African Banded Barb (Barbus fasciolatus)
A group of African Banded Barb, Barbus fasciolatus, also known as the Fire and Angola Barb, makes a beautiful addition to any community tank because they are active, peaceful, and charming. In general, maintaining these fish in shoals of six or more fish is more beneficial for these fish.
If kept with suitable tank mates, African Banded Barbs are likely to settle down within a short period. However, to keep these barbs calm and relaxed, you should avoid semi-aggressive or boisterous tank mates.
As soon as a pecking order is established, you may witness them sparring. Despite this, there is no harm done to each other or any other species in the aquarium as a result of these conflicts.
Your aquarium needs to be sufficient in size and allow the weaker individuals some respite from the dominant male by providing broken lines of sight with some decor. In tiny groups, in cramped conditions, or alone, these Barbs can become withdrawn, and the dominant fish may bully the subordinates.
With an elongated olive-orange body and creamy-yellow stomach, the African Banded Barb is not as heavy-bodied as other Barb species. The male's body turns rusty red during the breeding season. There are 10-15 thin blueish-black bars on this barb, the second or third bar being egg-shaped, and the last bar forming a spot at the caudal peduncle.
Photos
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Barbus fasciolatus |
| Other Names | Fire Barb, Angola Barb, Blue-barred Barb |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Cypriniformes |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Genus | Barbus |
| Origins | Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Middle - Top |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | Yes |
| Best kept as | Groups 6+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Layer |
| Lifespan | 3 - 5 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| GH | 5 - 12 |
| TDS | 18 -215 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 71 - 79℉ 21.7 - 26.1℃ | |
Natural Habitat
Feeding
In the home aquarium, the African Banded Barb will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.
Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.
It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.
This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.
Tank Mates
1 interesting tank mate ideas for the African Banded Barb could include:
Sexual Dimorphism
It is relatively easy to distinguish male African Banded Barbs from females. Males are more intensely coloured, especially during spawning, and smaller than females. On the other hand, females are larger, less colourful, and have rounder stomachs than males.