Black barbus is a common aquarium fish. It was first brought to Russia in 1954. Pethia nigrofasciatus is not large. By its behavior, the shape of the body resembles the Sumatran barbus.
Habitat
The black barbus naturally lives in Sri Lanka, most often found in tributaries of the Nivala and Kelani rivers. They are distinguished by an abundance of vegetation, a weak current, and cooler water than in other tropical reservoirs. It is acidic and soft, and the bottom is covered with fine gravel or sand. Algae and detritus are the basis of the diet of barbs in nature.
Currently, the population of this fish has decreased significantly. This is due to the overfishing of black barbs for aquarists. For some time the species was considered endangered, but in recent years the population has increased slightly.
Currently, it is prohibited by law to catch black barbs, therefore, all individuals that are on sale are artificially bred. With the help of hybridization, brighter, new colors of the black barbus are created today.
Black barbus: description
As already mentioned, the body shape of the fish is very similar to its closest relatives - the mutant barbus and the Sumatran barbus. His body is tall, but at the same time rather short, his muzzle is pointed, his mustache is absent. It is painted in yellow or yellow-gray color, with three black vertical stripes. Mature fish have a purple-red head. Males blush all over the body, especially during spawning.
In males, the dorsal fin becomes completely black, while in females only its base is black. Anal and abdominal fins in males are red-black or black.
In case of stress, when the fish are frightened, during the illness, under unsatisfactory conditions, the representatives of both sexes turn pale. Because of this, they often look inconspicuous in the market in the aquarium, but once in the home, a little accustomed to a new house, restore color and become very beautiful.
The size of the barbus is about 5.5 cm, life expectancy is five years.
Content Features
According to experienced aquarists, the black barbus, the photo of which you can see below, refers to medium in complexity of content. It is demanding on clean water, which must have stable parameters.
This is a schooling, active fish - a black barbus. Its content should not be paired, but in a flock, starting from 6 individuals. This is necessary so that the barbs are not stressed, healthy, to create a hierarchy that distracts them from their neighbors in the aquarium and reduces aggression. It is desirable that there are more than three times more females in the aquarium than males.
Compatibility
The black barbus is a completely peaceful fish. She gets along well with most fish. It looks very harmonious in a pack with other barbs - mutant, Sumatran, fiery, cherry. It gets along well with Malabar, Danio rerio, ternesia, Congo. It is advisable to select related species of fish, or at least similar in behavior, since they will frighten the slower neighbors.
Feeding
Under natural conditions, the black barbus mainly feeds on the detritus, if only because it is all that it can find at the bottom of the reservoir - algae, insects, invertebrates, plants. They are looking for food in fallen leaves, which are found in large numbers at the bottom of rivers in Sri Lanka. The main part of their diet are plant components.
Therefore, the black barbus contained in the aquarium needs high-fiber feeds. These are, first of all, cereals with spirulina, vegetables - zucchini, cucumbers, spinach, salad. With no less appetite, the barbus eats black and protein foods - bloodworms, daphnia, artemia. Otherwise, he will pick off young shoots of aquarium plants.
Breeding
Like all spawners, which include barbs, these fish can breed both in pairs and in groups. Since black barbs very eagerly eat their eggs, they must be removed from the spawning after the end of spawning.
The water in the aquarium should be acidic and soft. Its temperature during spawning is increased to +26 degrees. At the bottom, you should put some kind of protective net through which the caviar can freely fall through, while the parents will not be able to get it. For this, you can use various small-leaved plants - different types of mosses (for example, Javanese). Lighting should be diffuse, somewhat dim. The aquarium must be removed from direct sunlight.
Individuals selected for spawning are abundantly fed with live food for two weeks. If live food is not available, frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp are suitable. During this period, the males will acquire their most beautiful color. Females will not change color, but they will become much fuller from caviar.
As a rule, spawning begins with mating - the male swims in circles around the female. He spreads his fins, showing the beloved his beautiful coloring. The process lasts several hours. During this time, the female manages to lay about a hundred eggs. After that, the aquarium is covered, because the caviar is very sensitive to light. Sometimes barbecue caviar does not hatch. Next time try to feed the fish more diversely and abundantly before spawning. Typically, such problems are related to feeding.
The larva appears in a day, and in another twenty-four hours the fry begins to swim. The first food for him is a microworm and ciliates. After about seven days, you can give naupilia brine shrimp.