Tag Archives: Barbus

Pethia stoliczkanus (formerly Barbus s. or Puntius s.)

29. July 2020

Stoliczka´s barb, Pethia stoliczkanus, originates from Burma and was a popular aquarium fish until the 1960s, as the up to 6 cm long animals are very temperature tolerant and do not require heating in the aquarium. Later it was displaced by more colourful species and today it is a rarity. 

The pictures show wild collected specimens; the females differ from the males by the colourless fins. The care of Stoliczka´s barb corresponds completely to the well-known Odessa barb, Pethia padamya (https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/pethia-padamya-wild-2/).

For our customers: the animals have code 372304 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Barbodes lateristriga

5. July 2019

The black banded barb or spanner barb is an old friend in the aquarium, although it is somewhat out of fashion. In former times it was called Barbus or Puntius lateristriga, at present it is assigned to the genus Barbodes.

The pretty, peaceful animals are widespread in Southeast Asia, where they mainly inhabit clear waters, such as shallow sections of lakes and ponds or small rivers. Here, they roam in loose troops of usually 5-10 animals. There are numerous variants of the species, some of which can be assumed to be separated one day as independent species. Therefore, it is important to breed only with animals of one locality in order to avoid unintentional hybrids. The animals we can offer at the moment are wild catches from Thailand.

When feeding these barbs, which are usually 6-8 cm long in nature, but can easily double that size in an aquarium, you have to make sure that they also get plant food components, otherwise the aquatic plants are in danger. Tender plant species should generally not be used in aquariums with larger barb species. 

Barbodes lateristriga is a productive free spawner. They have no special demands on the water composition, however, the middle body spot can shine in soft, acid water instead of white splendidly yolk yellow. The water temperature should be in the range of 22-28°C.

For our customers: the animals have code 369853 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pethia (formerly Barbus or Puntius) erythromycter – Lipstick barb

8. April 2019

This unique dwarf barb (max. 4 cm total length) from Burma has a red “moustache”. In males it is more pronounced than in females, but in P. erythromycter the ladies also have a moustache. Until its scientific description in 2008, the species was called Barbus cf. puntio.

This species is best cared for at room temperature. During the courtship display the males appear to be covered with soot, because the scales then get fine dark edges. They are absolutely peaceful fish, which can be cared for in community tanks without any problems.

For our customers: the animals have code 372752 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pethia phutunio (= Barbus p.)

30. January 2019

The dwarf barb has delighted aquarium enthusiasts since it was first imported from India in 1906. This is not so much due to its magnificent colouring; dwarf barbs are pretty, but no colour miracles. Rather, the tiny animal, which only grows to 2-3 cm in size in nature, fitted wonderfully into the formerly common, relatively small aquariums. Since it lives at temperatures between 14 and 30°C, not even an aquarium heating was necessary in heated dwellings yet. And filtering and aeration was rarely practiced at that time anyway.

All this has changed fundamentally nowadays. In fact, Pethia phutunio is considered somewhat sensitive. The causes are easy to name: Control heaters prevent temperature fluctuations and there is no debris left in the clean aquariums. Debris, i.e. dead plant remains, faeces and food remains, are an important food component of these and many other barbs. But if you are looking for an ideal fish for a small, natural aquarium without technology, you will still find it in Pethia phutunio today.

For our customers: the animals have code 370902 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Haludaria fasciata, the melon barb (formerly: Barbus fasciatus)

12. November 2018

In the south of India rises the ancient high plateau of the Deccan, which was already formed when India was still part of Africa. From here numerous small rivers flow directly into the Indian Ocean and in many of these rivers own colour variations, subspecies or species of freshwater fish have formed due to the geographical isolation. Barbs and loaches in particular can be found here in a great variety of forms, which, by the way, has not yet been scientifically researched.

A typical fish of this region is the melon barb, Haludaria (formerly Barbus or Puntius) fasciata. The above-mentioned applies to them fully, there are many colour strokes of them in the different rivers. The most attractive varieties – from an aquaristic point of view – are red, but they are also yellow and orange varieties.

We have often quite wonderful wild-caught specimens in stock, which have a fantastically deep red as basic color. The males seem to glow from the inside. The melon barb becomes about 8 cm long and is completely peaceful. As a barb it nibbles on delicate plant parts if it is not sufficiently supplied with plant food. The water-composition is secondary, the temperature should amount to around 26°C. A “hibernation” of 6-8 weeks at temperatures between 18 and 22°C has a very positive effect on the fish, but is not absolutely necessary.

For our customers: the animals have code 369523 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Puntigrus anchisporus (= Barbus tetrazona) Gold Green Stripe

2. October 2018

About 10 years ago the breeders suddenly focussed again on the old-known tiger barb, whose scientific name is, by the way, Puntigrus anchisporus. Puntigrus tetrazona is a species that is practically never seen in the aquarium, the edges of its fins, which are coloured red in the tiger barb, are black. 

One of the new breeding forms that appeared at that time was the “Gold Green Stripe”. It still exists today and enjoys some popularity. The maintenance breeding of breeding forms is more demanding than that of wild forms, because if you make a mistake and the strain dies out, it has disappeared, while in wild species you can always fall back on specimens from nature.

Thus breeding forms are a good reflection of the breeding abilities of the farms involved and in the case of the “Gold Green Stripe” one must say – no matter whether one likes this special breeding form or not – the breeders master their craft! They are vital animals with excellent body and fin shape.

For our customers: the animals have code 372053 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pethia padamya wild

23. May 2018

The origin of the Odessa or Rubin barb was unknown for almost 30 years. The first specimens appeared in the former USSR in Odessa. It was unknown for a very long time whether they represented a wild species or an artifical breeding product. Only 2001 the first wild collected specimens could be traced. Now it was clear that this fish is a wild species originating from Burma. Sven O. Kullander and Rald Britz described the species formally in October, 2008. Its correct name is now Pethia padamya.

We currently have gorgeous wild collected specimens in stock. The displaying males belong without any doubt to the most beautiful barbs at all.

For our customers: the animals have code 371114 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & Photos: Frank Schäfer

Literature:

Kullander, S. O. & R. Britz (2008): PUNTIUS PADAMYA, A NEW SPECIES OF CYPRINID FISH FROM MYANMAR  (TELEOSTEI: CYPRINIDAE). Electronic Journal of Ichthyology. October 2008 2: 56 – 66

 

Pethia conchonius Neon Red

13. April 2018

The neon red ruby barb is an artifical sport of the ruby barb available for many years already. The fish are extremely beautiful; we usually obtain them from breeders from southeast Asia. Now we received this sport from an European breeder and his strain is particually beautiful. Like in the Asian cousins the flanks are deep neon red, but the European strain shows also deep black seams of the fins which contrast to the body in a most spectacular way. The females are not red at all, but in some specimens the fins have a reddish tinge.

For our customers: the fish have code 369352 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Puntigrus anchisporus „Moss Green“

14. December 2017

Many people will still know the tiger barb under the wrong name Barbus or Puntius tetrazona. This species – the correct name is Puntigrus tetrazona – is, however, never kept in aquaria or traded, but exclusively the close relative Puntigrus anchisporus. Both species can be easily distinguished from each other by the colour of the ventral fins, which are pitchblack in tetrazona and deep red in anchisporus.

The sport „moss green“ of P. anchisporus was developed in the 1970ies. In that sport the dark vertical stripes of the wild form are melted together in one solid zone. In all other aspects these moss greens are typical tiger barbs – swashbucklers that never show fear. Due to the extreme play instinst of that species one should never keep tiger barbs along with fish species that require quiet or that have extended fins.

Currently we have very nice German bred moss green barbs in stock.

For our customers: the fish have code 372212 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer