Single point barbus

The single-spotted barb, scientific name Puntius terio, belongs to the family Cyprinidae (Cyprinidae). Despite the wide natural habitat of this fish and ease of maintenance, however, it is rarely found in home aquariums. The main reason for this is its late appearance on the market and nondescript coloration in comparison with related species.

Habitat

Widely distributed in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Inhabits the basins of such rivers as the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra. It occurs mainly in small tributaries, rivers, and much less often in the main channel of large rivers. The natural habitat is changeable and depends on the season of the year. For example, during the monsoons, the water in the rivers becomes muddy due to the abundance of washed away soil and flooding of the coastal strip.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 80 liters.
• Temperature – 18-26°C
• Value pH — 6.5–7.5
• Water hardness – 2–12 dGH
• Substrate type – any
• Lighting – weak, moderate
• Brackish water – no
• Water movement – weak, moderate
• The size of the fish is 6–9 cm.
• Feeding – any food of suitable size
• Temperament – peaceful
• Keeping in a group of 8-10 individuals

Description

Adults reach a length of up to 9 cm. The color is silvery. At the base of the tail is a large black dot with yellow pigmentation all around. Yellow shades are inherent in males, in females they are less pronounced. Otherwise, gender differences are insignificant.

Depending on the specific region of origin, the fish may vary slightly. In particular, black specks sometimes appear in the coloration of the dorsal fin, merging into a dark stripe.

Food

An omnivorous species, unpretentious in terms of diet and will gladly accept most popular foods intended for aquarium fish. When choosing food, it is recommended to give preference to products of well-known and trusted manufacturers.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal tank sizes for a small flock of these fish start at 80 liters. The design is arbitrary and is selected at the discretion of the aquarist, or based on the conditions of keeping other fish.

Maintenance of an aquarium with Single Point Barbs is quite simple and consists of several standard procedures: weekly replacement of part of the water with fresh water, regular cleaning of the soil and decor elements from organic waste / plaque, equipment maintenance, control and maintenance of stable pH, dGH, oxidizability parameters.

Behavior and Compatibility

Peaceful schooling fish. Taking into account the fact that this species is not picky about the hydrochemical composition of water, it can be combined with representatives from different regions, so many fish that are popular in aquariums are suitable as aquarium neighbors. It is recommended to purchase a group of at least 8-10 individuals.

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”.