All fish / Cyprinidae

Hiranyakeshi barb

Pethia longicauda

Also known as long-tailed barb, longicauda barb, pethia longicauda

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This is a small, slim barb described in 2014. It has a noticeably long caudal peduncle, an incomplete lateral line, no barbels and dark markings on a silvery body. Specialist keepers of Indian native fish value it as a rare, active shoaling species for cool, well-oxygenated stream tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

20 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 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 quality flakes and micro pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

India: Hiranyakeshi River, upper Krishna basin, northern Western Ghats (Maharashtra)

Breeding

Like other Pethia barbs, it is likely to scatter eggs among plants and give no parental care. There are no documented captive breeding reports yet, so any spawning attempt would be experimental and the adults should be removed after spawning.

Good to know

It is known only from a small range and is rarely, if ever, sold legitimately, so ask about its origin before buying. In the wild it shoals with the similar-looking Pethia sahit, which can easily be confused with it.