Melon Barb (Haludaria fasciata)

Melon Barbs, Haludaria fasciata, are good looking fish that make excellent members of a community aquarium because they are relatively peaceful. It is not recommended to keep smaller, more timid fish with these boisterous fish, especially the males when they engage in chases.

As fast-moving, aggressive feeders, Melon Barbs prefer equally large, active tankmates. This Barb would be best suited to living in a tank with other Cyprinids, such as Denison Barb, Rainbowfish, Gouramis, and Loaches.

It is recommended that Melon Barbs be kept in groups of eight or more since they are a natural schooling species. You will see that keeping more Barbs in your aquarium makes it easier for your fish to relax and will give your display a more natural look and feel. If they are kept in larger groups, the males will also focus on maintaining their position within the group, which will limit aggression.

For Melon Barbs, a good aquarium setup should include rocks of different sizes, pebbles, sand or fine gravel, and maybe some small boulders. As well as driftwood, hardy aquatic plants like Anubias and Microsorum would benefit your fish.

There are several variants of the Melon Barb, which differ in both colour and patterning depending on locality and habitat type. For example, species from highland environments tend to display orangey-gold colours, and species from lower altitudes generally exhibit purple or reddish hues. In addition, these fish can have one to five thick dark bars on their body, depending on the habitat.

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Feeding

In the home aquarium, the Melon 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

2 interesting tank mate ideas for the Melon Barb could include:

Sexual Dimorphism

It is fairly easy to distinguish between male and female Melon Barbs. Generally, females have larger bodies than males, particularly when breeding. In contrast, males have slender bodies and a dorsal fin that is usually red or red and black.