All fish / Cyprinidae

Maharaja barb

Puntius sahyadriensis

Also known as khavli barb, maharaja barb, sahyadri barb, khavali barb

This hill-stream barb from the Western Ghats has a silvery, rather angular body with dark vertical bars, and the fins take on orange to red tones in mature fish. Males grow a larger dorsal fin, so it is easy to tell apart from other Puntius. People keep it as an unusual, active shoaling fish for cooler stream-style tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

20 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and small pellets, frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, some vegetable matter

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

India: northern and central Western Ghats (Maharashtra, Karnataka)

Breeding

It scatters its eggs and gives no parental care, and the adults will eat any eggs they find. Captive spawning is rarely reported, but conditioned fish given a separate tank with fine-leaved plants or mesh may spawn.

Good to know

It needs clean water rich in oxygen with some current, and it does poorly in warm, still tanks. Supply is limited and most fish sold are wild caught, so ask where they came from.