Barbus Stolichka

Barbus Stolichka, scientific name Pethia stoliczkana, belongs to the Cyprinidae family. Named after the Moravian (now Czech Republic) zoologist Ferdinand Stoliczka (1838–1874), who studied the fauna of Indochina for many years and discovered many new species.

This species is considered easy to keep and breed, perfectly compatible with many other popular aquarium fish. May be recommended for beginner aquarists.

Habitat

It comes from Southeast Asia, the habitat covers the territories of such modern states as Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and the Eastern States of India. It occurs everywhere, inhabiting mainly small streams and tributaries, upper reaches of rivers flowing under the canopy of tropical forests.

The natural habitat is characterized by sandy substrates interspersed with stones, the bottom is covered with fallen leaves, along the banks there are many snags and submerged roots of coastal trees. Among aquatic plants, the well-known Cryptocorynes grow in the aquarium hobby.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 60 liters.
• Temperature – 18-26°C
• Value pH — 6.0–7.5
• Water hardness – 1–15 dGH
• Substrate type – any
• Lighting – low, moderate
• Brackish water – no
• Water movement – light or moderate
• The size of the fish is about 5 cm.
• Feeding – any food of suitable size
• Temperament – peaceful
• Keeping in a group of 8-10 individuals

Description

Adult individuals reach a length of up to 5 cm. Outwardly, it resembles its close relative Barbus Tikto, which is why they are often confused. The color is light or dark silver. There is a large dark spot at the base of the tail, another one is noticeable behind the gill cover. In males, the dorsal and ventral fins are red with dark specks; in females, they are usually translucent and colorless. The females are generally less colorful.

Food

Unpretentious and omnivorous species. In a home aquarium, Barbus Stolichka will accept most popular foods of a suitable size (dry, frozen, live). An important condition is the presence of herbal supplements. They may already be present in products, such as dry flakes or granules, or they may be added separately.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal tank sizes for a small flock of these fish start at 60 liters. The choice of decoration is not critical, however, the environment of the aquarium, reminiscent of the natural habitat is welcome, so various driftwood, tree leaves, rooting and floating plants will come in handy.

Successful management is largely dependent on maintaining stable water conditions with suitable hydrochemical values. Aquarium maintenance will require several standard procedures, namely: weekly replacement of part of the water with fresh water, regular removal of organic waste, maintenance of equipment and monitoring of pH, dGH, oxidizability parameters.

Behavior and Compatibility

A peaceful, active schooling fish, compatible with many other non-aggressive species of comparable size. It is recommended to purchase a group of at least 8-10 individuals.

Breeding / breeding

In a favorable environment, spawning occurs regularly. Females scatter eggs in the water column, and males at this moment fertilize it. The incubation period lasts 24-48 hours, after another day the fry that have appeared begin to swim freely. Parental instincts are not developed, so there is no care for offspring. Moreover, adult fish will, on occasion, eat their own caviar and fry.

In order to preserve juveniles, a separate tank with identical water conditions is used – a spawning aquarium, where the eggs are placed immediately after spawning. It is equipped with a simple airlift filter with a sponge and a heater. A separate light source is not required. Unpretentious shade-loving plants or their artificial counterparts are suitable as decoration.

Fish diseases

In a balanced aquarium ecosystem with species-specific conditions, diseases rarely occur. Diseases are caused by environmental degradation, contact with sick fish, and injuries. If this could not be avoided, then more about the symptoms and methods of treatment in the section “Diseases of aquarium fish”.