From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Five-Banded Barb
Desmopuntius pentazona
- Temperature
- 21–26 °C
- pH
- 4 – 7
- Min. tank size
- 72 L
- Lifespan
- 5 years
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- moderate
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Desmopuntius pentazona |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Origin: | Southeast Asia (blackwater streams of the Malay Peninsula and Borneo) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | moderate |
| Diet: | omnivore |
| Max Size: | 5.50 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | peaceful |
| Min Group: | 8+ together |
| Varieties: | No cultivated strains, and a species-identity problem that is the main thing to know. Desmopuntius pentazona is rare in the aquarium trade, and most fish sold under the name are actually the closely related Desmopuntius hexazona. The distinguishing feature is a small dark marking at the posterior base of the dorsal fin, present in pentazona and absent in hexazona. Both are attractive soft-water barbs with essentially the same requirements, so a keeper who ends up with hexazona has not been badly served — but they are different species and should not be mixed if breeding is intended. The genus contains further look-alikes including D. rhomboocellatus, the snakeskin or rhombo barb, and D. johorensis. All of these were formerly placed in Puntius or Barbodes, so old labels persist. For a hard-water tank, none of them are suitable; the cherry barb or the odessa barb are the adaptable alternatives. |
| Lifespan: | 5 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Low
- Min Tank:72 L
- Substrate:Dark sand; planted with botanicals/tannins
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe
- Filtration:Moderate
Five-Banded Barb (Desmopuntius pentazona) is a species of fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is native to Southeast Asia (blackwater streams of the Malay Peninsula and Borneo). The five banded barb is the tiger barb's quiet cousin: a small, peaceful, soft-water species with five dark bars over a warm orange body, and none of the nipping reputation. It reaches 55 mm standard length and comes from peat swamp forest and blackwater streams in Southeast Asia — which sets its requirements at pH 4.0 to 7.0 and 1 to 5 dGH, genuinely soft water rather than merely soft-ish. It is a schooling species ideally kept in groups of eight to ten. There is a catch worth knowing before you shop. The species is rare in the aquarium trade, and most fish sold under this name are actually the closely related Desmopuntius hexazona — a similar and equally attractive fish, but not this one.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Keep in
- Groups of 8+
- Swims
- middle
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Five-Banded Barb
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