All fish / Cyprinidae

Angola Barb

Enteromius fasciolatus

Also known as african banded barb, red barb, barbus fasciolatus, barbus barilioides, blue-barred barb, angola barb, banded barb

This is a small, slim African barb with a warm orange-red body crossed by a series of narrow bluish-black vertical bars. It is kept for its bright colour and lively shoaling, and it suits a planted community tank with gentle flow.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: small live and frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm, plus good flake and micro pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Angola, Zambia, DR Congo, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana and Namibia (Zambezi, Okavango and upper Congo basins)

Breeding

It scatters eggs among fine-leaved plants or moss and gives no parental care, so the adults will eat the eggs. Spawning in captivity is fairly uncommon but possible in a separate soft, slightly acidic tank, with the adults removed afterwards.

Good to know

Kept alone or in small numbers it becomes shy and loses colour. Older stock may still be labelled Barbus fasciolatus or confused with Barbus barilioides.