Scarlet Barbus - care and maintenance in the aquarium

Barbarus - very lively, unpredictable and funny fish. They are very interesting to watch in the aquarium, which is why they are very popular today. Another big advantage of these pets is their unpretentiousness in terms of maintenance and nutrition. Basically at the word Barbarus everyone remembers the Sumatran look, however, in this family it is not the only species of fish. The scarlet Barbarus are no less interesting and beautiful, although they are not as common and popular as the Sumatran ones.

Habitat in the wild

In nature, this species of carp is found in many territories. You can even find them in the Himalayas mountain range, in the state of Bangladesh, in the territories of India and China, on the island of Sri Lanka, in Burma, Thailand, Nepal and Pakistan. In these areas, the Barbarus settle in creeks of various sized rivers.These fish are common in the waters of the Irrawaddy, Meklong and Mekong. In these bodies of water there is a rather slow current, and the bottom is covered with silt. In Europe, this kind of Barbarus appeared only in 1903.

The appearance of the scarlet Barbara

Scarlet Barbarus are very small fish that are up to a maximum of 6 centimeters in length. It is extremely rare to find individuals whose length will be 10 centimeters. The body shape of the barbarus is basically standard, somewhat elongated in length and flattened laterally.

Very interesting in this species of fish color. The back is presented in greenish and grayish shades. On the sides, the color gradually changes to silver, but the belly already acquires a completely light shade. The fins located on the back are covered with dark dots, while those located on the abdomen are red.

In the area of ​​the tail, as well as above the fins located on the breast, dark spots can be seen with a golden-colored border around it. The scales also stand out strongly, forming a grid-like pattern on the body. Along the body is a distinctive feature of the scarlet Barbarus - a red stripe.

There are some differences between males and females. Male representatives have smaller sizes, but brighter colors. Quite often it is possible to meet males having a bright pink color. The red stripe on the side becomes most noticeable during the laying of the eggs.

Variety barbarus with a red stripe

In addition to the traditional and well-known varieties of scarlet Barbarus, there is also a hybrid form, which is called the Odessa Barbarus. The original name of this species is unknown today, it was called Odessa only for the reason that when Barbarus was brought from Vietnam, it was transported through Odessa. This species of fish does not have a bright color, as a rule, they have greenish and brown shades. All fins, except the tail, also contain points.

There is also today some evidence of the presence of another species of scarlet Barbara. They call him tikto capital. You can distinguish such a subspecies fin on the back of a bright red color, containing also points on itself.

Behavior and compatibility with other individuals

These small and beautiful fish are very active, which is their main feature. For this reason, it is highly not recommended to keep them alone; it will be best to place at least 6 individuals in one tank. Such a number will create the necessary hierarchy in the group, which will significantly reduce the stress of the fish and the number of conflicts. Under such conditions, the behavior of the fish changes, they completely reveal their characters. As a result, it becomes very interesting to watch them. Moreover, the barbarus become brighter in the group. It is not recommended to place a couple of barbarus in an aquarium, since under such conditions they become shy and nervous, as a result of which they lose their brightness and often get sick.

Despite the fact that barbars are non-aggressive fish, it is not recommended to settle them in the same container with fish with long and wide fins or tails. Barbarus can very easily bite them and eat them.

It should not be placed in the same tank with these individuals of large predatory individuals, as they will harm the weaker fish and simply eat them. It is best to add fish from their family - Sumatran barbarus, as well as cherry and mutants to scarlet barbarus.

How to organize the conditions for barbarusov?

These representatives of the fish are not too demanding to the conditions of detention, therefore, in order to provide them with proper care, you need to complete only a few points:

1. Capacity for the content is best to choose spacious. An excellent option would be a volume of about 60 liters, but at the same time the length should be 60 centimeters.
2. Water must always be clean, it must be monitored, changes must be made regularly. A prerequisite for an aquarium is to install an aerator and filter. If, due to the operation of these systems, a small current will be created, there is nothing terrible about it. Water temperature should be in the range of 20-25 degrees. The maximum acidity should not exceed 7 units, and the hardness 15.
3. Lighting in the aquarium is too bright is not required, it is better if it is slightly muffled. You can even pick up in this case, bluish lighting, place it better at the top, near the front wall of the aquarium.
4. Soil is best to choose large, well suited gravel or large pebbles.
5. Plants must be present in the aquarium, and you need to plant the plants on the bottom with the roots, as well as have floating plants.
6. Decorative items must also be present in the tank.Various snags, stones and other elements will fit perfectly.

Feeding

To prevent the fish from losing their beautiful bright color, it is recommended to add to their diet artificial additives containing carotenoids.

Breeding

The breeding process of these fish, in principle, is not complicated. Before breeding, you must first prepare a separate container with a capacity of up to 20 liters. At the bottom is to place the grid and various small plants. This is necessary in order to protect the eggs from the male and female, because they can eat it. You should also provide the necessary conditions for the maintenance of individuals, the water level should not exceed 20 centimeters.

Spawning in most cases begins early in the morning.At this time, the male begins to pursue the female, with the result that she lays eggs on various surfaces in the aquarium. The male fertilizes the eggs immediately. After that, the future parents are removed from the tank, returned back to the general aquarium.

Video: aquarium fish scarlet barb