Barbs come from a group of fish called Cyprinidae. This group consists of a big range of fish right from goldfish to sharks. However, there are some common things among them.
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| Gold Barb (Puntius semifasciolatus) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Truly speaking, fish experts are not able to classify barbs at a group to which they belong. Some say that they are the members of genus Barbus and some others say they are the members of Pontius instead. However, this will not come in your way if you want to keep barbs at your aquarium.
You have to decide which type of barbs you want to keep. There are tiger barbs, which you cannot keep alone because they will get stressed and will be sick. Another type of barbs is called cherry barbs which are very colorful and they are peace-loving so easy to keep. There is one more important type, the rosy barbs. They are a bit difficult to breed but they are famous for their bright red and golden yellow colors.
If you are an experienced fish-keeper, you can even go for another type which is called clown barb. They will need a big tank with very high temperatures of water. In case the water is not warm enough, they can get sick very easily. Another important thing to be remembered about them is their eating habits. They are plant eaters and they will always try the plants in the aquarium as their food. However, if fully grown up clown barb is a really beautiful fish to keep.
There are some unusual varieties of barbs, which you can also consider. One of them is called Zebra barb. They can grow up to 5 inches and they have stripes like the zebra fish on their body. There are purple barbs which can grow up to 4 inches and they also have stripes on their body over a yellow background. However, this variety is not easily available because it is difficult to breed and difficult to transport.
When you go for buying barbs in a pet fish shop, you may not find them interesting because when they are young, they will look dull and they will not display their true colors. This is really sad because they make your aquarium colorful and beautiful later. Even the beginners will be happy to have them because of their simple lifestyle. When they grow up and become full-fledged adults, they will look really bright, active and beautiful. So they may not attract your attention at the shop and you may be tempted to buy some other varieties of fish.
If you have already made a good research on the Internet and if you have already decided to buy barbs, then you can speak to the staff of the pet fish store, understand the necessities you will be required to maintain for barbs and you can bring them home. They are not very expensive and they can always fit in your budgets. They can be easily accommodated in small aquariums and the requirements for their care are not very elaborate.
You can also inquire about purple-head barb with the pet fish shop. They will develop a unique raspberry color when they reach adulthood and start breeding. You can also ask for Gold barb which will be blooming with bright yellow color after reaching adulthood.
Your decision will depend on the information you have on this beautiful species. Their only requirement is a thickly planted aquarium providing plenty of hiding places. You have to also inquire about their habit of eating plants. Some of the species would like to eat plants but you can keep them in a separate aquarium where you can keep fast growing and sturdy plants.
There is another important habit of some other species of barb. They would like to scatter their eggs over the plants in the aquarium. So they need to be kept separately during their breeding time.
All these habits are not difficult to adjust when we consider their beautiful colors, shapes and activities. So if you want your aquarium really vibrant, maker good research on the Internet, discuss with your pet fish shop, pick up suitable varieties of barbs and start enjoying!
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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