Spotscale barb (Barbus holotaenia)

Scientific name: Barbus holotaenia Boulenger, 1904

The Spotscale barb (Barbus holotaenia) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 24–30°C (75–86°F).

Spotscale barb care at a glance

Temperature
24–30°C (75–86°F)

Biology

Strictly insectivorous, feeding mainly on aquatic benthic insects associated with terrestrial insects during the rainy season. Breeds during the rainy season, with fecundity ranging between 5 and 18 eggs per gram of body weight.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Barbus holotaenia
Family
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order
Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
12.0
Environment
Freshwater;; pH range: 6.0 - 6.5; dH range: ? - 8 benthopelagic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Africa: Sanaga (Cameroon) to Chiloango basin (Republic of the Congo), including the Nyong, Ogoou?, Nyanga and Kouilou-Niari basins; also in the Chad basin. Widespread in the Congo River basin, from the lower Congo to the Luapula. Reports from the Lucala and Bengo rivers (Angola) are probably misidentifications.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Aquarium: commercial
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.09; Fec=5-18 eggs/g body wt)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated