Species description

Care, breeding and tankmates

Fish profile

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

They possess a bold, boisterous, and highly energetic temperament. Their constant, rapid movement adds massive activity to the tank. They are fearless and investigate new additions immediately.

Diet

Omnivore

They are eager omnivores that readily accept anything offered. High-quality micro-pellets provide an excellent nutritional base. Occasional live daphnia triggers their natural hunting instincts.

Sex ratio

School

They must be kept in mixed shoals of at least eight. A large group establishes an internal hierarchical pecking order. This heavily diffuses their aggression amongst themselves.

Feeding frequency

Twice daily

Feeding them twice daily supports their extremely active metabolism. They eat voraciously and rapidly deplete offered food. Fasting them occasionally helps clear their digestive tracts.

Bioload

This schooling barb produces a relatively moderate bioload. They demand clean, well-oxygenated water to truly thrive. Standard weekly maintenance routines keep them perfectly healthy.

Flow

Stagnant

They enjoy moderate to brisk water flow significantly. Filter outputs replicating moving streams encourage natural schooling. Highly stagnant water leads to lethargy and poor health.

Reproduction

Oviparous

Breeding is easy but requires a dedicated spawning setup. They scatter eggs blindly and provide zero parental care. Parents must be removed immediately to prevent egg cannibalism.

Compatibility & tankmates

They exhibit highly notorious fin-nipping, semi-aggressive behaviors. Never house them with slow-moving or long-finned species. Keep them in large schools to minimize outward aggression.

Tank level

Middle

They are hyperactive swimmers occupying the mid-water column constantly. They rarely rest and patrol the open spaces incessantly. Dense planting on the edges provides necessary shelter.