All fish / Cyprinidae

Spotfin swamp barb

Puntius spilopterus

Also known as swamp barb, golden little barb, spot-fin barb, barbus spilopterus, ปลาตะเพียนทราย

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A small, silvery barb with a golden tint, a dark spot near the tail and dark marks on the dorsal fin. It is a hardy, active shoaling fish that suits a planted community tank, though it is seen mostly as an occasional wild import from Thailand.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 6 or more

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Thailand and Indochina (Chao Phraya and Mekong basins)

Breeding

An egg scatterer that gives no parental care and will eat its own eggs. Spawning is fairly easy in a separate tank with fine-leaved plants or mesh, removing the adults once the eggs are laid.

Good to know

Some authors treat it as the same species as Puntius brevis, so fish may be sold under either name. It is lively and may nip slow fish with long fins.