Blue Spotted Hill Trout (Barilius bakeri) Fish Species Profile
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The Blue Spotted Hill Trout is not suitable for the general community aquarium. This is because of its environmental demands, and the fact that they are likely to outdo and intimidate slow-moving and less bold species at feeding times since it is a swift swimmer and vigorous feeder. It would help if you also excluded much smaller fish as they may predate them. Therefore the best tankmates for these fish are similarly-sized, robust, similarly competitive cyprinids.
It would help if you kept these fish in groups of 5 or more as this will allow them to develop a pecking order which will prevent smaller fish being targeted.
The Blue Spotted Hill Trout is not suitable for the beginner aquarist as they are intolerant to the build-up of organic waste and require pristine water at all times to thrive. It will also fair better if there is a moderate degree of water movement and a high balance of dissolved oxygen.
This fish displays a single row of bluish-green spots along the stretch of the body with the last spot being a much darker blue to black. These spots begin to get smaller and fade slightly as the fish ages. White specks are also present on the tip of the dorsal and anal fins.
| Scientific Name | Barilius bakeri |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Royal Danio, Blue-dotted Mirror Fish |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Genus | Barilius |
| Origins | South India |
| 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 |
| Maximum Size | up to 15 cm |
| Water Type | Freshwater |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 64 - 79 ℉ (17.8 - 26.1 ℃) |
| PH | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| GH | 2 - 10 |
| TDS | 18 - 179 |
Origins of the Blue Spotted Hill Trout
The Blue Spotted Hill Trout is endemic to Vamanapuram, Kallada, Ithikkara, Karamana, Bharatapuzha, Muvattupuzha, Periyar, Kabini, Chalakudy, Valapatanam, Chaliyar, Neyyar, Pampa, Meenachil, Manimala, Achankovil, Pambar, Chandragiri, Karyangode, Kuppam, and Bhavani River Systems as well as the Western Ghats mountains in southwestern India.
These species inhabit well-oxygenated, moderate to fast-flowing rivers and streams at medium to high altitudes and their substrate is usually either cobbles, gravel, exposed bedrock or large boulders.
Diet
In captivity, you can offer them high quality dried products such as flakes and granules, but you should supplement that with frequent meals of live and frozen food such as bloodworm, chopped earthworms and Artemia. Bear in mind this fish is a surface feeder so will not touch any food that falls to the bottom.
Sexing the Blue Spotted Hill Trout
It is relatively easy to differentiate the sexes in the Blue Spotted Hill Trout. Adult females are not as vividly coloured as the males and grow thicker bodies and are generally more massive than the males, especially while gravid. In contrast, the males when in courting develop tubercules on their head, and the lower section of the body reveals orange pigmentation.
Breeding the Blue Spotted Hill Trout
Unfortunately, there are no existing reports of breeding successes; however, some have said that spawning can be stimulated by performing massive water changes with cold water, but raising the fry has been impossible.
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