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Maximum size : 15 cm
Blue Spotted Hill Trout - Barilius bakeri : Complete Fish Profile & Care Guide
Table of contents
Introduction
The Blue Spotted Hill Trout, (Barilius bakeri) is a fascinating and unique species that requires a specific aquarium setup to thrive. This fish is not recommended for beginners due to its sensitive nature and demanding water requirements. When it comes to tankmates, the Blue Spotted Hill Trout prefers equally active and competitive cyprinids. This species is a swift swimmer and vigorous feeder, which may outcompete slower and less assertive species during feeding times. Therefore, it is crucial to exclude smaller fish that may become prey. To provide the optimal environment for the Blue Spotted Hill Trout, a pristine, well-oxygenated tank with a moderate degree of water movement is necessary. Additionally, it would help to include a dark substrate, natural plants, and plenty of hiding places among rocks and driftwood. The Blue Spotted Hill Trout is an absolute stunner with its striking silver-blue body and a dazzling golden sheen. As if that wasn't enough, seven dark stripes adorn its body, adding an extra layer of elegance to this fish. But the real show-stopper is the dark blue and yellowish-orange coloring on its anal and dorsal fins, providing a vivid contrast to the transparent other fins. With such a striking appearance, it's no wonder that aquarists are drawn to this beauty.Blue Spotted Hill Trout Photos
Sexual Dimorphism
In the realm of Blue Spotted Hill Trout, gender differentiation is relatively straightforward. Typically, mature females possess a thicker body shape and less pronounced coloration than their male counterparts, particularly when carrying eggs. On the other hand, males exhibit tubercles on their heads during courting and display a vivid orange coloration on their lower bodies.Quick Facts
| Scientific Name | Barilius bakeri |
|---|---|
| Year Described | 1865 |
| Other Names | Royal Danio, Blue-dotted Mirror Fish |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Cypriniformes |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Genus | Barilius |
| Origins | India |
| Max Size | 15 cm |
| Temperament | Semi-Aggressive |
| Aquarium Level | Middle - Top |
| Difficulty | Intermediate - Advanced |
| Shoaling | Yes |
| Best kept as | Groups 5+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Scatterer |
| Lifespan | up to 10 years |
Water Parameters
| Water Type | Freshwater |
|---|---|
| PH | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| GH | 2 - 10 |
| KH | |
| TDS | 18 - 179 |
| ℉ | 64 - 79 |
|---|---|
| ℃ | 17.8 - 26.1 |
Natural habitat
The Blue Spotted Hill Trout, also known as the Travancore Trout, is a stunning fish species that can be found in the southwestern region of India. This fish is an endemic species of various river systems, including the Pampa, Kallada, and Bharatapuzha, as well as the Western Ghats mountains. In their natural habitat, Blue Spotted Hill Trout can be found in well-oxygenated rivers and streams with fast to moderate flow. Their substrate is usually composed of stone, gravel, or exposed bedrock. These habitats are typically located at medium to high altitudes, making it a challenge to find these beauties.How to breed the Blue Spotted Hill Trout
Regrettably, there is a dearth of documented breeding successes for the Blue Spotted Hill Trout. While some have claimed that spawning can be induced by administering large-scale water changes using cold water, raising the fry has proven to be a challenging feat.Diet & feeding
When providing nutrition for The Blue Spotted Hill Trout in an aquarium setting, it is recommended to offer a high-quality diet consisting of flakes and granules. However, to ensure optimal health, it is essential to supplement their diet with regular meals of live and frozen food. Bloodworms, chopped earthworms, and artemia are excellent options to consider. As this species is a surface feeder, any food that falls to the bottom may go untouched, so it's crucial to keep this in mind when feeding them.Frequently asked questions
Unfortunately, Blue Spotted Hill Trout are not well suited to most community aquariums. It can grow up to 13cm in length, is a swift swimmer, a voracious feeder, and may predate on smaller tankmates. Therefore, only similarly competitive fish should be considered tank mates. Additionally, this species requires high oxygen levels and no organic waste, making them unsuitable for community aquariums.
The Blue Spotted Hill Trout is predominantly a surface feeder consuming a mixture of terrestrial and aquatic insects. You can replace this with good quality dried food such as large flakes and pellets supplemented with regular live and frozen foods such as daphnia, bloodworm, chopped earthworm and artemia.\r\n\r\nYou may also give them fruit flies and small crickets, provided they are gut-loaded before use.
Blue Spotted Hil Trouts have silvery-blue bodies with around ten darker, metallic-looking narrow bands or blotches on the flanks. The males have orange edges to their anal and caudal fins, whereas the females are white.
Although the Blue Spotted Hill trout is gregarious by nature, they are a shoaling species rather than a schooling species that develop a distinct pecking order. Therefore, you should always maintain these fish in groups of five or more individuals. If you only purchase two or three of these fish, the subdominant individuals may be bullied continually, and single specimens can become aggressive towards similar-looking species.
Blue Spotted Hill Trout is endemic to the Western Ghats mountains in southwestern India. These fish inhabit low-to-medium gradient, moderate to fast-running streams and well-oxygenated rivers, with substrates of cobbles, gravel, large boulders and exposed bedrock.
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