All fish / Cyprinidae

Mudumalai barb

Puntius mudumalaiensis

Also known as mudumalai barb, mudumalai dwarf barb, puntius mudumalaiensis

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This is a small, slim silvery barb with dark markings near the tail and the dorsal fin, and it comes from clear, fast-flowing hill streams in the Western Ghats. It is mostly kept by enthusiasts of Indian native fishes who want a lively, peaceful shoaling barb for a well-oxygenated stream-style tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3.5 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: Moyar River drainage in the Mudumalai area, Western Ghats (Tamil Nadu)

Breeding

Like other small barbs it is probably an egg scatterer that gives no parental care, and the adults will eat their own eggs. There are few records of it being bred in captivity, so you would need to use the general methods for small barbs: a separate tank with fine-leaved plants or a mesh bottom.

Good to know

It is rarely seen in the trade and its taxonomy is poorly studied, so specimens may be confused with other small Puntius or Pethia barbs. Wild collection in India may be restricted, so check the local rules before buying.