Black Fin Rosy Barb

Pethia conchonius

Note: Due
to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image
provided.

Care

Naturally occurring in cooler water hillstreams, Rosy Barbs
make beautiful, lively additions for the spacious temperate aquarium. As a
shoaling species, they must be kept in groups of 6 or more of their own kind.
Smaller shoals are unnatural and will result in nervous fish, which may bicker
or exhibit ?nippy? behaviour. A large group normally dispels these traits. The
aquarium should incorporate a good flow rate with areas of dense planting and a
large open swimming space in the centre. Only hardy or fast-growing plants should
be used, as Rosy Barbs will enjoy consuming fine-leaved or soft-leaved species.
Due to their dynamic behaviour, they may unsettle shy, quiet fish species. Not
recommended for housing with fish possessing elaborate finnage. Small partial
water changes should be carried out on a regular basis, as Rosy Barbs can be
sensitive to larger, more infrequent changes. ?Neon? and ?long-finned? strains
are also available.

Feeding

Flake, green flake, micropellets, small granular foods,
spinach, lettuce, frozen foods such as mosquito larvae, brineshrimp and
daphnia. Known to nibble on black-brush algae.

Breeding

A separate spawning aquarium should be set up with a
substrate of marbles and plenty of fine-leaved plants. The temperature should
be set at approx 25-26 deg C, and a trio (one male and two females) of
well-conditioned fish acclimatised across. Spawning is often triggered when the
first rays of morning sunshine hit the aquarium glass, and it is a very active
affair. The eggs will be scattered over the plants and marbles, and the hungry
parents must be removed immediately after the spawning or else they will
predate on the eggs. The tank should be kept in darkness as the eggs are
light-sensitive. The eggs usually hatch within 36 hours and once the fry become
free-swimming, they can be offered tiny foods such as infusoria.