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Five-Banded Barb
Desmopuntius pentazona
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii
📍 Southeast Asia
A small, peaceful barb from Borneo and the Malay Peninsula featuring five vertical dark bands on a pale golden to reddish body, with males showing more intense coloration. It thrives in schools of 6+ in soft, acidic, blackwater-style aquariums with tannins, dim lighting, and a dark substrate to bring out its colors.
Care Guide
Diet
Five-Banded Barbs are omnivorous and thrive on high-quality flake foods supplemented with small pellets as a staple. Feed small frozen foods like brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms 2-3 times weekly to enhance coloration and condition. Offer occasional blanched vegetables like spinach or zucchini, feeding small amounts once daily in portions they can consume within 2-3 minutes.
Behavior
These are active, schooling fish that display peaceful temperament when kept in groups of 6 or more, becoming stressed and aggressive if understocked. They occupy the mid-water column, constantly foraging and exploring with quick, darting movements. Males exhibit more vibrant coloration and may display mild dominance behaviors within the school, but serious aggression is rare in properly sized groups.
Breeding
Breeding in captivity is possible but requires dedicated setup with soft, acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5) and dense vegetation or spawning mops. Condition pairs with live foods for 1-2 weeks, then transfer to a separate breeding tank with dim lighting and no substrate to prevent egg predation. Fry are tiny and require infusoria or liquid fry food for the first week before accepting microworms or newly hatched brine shrimp.
Tank Mates
Peaceful algae eaters with identical water parameter requirements and non-aggressive behavior
Similar size, peaceful temperament, and preference for soft, acidic blackwater conditions
Comparable water requirements and peaceful schooling behavior, though slightly larger
Small shrimp compatible with barbs; may predate on shrimplets but adults generally safe in planted tanks
Peaceful but requires similar warm temperatures; monitor for any territorial behavior toward barbs
Common Diseases
Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)
White spots on body and fins, rapid breathing, flashing against objects, lethargy
Raise temperature gradually to 28-30°C, perform 25% water changes daily, use aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon) or commercial ich treatment; maintain for 10-14 days
Fin Rot
Frayed or disintegrating fins, white or black edges on fins, lethargy
Improve water quality with frequent partial water changes, reduce stocking density, use antibacterial medication if severe; ensure pH and temperature stability
Bacterial Infection
Red streaks on body, swollen abdomen, loss of appetite, cloudy eyes
Perform 30-50% water changes every 2-3 days, use broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment, isolate severely affected fish in hospital tank
Velvet Disease (Oodinium)
Fine golden or rust-colored dust on body, rapid breathing, scratching behavior, clamped fins
Increase aeration, raise temperature to 28-30°C, perform daily 25% water changes, use copper-free velvet treatment or salt therapy
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Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–7.0
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- temperature
- 73–82°F (23–28°C)