All fish / Cyprinidae

Cuming's barb

Pethia cumingii

Also known as cumingi barb, cummingi barb, two spot barb, cuming barb, puntius cumingii, barbus cumingii, red-finned cuming's barb, yellow-finned cuming's barb, クミンギー, プンティウス・クミンギー, 卡明氏鲃, 红鳍双点鲃

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A small, silvery barb with two dark vertical bars, one behind the gills and one near the tail, and fins that are red or yellow depending on the population. It is kept for its lively but peaceful shoaling behaviour and suits a planted community tank with clean, flowing, well oxygenated water.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and small granules, frozen bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp and some plant matter

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Sri Lanka (southwestern wet zone streams, Kelani to Nilwala basins)

Breeding

An egg scatterer that spawns among fine-leaved plants or moss and gives no parental care, eating eggs if allowed. Breeding is achievable in a separate tank with soft, slightly acidic water and a mesh or plant cover, and the tiny fry need infusoria at first.

Good to know

Wild populations are restricted to Sri Lanka and threatened by habitat loss, so captive-bred fish are preferable. It is easily confused with the similar Pethia nigrofasciata juveniles and Pethia reval, which was split from it.