Denison Barb (Sahyadria denisonii)
Denison Barbs are active and attractive fish with fascinating behaviours, making them perfect for a large, peaceful community aquarium. In addition, these Barbs are relatively hardy, and their needs are easily met, making them ideal for the beginner aquarist and the more advanced hobbyist.
Denison Barbs are shoaling fish in nature; therefore, it would be better to keep them in groups of at least six individuals. When you maintain these fish in more significant numbers, they will feel more comfortable and result in a more natural-looking display.
Ideal tankmates for Denison Barbs could include other Barbs similar in size, Danios, and more significant sized members of the Tetra family. You can also house them with Rainbowfish and most Cichlids. However, it would be best to avoid keeping them with shy, delicate and slow-moving species as they may struggle around the busy temperament of Denison Barbs.
It would be better to have a sufficiently sized aquarium with plenty of room for these fish to swim around as these are active fish that constantly need to be on the move. You can add rock caves or driftwood in the aquarium with live plants from hardy genera such as Anubias as long as they are well anchored.
Denison Barbs require high oxygen levels and pristine water; therefore, high organic matter levels are not tolerated well. Consequently, you will need to perform regular water changes and keep on top of tank maintenance to keep your Barbs healthy. In addition, these Barbs come from fast-flowing waters; therefore, a decent current will be required.
The Denison Barb has a long torpedo-shaped body and is typically silver in colour with a yellowy-gold tint that appears once mature. It displays a black line that runs from the snout to the caudal fin and is contrasted by an adjacent red line running from the nose through the eye and fades away at their midsection. In addition, the dorsal fin is edged in vibrant red, while the caudal fin exhibits prominent black and yellow stripes. Finally, you can find the striping detail on the tips of both forked ends.
There is also a rare gold morph variation of the Denison Barb, which has been line bred for the fishkeeping hobby.
Tank Mates for the Denison Barb
10 ideal tank mate ideas for the Denison Barb include:
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sahyadria denisonii |
| Year Described | 1865 |
| Other Names | Redline Barb, Roseline Shark, Torpedo Barb, Denisonii Barb, Denison's Flying fox, Denison's Barb, Miss Kerala, Red-line Torpedo Barb, Bleeding Eye Barb |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Cypriniformes |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Genus | Sahyadria |
| Origins | India |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | Bottom - Middle |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Shoaling | Yes |
| Best kept as | Groups 6+ |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Scatterer |
| Lifespan | 4-8 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 6.5 - 8.0 |
| GH | 5 - 25 |
| KH | 4 - 10 |
| TDS | 50 - 140 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 65 - 80℉ 18 - 27℃ | |
Photos of the Denison Barb
Videos
Denison Barbs
Natural Habitat
The Denison Barb is endemic to the rivers Chalakudy, Achankovil, Pamba, Chaliar, and Kallada in the Western Ghats in India. These Barbs inhabit clear, fast-flowing, highly oxygenated waters in rivers and streams where the substrate is made up of rocks. Lots of vegetation surround their habitat.
Unfortunately, the popularity of the Denison Barbs has resulted in intense overfishing of the wild stock, pushing them to become endangered. Thankfully, they are now captively bread, which has taken the pressure off of the wild population and reduced the hobby's selling price.
What to feed the Denison Barb
In the wild, Denison Barbs feed mainly on insects and crustaceans. However, they also consume algae and plant matter. In the home aquarium, these Barbs will eat anything from high-quality dried foods such as flakes, granules and pellet food to live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, as well as vegetable matter such as blanched broccoli and spinach.
How to sex the Denison Barb
The male and female Denison Barb are very similar in appearance and colour, making it challenging to differentiate their gender when they are young. However, sexually mature females tend to be slightly larger, rounder bellied, and somewhat duller than males.
How to breed the Denison Barb
There is currently very little information or recommendations on breeding Denison Barbs in your home aquarium. However, some anecdotal reports of accidental breeding instances from some hobbyists have been reported. Regardless, so far, there is no clear documentation on replicating this without hormone treatments currently used in the fish farm environment.
Frquently asked questions about the Denison Barb
Are Denison Barbs an aggressive species?
How big can Denison Barbs get?
How can you tell if your Denison Barb is male or female?
What should I feed my Denison Barbs?
What size aquarium will I need for my Denison Barbs?
Ideally, the aquarium should be a rectangular shape to maximize their swimming space, and you'll need a tight-fitting lid, as these fish can and will jump.