Barbus sedge

The asoka barb, scientific name Systomus asoka, belongs to the family Cyprinidae (Cyprinidae). It is endemic to the river systems of the island of Sri Lanka in southern Asia. Inhabits sections of rivers with fast, sometimes turbulent currents. Adult individuals stay in the upper reaches at a relatively large depth of up to 2 meters near the bottom over stony substrates. Fry, on the contrary, keep in the lower reaches of the rivers in shallow water with a calm current, gathering in large flocks.

Due to intensive fishing in nature, it is on the verge of extinction. Commercially available asoka barbs are probably captive-bred.

Description

Adult fish reach a length of up to 25 cm. The fish has an elongated body with a large head. The fins are short and translucent. The color is silvery with a pattern of dotted horizontal stripes. There is a black spot at the base of the tail.

Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed. Males and females have no obvious visible differences.

Behavior and Compatibility

Peaceful moving fish. It gets along well with relatives and other non-aggressive species that can live in a similar environment with moderate and strong currents.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 500 liters.
• Temperature – 25-30°C
• Value pH — 6.5–7.5
• Water hardness – soft to medium hard (2-15 dGH)
• Substrate type — stony
• Lighting – moderate, bright
• Brackish water – no
• Water movement – moderate or strong
• The size of the fish is up to 25 cm.
• Food – any food
• Temperament – peaceful
• Keeping in a group of 5-6 individuals

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal size of the aquarium for a group of 5-6 adult Ahsoka Barbs starts from 500-600 liters. In the design, it is recommended to recreate the atmosphere of a mountain river with massive boulders and heaps of stones. It is acceptable to place several snags fixed in the substrate.

The presence of internal flow is important, which can be achieved with a productive filtration system and / or the installation of separate pumps.

With long-term maintenance, it is necessary to ensure and maintain a stable hydrochemical composition of water and a high level of dissolved oxygen.

Food

Fish undemanding to the diet. A good choice would be dry sinking food in the form of granules, tablets, containing all the necessary vitamins and minerals.