Silver barb (Barbonymus gonionotus)

Scientific name: Barbonymus gonionotus Bleeker, 1850

The Silver barb (Barbonymus gonionotus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 22–28°C (72–82°F).

Silver barb care at a glance

Temperature: 22–28°C (72–82°F)

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 6 - 7. Body is strongly compressed. The back is elevated, its dorsal profile arched, often concave above the occiput. The head is small; the snout pointed; the mouth terminal. The barbels are very minute or rudimentary, especially the upper ones, which sometimes disappear entirely. Color when fresh is silvery white, sometimes with a golden tint. The dorsal and caudal fins are gray to gray-yellow; the anal and pelvic fins light orange, their tips reddish; the pectoral fins pale to light yellow. Very few tubercles on the snout which are not visible without magnification; snout length much less than the width of the eye socket. Anal-fin with 6-7 branches rays.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Barbonymus gonionotus
Family: Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order: Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 40.5
Depth range: 15 m (49 ft)
Environment: Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous; depth range 15 - ? m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Asia: Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Java. Occurs throughout the whole stretch on the Mekong, from the delta around the saline intrusion zone to Chiang Khong in Thailand.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tm=2)