All fish / Cyprinidae

Spotted barb

Pethia punctata

Also known as punctata barb, dotted barb, spotted puntius, puntius punctatus, barbus punctatus, pethia punctatus, 斑点无须鲃

A small, silvery barb with a few dark spots along the flank and near the tail, and males show warm orange or reddish tones on the fins when in condition. It is kept as a hardy, lively shoaling fish for planted community tanks and is less nippy than many larger barbs.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

20 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 bloodworm and daphnia, quality flakes and micro pellets, some plant matter

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southern India and Sri Lanka

Breeding

An egg scatterer that spawns among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops and gives no parental care. Breeding is fairly easy in a separate tank, as long as you remove the adults after spawning so they do not eat the eggs.

Good to know

It is often confused with similar small spotted barbs such as Pethia conchonius juveniles or Puntius bimaculatus, so check the spot pattern before buying. It is happiest in cooler, well-oxygenated water and does poorly if kept warm for long periods.