barb africanus
The African barb, scientific name Enteromius pobeguini, formerly Puntius pleurops, belongs to the family Cyprinidae (Cyprinidae). The fish is native to the equatorial part of West Africa. It is found throughout most river systems in the region.
Description
Adults reach a length of about 5 cm. The fish has a modest color. The main body color is gray with translucent fins. The pattern consists of a narrow black stripe, starting from the middle of the body and stretching to the tail, where it is crowned with a small dot. A dark speck is also present on the dorsal fin.
Brief information:
- The volume of the aquarium – from 100 liters.
- Temperature – 24-28°C
- Value pH — 6.5–7.5
- Water hardness – 3–12 dKH
- Substrate type – any soft
- Lighting – subdued or moderate
- Brackish water – no
- Water movement – light or moderate
- The size of the fish is about 5 cm.
- Food – any sinking food
- Temperament – peaceful calm fish
- Keeping in a group of 6-8 individuals
Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium
Due to the vast natural habitat with many biotopes (from mountain streams to swamps), the African barbus successfully adapts to a fairly wide range of hydrochemical parameters. This ability greatly simplifies the process of water treatment.
The fish is also not demanding on the choice of design. However, in the case of proximity to large species, the presence of shelters in the form of snags and thickets of plants is welcome. He likes to dig in the ground, so it is advisable to provide a soft substrate. The rest of the decoration of the aquarium is carried out based on the desire and capabilities of the aquarist.
The content is simple and includes a standard set of aquarium maintenance activities: weekly replacement of part of the water with fresh water, removal of organic waste, equipment maintenance, etc.
Food
African Barbus spends a significant part of the time in the bottom layer of water, therefore, when choosing food, preference should be given to sinking products.
Behavior and Compatibility
A peaceful schooling fish, it gets along well with relatives and other non-aggressive species of a comparable size. Unpretentiousness to the habitat significantly increases the number of possible neighbors.
