is possible to get some babies by simply having the parents in a large, very well planted aquarium with no other fish.
Some barbs are spawning regularly in aquariums without their owners being aware of it. There have been occasions when I have moved barbs out of a tank and have baby fish appear a week or so later!
Some commercial barbs are bred in ponds. Naturally, you would need the right climate for this, but my observation is that in ponds, fish can sometimes take lower temperatures than you would expect from experience with these fish in aquariums. Also, remember that it is possible to breed the barbs just over summer and take out the babies before the cold weather comes.
Before you consider actually attempting to breed barbs, you will need to research the requirements for the actual species of barb you are going to try to breed.
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2018-05-09
Understand the Essential Facts on CHERRY BARBS Before Keeping Them
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Photo by brian.gratwicke  |
They are basically middle tank fish meaning they love to stay in the middle level of the aquarium. They will rarely come to the surface of the water but sometimes they can make a trip to the bottom of the aquarium, searching for food and places to hide.
They are freshwater fish and are comfortable in moderate conditions of water. You should avoid making sudden changes in the temperature of water because it will harm them. You should also take care while changing the water of the aquarium because a sudden change in the water chemistry can put them under stress.
Like any other barb species, the females are bigger in size than the males. However, the males will be more colorful. The combination of various shades of cherry red color will be prominent on the males. The females will be in dull colors, especially orange and yellow.
In the open nature, cherry barbs will not spawn frequently but in aquariums, they will be very fast! During the period of spawning, the colors of the males will become brighter. The females will scatter their eggs all around the aquarium. However, you should take care to protect these eggs because the males will eat most of them. So if you transfer the eggs to another tank, there is a bigger chance of getting a large number of new ones.
Cherry barbs are very peaceful in nature but there are some exceptions. At the time of spawning, the male becomes very aggressive. Also, if you keep the only a few of them in the aquarium, they will develop stress and become aggressive. So it is advisable to keep them in a good ratio of three females per male. The normal size of their group should be about 10.
During the breeding season, the male will constantly follow the female and will try to keep away the other males. The females can lay about 300 eggs every day.
Normally, cherry barbs are not comfortable with other species of fish but if you keep them with the bottom-feeding fish like Loaches it can make a better combination. The Loaches are normally shy by nature and like to hide all the time but in the presence of cherry barbs, they will become more playful and both of them can make a good community in your aquarium.
Never make the mistake of keeping other species of fish with the cherry barbs. Even if you plan to keep tiger barbs with them, it is not advisable. Tiger barbs are aggressive species and they will attack and nip the cherry barbs. Angelfish are beautiful and usually peaceful but if you keep them with cherry barbs, there will start looking at cherry barbs as their tasty food!
Cherry barbs are fine with the normal fish food like flakes. They like live food such as brine shrimp or blood-worms as well. However, you should occasionally feed them with green vegetables like lettuce or spinach for proper nourishment.
If you take proper care of cherry barbs, they will grow up to 2 1/2 inches and live up to five years. You should provide them an aquarium with a heavy plantation because it is useful both for keeping their health as well as for their breeding.
Chintamani Abhyankar is a goldfish enthusiast and has been raising and breeding goldfish for many years. He is an expert on their care and an advocate for raising healthy goldfish the natural way.
Article Source: EzineArticles
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2018-03-01
2017-12-27
Fact Sheet: GOLD BARB (Puntius semifasciolatus)
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| Photo: Wikipedia |
Naming Confusion
This fish has many names. Other Common names are Golden Barb, Schubert's Barb, Green Barb, Half Stripped Barb, China Barb, Chinese Half Stripped Barb and Six Banded Barb. Other Scientific names it has been known by include: Barbus semifasciolatus, Pontius Shubertii, Puntius Shubertii, Barbus Shubertii and Capoeta semifasciolatus.
To add to the naming perplexity, the Gold Barb is often confused with: the Golden Barb (Puntius gelius) or the Gold-finned Barb (Puntius sachsii). The species name Shubertii refers to Tom Shubert of Camden, New Jersey, USA who developed the Gold Barb. He did this by selective breeding, presumably from the wild form of Puntius semifasciolatus, in the 1960's. I remember when I was a teenager keeping fish in the 1960's and later that the Gold Barb was called Barbus Shubertii. It was believed by some people to be a distinct species although there was already a suspicion that it was a form of Puntius semifasciolatus. I do not think that Barbus Shubertiiwas ever a valid scientific name.
Water Conditions
The Gold barb thrives in cooler water than most tropical fish. 18 - 24 degrees C (64 - 75 degrees F) is this fish's preferred range although it will certainly survive several degrees above this and a few degrees below. This means that it is suitable for either a tropical aquarium with the temperature set at 24 degrees C (75 degrees F) or an unheated tank in areas that do not get very cold. It is interesting to note that the color change was not the only change that happened when Mr. Shubert was breeding these fish. The Gold form of the species is a little less cold resistant than the wild type.The wild-type is sometimes sold as the China Barb and is a good aquarium fish although not as attractively colored as the Gold Barb.
The Gold Barb likes fairly soft, slightly acidic water, but does well over a range of pH. I usually aim for neutral (7). It will tolerate a moderate amount of hardness in the water.
Food
The Gold Barb is an easily fed omnivore. Any good quality fish food is an excellent basis for its diet. As with nearly all fish, and most other animals, the Gold Barb benefits from the occasional change in its diet. Live food like mosquito larvae and Daphnia are gobbled up greedily. Frozen bloodworms also make a good treat.
Companions
The Gold Barb is a schooling fish and a minimum of six should be kept. The Gold Barb is not as likely to become a fin nipper as Rosy Barbs and Tiger Barbs but can be kept with these fish as well as with other slightly aggressive fish like Paraguay Tetras, Buenos Aires Tetras and Colombian Tetras. Because the Gold Barb is peaceful it can also be kept with fish like Pristella Tetras and Rummy Nose Tetras. I would not recommend them as companions for Siamese Fighting Fish, Guppies, and Endlers Guppies. Small fish like Neon Tetras and Cardinal Tetras can certainly be kept with smaller Gold Barbs. In all cases, avoid too great a size difference between the fish in your aquarium. Do not put large, aggressive or predatory fish with Gold Barbs.
Breeding
Gold Barbs scatter their eggs over plants, preferably fine leaved ones. The males tend to be brighter in color and when ready to breed will get an orange-red belly. The females are duller in color and plumper. An increase in temperature to about 27 degrees C (80 degrees F) as well as a drop in pH to about 6.5 will tend to encourage them to breed. The spawning can be a little violent, so the tank should be reasonably big. I suggest at least two feet (60cm) long.
The actual spawning will usually take place when the tank starts to get light in the morning. I suggest removing the parents immediately after spawning. The average number of eggs per female is about a hundred although I have known of a female that produced over 400 eggs at one spawning.
An alternative way of breeding them is to have them in as big an aquarium as possible, with large numbers of plants and leave the parents in. Of course, you are likely to get fewer babies surviving, but this is a little closer to what could happen in the wild. A variation on this method is to put them into a well-planted pond in the summer months and catch all the fish before it gets too cold in the autumn (fall). The eggs are a yellowish color. They should hatch in 2-3 days. The fry will eat fine dry foods but benefit from suitable sized live foods at all stages.
Pest Fish
As with all captive fish, do release your Gold Barbs into the wild and do not put them in a situation where they could get out.
Also see: http://www.bettatrading.com.au/Gold-Barb-Fact-Sheet.php Steve Challis has many articles and stories on a diverse range of subjects at http://www.bettatrading.com.au.
Article Source: EzineArticles
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2017-11-09
Tips on CHERRY BARB Care and Spawning
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| Cherry Barb - Photo by lakpuratravels |
or Puntius titteya is classified to the family Cyprinidae was commonly known as carp. The cherry barb was originally discovered and cataloged on the island of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. Since its discovery, this species has established populations in the freshwater bodies of Columbia and Mexico.
Cherry barbs received their name because of their bright red color palette. They are a small, elongated fish only reaching a length of approximately two inches when fully grown. Typically, the upper part of their bodies leans toward a greenish shade with a slight sheen. A racing stripe that varies from a brownish color to bluish black runs from the tip of their snouts down the entire length of their bodies. Above the stripe is an iridescent band that is generally gold at the front part of their bodies and fades toward blue or green towards the tail. The males are redder than the females. But they do not develop the bright, cherry red coloration they are named for until they enter the spawning cycle. The cherry color is not found among the females of the species. Females are lighter in color and have yellow fins. The female's body tends to be a lot plumper than the males.
Cherry barbs make good community tank fish provided they are housed with fish that are not large enough to view them as a tasty snack. They are shoaling fish that take readily to heavily planted aquariums. Since they travel in schools in their natural habitat, it is advisable to add multiple barbs to your fish tank rather than a single fish. While cherry barbs do enjoy the company of their own species, they do not congregate as tightly as most barbs or tetras. It is, in fact, not uncommon to see a single barb venture away from the pack.
They are originally from Sri Lanka. Lake Sir Lanka is an island country in southern Asia located off the southern coast of India. Cherry barbs prefer soft, slightly acidic water with a temperature variance between 72-79 °F.
Cherry barbs are omnivores. They can be fed common tropical fish flakes as their primary diet.
Breeding Cherry Barbs
Cherry barbs breed in captivity. This is a good thing. Their numbers have decreased drastically in Sri Lanka.
Feeding barbs frozen or live meaty foods such as brine shrimp will help to induce the spawning cycle. The male, as mentioned earlier, will develop a bright cherry color when ready to spawn.
Once the male displays his spawning colors, the barbs should be placed in a breeding tank. Barbs scatter their eggs. Like most egg scattering fish, cherry barbs will eat their un-hatched eggs. A good breeding trick is to place marbles in the bottom of the breeding tank. The eggs will slip down in between the marbles and prevent the parents from being able to get at them. After spawning, the adult barbs should be removed from the breeding tank.
The fry will hatch in about 24 hours. The fry can be feed liquid fish fry food developed for egg laying fish. In a couple of days switch their diet to newly hatched brine shrimp or small amounts of powdered eggs. When they reach a week or two in age you can feed them finely crushed tropical fish flakes.
By Stephen J Broy Many home aquarium owners cringe at the thought of maintaining a saltwater aquarium. What most of them don't realize is that a Jellyfish Fish Tank Aquarium requires little more maintenance than a freshwater tank. Keeping Pet Moon Jellyfish is the hottest new trend in aquarium ownership. Article Source: EzineArticles |
2017-10-31
Fact Sheet: TIGER BARB - Puntius tetrazona
(Original Title: Tiger Barb Fact Sheet)
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| Photo by willwhitedc |
The Tiger Barb, Puntius tetrazona, is a very popular little fish. Another common name is the Sumatra Barb. Other scientific names that have been used for this fish are Barbus tetrazona, Capoeta sumatraus, Barbodes tetrazona, and Capoeta tetrazona. This fish grows to about two and a half inches long (7cm). It comes from Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay Peninsular. It might have been native to some other places in South East Asia including Cambodia but it has been introduced into places and it is not always clear which are native populations and which are recent introductions.
Water Conditions
Tiger Barbs come from tropical areas. They are a tropical fish that has a slightly better tolerance to lower temperatures than a lot of tropical fish. 24 degrees C (75 degrees F) is a suitable temperature.
Tiger Barbs tolerate a wide range of conditions. I try to keep the pH about neutral (7), but some people prefer to use slightly acidic water. They come from soft water but do not appear to mind some hardness in the water.
Varieties
There are many colour variation of the Tiger Barb. These include the Moss Green Tiger Barb, also called the Green Tiger Barb, and the Moss-banded Barb. This pretty fish is highly melanistic but does not appear completely black. The scattering of light due to the Tindal Effect makes it appear dark green. It is clear that different people see the colour of this fish slightly differently. A variation of this colour variety is the Platinum Moss Green Tiger Barb. Another popular variation in the Albino Tiger Barb often called the Golden Tiger Barb. Some people consider that the Albino Tiger Barb is less aggressive than the wild-type. I have not observed any difference.
Food
The Tiger Barb is an omnivore and is easy to feed, eating all normal fish foods. They like live food like Daphnia and Mosquito larvae. In the absence of live food, they benefit from the occasional feeding of frozen foods like Blood Worms.
Fin Nipping
The Tiger Barb has the reputation for being the worst of all small fish for nipping the fins of other fish. This reputation is partly deserved. In some circumstances, they can certainly be a problem. However, if you keep a school (At least 6) the problem is reduced. I have known cases where people have bought just one of this species in the mistaken belief that one will be less dangerous than a group. In fact, the opposite is the case, and one or two will usually be much worse than a school.
Once, in our shop, I saw that a single male Guppy had got into a tank of Tiger Barbs. It must have been in for several hours, but it was swimming quite happily and the supposedly aggressive little fish were ignoring it.
Companions
Tiger Barbs should be kept in a school. The various varieties all seem to school together. Even with a school of these pretty fish, avoid slow moving fish with long fins like Siamese Fighting Fish, Guppies Endlers Guppies. Some suitable companions are: Rosy Barbs, Paraguay Tetras, Pristella Tetras, Buenos Aires Tetras, Colombian Tetras, Rummy Nose Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras, Scissortail Rasboras, Lemon Tetras, Black Widow Tetras, Emperor Tetras, Head and Tail Light Tetras, Glass Bloodfin Tetras, Swordtails, Platies, Mollies, Zebra Danios, Glowlight Tetras, and White Cloud Mountain Minnows, as well as the Corydoras catfish like the Peppered Catfish. Also, avoid larger predatory fish that might eat the Tiger Barbs.
Breeding
The Tiger Barb is a fairly easy fish to breed. The females tend to be plumper than the males. The male has a redder nose and has a red line above the black part of their dorsal fin.
Keep a school of the fish and allow them to form their own pairs. The prospective parents need to be well fed with live food like Daphnia or other rich foods.
Hobbyists normally breed them in a separate Breeding Tank. The water in this tank should be soft and slightly acidic. They are egg scatterers giving no parental care and will eat fish eggs including their own. They also eat baby fish so it is usual to remove the parents after spawning.
The Breeding tank should have fine-leaved plants, either real or artificial. Some breeders use tanks with nothing on the bottom, but others prefer to use large (perhaps half an inch diameter) round gravel or marbles to stop the parents getting at their eggs.
The adults will often spawn early in the morning of the day after they are put in. If they have not laid their eggs after a few days, try a partial water change with water a little warmer than the breeding tank.
Typically, the female will lay about 200 eggs. These should hatch in about a day and a half, and the babies will be free swimming after five days. The young can be raised on commercial fry food, supplemented when possible with suitable sized live food. The babies need plenty of space to grow quickly, and you need to watch the water quality while feeding them frequently.
The fry grows quickly and if they are well fed, could be over an inch long in eight weeks. These young fish are potentially big enough to breed.
Pest Fish
The Tiger Barb has been introduced to many countries, including Australia, Colombia, Singapore, and Suriname as well as Asian countries they are not native to. They have the potential to cause considerable damage to aquatic ecosystems. Care should be exercised with Tiger Barbs as well as other types of fish to not allow them to escape into the wild.
Daphnia information is at http://www.bettatrading.com.au/Daphnia.php. Steve Challis has many other fish fact sheets and other articles on http://www.bettatrading.com.au. Article Source: EzineArticles |
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