The fire barb is an aquarium fish belonging to the numerous genus Barbus. Like most representatives of the genus, this is a very beautiful species. Also active and peaceful, it feels better in a flock of 6 - 10 individuals. A very popular fish among aquarists all over the world.
It was first imported into Europe around 1903, and appeared in Russia in 1920. The fire barb is one of the most viable and unpretentious species of aquarium fish. It is also easy to breed. Its peaceful disposition makes it possible to keep it with other species. All this allows us to recommend it for keeping by beginning aquarists. However, once you fall in love with this fish, you will keep it for many years, even when you become an experienced aquarist.
Synonyms, names in other languages: Fire barb, Barbus conchonius(lat.)
In the wild Barbus conchonius lives in stagnant or slow-flowing water bodies of Bangladesh, North-East India, and some other regions of Southeast Asia.
description:
First described by Hamilton and Buchanan in 1822.
The body is oblong, oval, flattened laterally. There are no antennae. In the wild it can reach quite large sizes. Body length can reach up to 15 centimeters in adults. Under aquarium living conditions, its length rarely exceeds 6–8 centimeters. The male has a bright fiery body color, which is how the species got its name. The back is olive.
At the base of the caudal fin there is a black round spot with a golden edge. The fins are orange in color. The tip of the dorsal fin may have a black edge. The caudal fin is fork-shaped. Life expectancy is about five years. Sexual maturity is reached after 8 months of life.
Gender Differences:
It is not difficult to distinguish males from females in this fish. The female has a more rounded abdomen, much
male and female increasing when she is ready to spawn. And also the color of the female is olive or even closer to silver. The male, as already mentioned, has a fiery color, which becomes bright red during the period of excitement or spawning.
Fire barb contents:
For a flock of 6 - 10 fish, you need an oblong aquarium of 60 liters or more. Since fish can jump out, a lid or at least glass is required to cover the aquarium. Dark colored soil. Small fraction. You can use coarse river sand and fine granite chips.
It is advisable to use small-leaved plants. They should be planted along the back and side walls. In this case, you need to leave enough space for swimming along the front wall of the aquarium.
This fish can withstand short-term temperature drops of up to 10°C. But the optimal temperature for keeping it is 18 - 22°C. Withstands hardness fluctuations from 4 to 18°dH. Maintain the middle of this range. Better pH=6.5-7.5.
The overhead lighting is not too bright. Approximately 0.25 W/l. It is better to use LB fluorescent lamps for lighting. Filtration with artificial aeration of water is required.
Compatibility:
As already mentioned, the fish is peaceful and easily gets along with any other species with similar conditions. The only limitation, as for other representatives of the genus, is that they should not be kept with slow-moving fish that have veil fins to which Barbus conchonius may show unhealthy interest.
Feeding:
Barbus conchonius eats any type of live food. Bloodworms, tubifex, coretra, daphnia, cyclops. Feeding with plant foods is highly desirable. Algae, crushed and scalded leaves of lettuce, cabbage, and dandelion. When there is a lack of plant food, fish begin to pluck aquarium plants.
Fire barb breeding:
About a week before spawning, males should be separated from females and kept separately. During this period, producers should be fed abundantly with live food with the obligatory addition of plant food.
For spawning you need an aquarium with a volume of about fifty liters. The water should be fresh, settled and soft. Soft water stimulates the start of spawning. Therefore, it is advisable to reduce the water hardness to 4 – 6°dH. This can be done using one of the methods described in the article “”. pH = 7. Its level should be about 15 centimeters.
A separator net is placed at the bottom of the aquarium. The cell size is about 3 - 5 mm. In such a way that the eggs pass freely through the mesh cells and fall to the bottom. This will prevent the eggs from being eaten. Instead of a net, you can use small-leaved plants laid on the bottom, pressed lightly with stones. As a last resort, a “tangle” of nylon fishing line is used. The fishing line must be at least 1 millimeter thick.
The lighting of the spawning area should not be bright. Low-flow artificial aeration is required. Since the air flow at one point should be relatively weak, it is advisable to equip several air supply points.
The producers are planted in the container prepared in this way in the evening. Usually two males are taken for one female. You can plant two females and four males for spawning. The temperature should be the same as in the vessels in which males and females were located until this moment. Now set the thermostat knob to a temperature of 24 - 26°C. The water will gradually warm up to the desired temperature. And the next morning the spawning will begin.
The rut lasts several hours. During this time, one female lays 300–600 eggs. After the end of spawning, adult fish must be removed. Half of the water is replaced with fresh, settled water at the same temperature. It is advisable to shade the aquarium.
Incubation lasts about two days. And after another three to four days, the fry will swim and begin to feed. It is better to feed with live food. Ciliates, Artemia nauplii, and live dust are suitable for them.
veil form The fry have an excellent appetite. They grow quickly. As they grow, they are transferred to larger feeds. Add plant foods to the diet. They are seated in more spacious dwellings.
Barbus conchonius very beautiful, picky and grateful fish. If the basic rules of keeping are followed, he practically does not get sick. It propagates relatively easily. There is a veil variety that looks even more impressive. According to the conditions of detention, diet, breeding rules Barbus conchonius veil is practically no different from the simple form. Fire veil barb does not occur in nature and was obtained through artificial selection. Fire veil barb, as well as its simple shape will enliven and decorate any aquarium. And they will bring a lot of pleasure to both beginner and experienced aquarists.
The fire barb (Barbus conchonius) is an aquarium fish belonging to the carp family, also known by another name - the fire punt. The name fiery was received for the bright color that appears during the spawning period. A very active schooling fish, a favorite of beginning aquarists.
In nature, this species is found in the calm waters of Southeast Asia; the veiled fire barb has been artificially bred.
It is quite simple to distinguish a female from a male fire puntius. The female has a wider abdomen, her color is much less bright, and her fins are colorless. While the smaller male is distinguished by its rich colorful color. The dorsal fin has a reddish tint with a black edge.
The maximum size of adult specimens is 15 cm; for those living in an aquarium, 8 cm is the limit; larger specimens are rare.
In good conditions, the fire barb can live up to 5 years.
Conditions
The fire barb is one of the most unpretentious 
aquarium fish, so it can be found more often than others in beginners’ aquariums. The small size of the fish allows it to be kept in relatively small aquariums - 40-60 liters, while low elongated tanks are much preferable. Fiery fish prefer to swim closer to the bottom, which makes high containers useless and inconvenient for a school of moving fish.
This species prefers moderately warm water - 18-22°C, and is able to withstand a short-term decrease in temperature to 14-10°C, but raising it too much will lead to a reduction in the pet’s life expectancy. The parameters of hardness and acidity for this fish are much less important and are within the normal range of most representatives of underwater fauna - 4-18 °dH and 6.5-7.5 pH.
Weekly replacement of a third of the volume of water with fresh water is required, which does not eliminate the need for a filter and aeration.
It is advisable that the aquarium with barbs contain plants (floating on the surface and fixed in the ground), this will allow the fish to feel much more comfortable. There is no need to worry about their safety; fiery creatures prefer to hide in them rather than feed on them.
Choice of soils, fraction size, color to suit your taste. It is often recommended to choose darker soils in order to highlight the colorful colors of the fish. But the lighting must be dim; bright light frightens and unnerves fiery ones, forcing them to seek shelter.
It is advisable to ensure the presence of a small number of grottoes or any other places in which you can hide.
Feeding
Feeding fire barbs is allowed with any available types of food - live (avoiding excessive enthusiasm for the tubifex), frozen, dry industrial. Frequent feeding with plant foods is required - scalded lettuce leaves, nettles, spinach.
Avoid overfeeding, as it can lead to the death of aquarium fish.
Compatibility with other fish
Fire barbs are excellent neighbors for many species of small, peaceful aquarium fish. It is recommended to choose equally active species of similar sizes as cohabitants - neons, platies, rasboras, other types of barbs, zebrafish.
Avoid proximity to sedentary fish, as well as those with veil fins, they will be constantly attacked.
Reproduction
Breeding fire barbs is not difficult, but requires some preliminary preparation.
For spawning, the most prominent representatives should be selected from a school of fish. The ratio is 2:1 in favor of males. Aquarists often use group spawning; for this, the two largest females and the four most active males are selected. The fish are placed in separate containers and well fed with live and plant foods for a week.
During this time, a special spawning ground is prepared for the spawning of fiery puntius. Its volume is 30-50 liters, but the height of the water column should remain no higher than 15 cm. A small number of small-leaved plants and a separator net are placed in the spawning tank with prepared water (fresh, settled, with a temperature one to three degrees above the daily norm). The water in the spawning area must be constantly aerated, but so that no current is created. Lighting should be minimal.
Future producers are placed in the spawning tank late in the evening, spawning will begin early in the morning. As soon as the eggs have been spawned, the fish must be returned to the general aquarium, and the water level in the spawning area must be reduced to 10 cm. Incubation of the eggs lasts about two days; throughout this time, aeration of the water should be maintained and from time to time replaced with fresh water (necessarily settled ) in small quantities.
The emerging larvae will enter the fry stage in another day or two. As soon as the juveniles begin to swim independently, it is necessary to start feeding them. Starter food – live dust, Artemia nauplii, ciliates. As they grow, it is necessary to give larger types of feed, and be sure to include plant foods in their composition.
Fire barb fry grow quite quickly. Puberty occurs as early as 8 months.
Among beginning aquarists, the greatest demand is for agile, easy-to-keep fish. The fire barb, also known as the pink barb or puntius, is a colorful, peaceful fish that is found in many aquariums. It reproduces easily in captivity, is easy to care for and is relatively inexpensive. This article will discuss the external characteristics of the barb, its existing subspecies, the principles of keeping and caring for this fish, as well as its typical diseases.
Description and photo
The barb belongs to the order Cyprinidae, the Carp family. At home, it rarely grows to its natural size, remaining the size of a teenage individual.
Appearance and habitat
The natural environment for this fish is the southern part of Asia - Bangladesh, India. Rare colonies are found in Singapore and Australia. It prefers small, cool water bodies with strong currents, sometimes found in tributaries of rivers and ponds. The body of the barb is oval, slightly flattened. Adults grow up to six to seven centimeters in length (in the wild, up to fifteen). 
There are dorsal, ventral and forked caudal fins, thanks to which the fish moves very quickly. The eyes are golden, the color of the scales is red-silver with an olive stripe along the back. A distinctive feature of the puntius is a contrasting black dot at the base of the tail, which is present in all individuals.
Did you know? Barbs were first found in Southeast Asia in 1815 and described in detail by Scottish scientist Francis Buchanan-Hamilton. At that time they were not so popular, but simply became one of the many discoveries that the famous geographer and zoologist made during his life in India.
How to distinguish a female from a male
The body of females is rounded, the abdomen is more voluminous than that of flat, thin males. The scales of males have a pronounced red tint, which becomes brighter during spawning periods. The color of females varies from pale silver to pastel olive. Female barbs are slightly larger than males. 
Artificial forms
In addition to the natural red subspecies of the barb, breeders have bred the following breeds.
Veiled
It differs from its fiery relatives in its light color, smaller size (up to five centimeters) and long veil fins, which do not allow it to move quickly. 
The veil variety has a meek disposition; males do not engage in fights.
Important! If you add veiled males to active fast fish, the latter can damage their fins. The best neighbors for veil barbs will be cockerels, guppies and astronotuses. Panda catfish is the most undesirable neighbor for veiled individuals.
Neon
The color of the scales of neon individuals is darker and more saturated than that of fire ones. The scales have a golden tint, the fins are slightly elongated, coral-red. 
Gold
Also called Chinese. It was bred in the 60s of the last century, has a rich golden yellow color, the scales on the sides are highlighted with a dark olive edging. Fish of this species are especially hardy and undemanding to living conditions. 
Barbus is a schooling fish, so it must be kept in a large aquarium with a large group of relatives.
Aquarium volume
The minimum number of individuals in a flock is six. Make sure that there are both females and males in the flock, this will reduce the risk of aggression and cannibalism. For three to four pairs of barbs, you will need an aquarium with a volume of at least eighty liters, since they need a lot of space for fast swimming.
Did you know? Fire barbs appeared in Europe more than a hundred years ago.- in 1903. The agile, unpretentious fish quickly fell in love with English aquarists, and they contributed to its reproduction and spread throughout the European continent.
Water parameters
Puntius feels best at an average temperature of +20 °C with rare drops to +16 °C. If necessary, these fish can adapt to temperatures up to +25 °C. Water hardness should be 15 °C, maintain pH 6.5–7. 
Change water weekly at the rate of thirty percent of the total volume so that it does not stagnate. The barb needs constant filtration and aeration of water, so install a bottom filter with a highly attached hose to better saturate the water with oxygen.
Lighting
Important! Barbs that are exposed to direct sunlight for a long time become nervous and aggressive, and are more often prone to cannibalism. If you want bright lighting to show off your barbs' shiny scales, install fluorescent spotlights in your aquarium.
Soil and plants
Select a dark, fine-grained soil for the barb with the addition of granite chips. Plant aquarium plants in the corners so that the fish can hide, leaving the center free. Give preference to small-leaved forms, since plants with long leaves will be picked off by the barb. Floating plants with aquatic roots are also suitable for such an aquarium; they will create natural shading in the upper layers of the water. 
Additional accessories
To ensure that there is a constant strong current in the aquarium, install an auxiliary pump. Place several driftwood at the bottom and place a grotto or ceramic chest. It would be a good idea to place large decorative stones in the central part of the aquarium.
Did you know? On the territory of Slavic countries, the barb became known about a century ago.- in 1920. This graceful oriental fish did not require special conditions, was easy to reproduce, looked beautiful and was very inexpensive, so it gained incredible popularity immediately after the First World War.
Feeding
For fish to be healthy, the basis of its diet should be live food. Give preference to bloodworms, daphnia, and occasionally feed with tubifex. The fry will benefit from Artemia. Adults can be fed boiled spinach, dandelion leaves, and green salad. It is not recommended to keep barbs on store-bought dry feed.
Compatibility with other inhabitants of the aquarium
The firefish gets along best with other representatives of its own species. She can be housed together with neon and gold individuals, cardinals,. 
Slow fish with long fins may suffer from proximity to barbs. Also, you should not add cockerels to this fish, and.
Important! The more space and accessories in the aquarium that the fish can play with, the less often it will enter into conflicts with its relatives. It is not recommended to keep more than four males in one container at a time.
Reproduction
Firefish reach sexual maturity at eight months of age, when they reach a size of six to seven centimeters. Before releasing pairs to spawn, prepare a spawning area for them. In an equipped aquarium with a capacity of thirty liters, leave ten to fifteen centimeters of water, raise the temperature to +25 ° C and plant a large number of plants so that the female can lay eggs on their leaves. A week before spawning, start feeding the pairs with live food. 
Barbs in the spawning tank Place two to three pairs of breeders in one aquarium in the evening. Spawning will begin in the morning, and over the next few hours the female will lay up to four hundred eggs. It is advisable to select one bright male for every two females. Immediately after the completion of spawning, transplant the spawners back into the general aquarium, and in the spawning aquarium, replace half the water and reduce the lighting. The hatching of larvae will begin on the second day of maturation, and on the third day after hatching they will turn into full-fledged fry. To feed the fry, use ciliates, microfood and brine shrimp.
Did you know? The fastest fish in the world, called the sailfish, reaches speeds of over one hundred kilometers per hour in open water.- this is an absolute record in the fish kingdom. Swift barb in an aquarium« A little» lags behind the record-breaking sailboat, its highest possible speed- this is fifteen kilometers per hour, and only over short distances.
Diseases
The fire barb is a fish resistant to adverse conditions, but from time to time it can be affected by infectious and fungal diseases.
Important! The sooner the symptoms of the disease are identified, the higher the chance that the fish can be saved. Do not leave your pets alone for a long time, regularly clean the aquarium and from time to time add preventive medications, such as streptocide and rivanol, to the water.
The fire barb is a bright, active fish that takes root well at home and even reproduces in captivity. With good care, its life expectancy is six to seven years. Barbus comes in different types; these types differ from each other in color and shape of fins. If you create suitable living conditions for your pets, you will protect them from various diseases and ensure a long, comfortable life.
Aquarium fish are becoming popular pets. They may differ in size, color and habits. All this makes them interesting objects to observe. The fire barb is easy to keep, gets along well with other inhabitants of the aquarium, and reproduces easily. Suitable for both beginner hobbyists and experienced aquarists.
Males differ at least in color
Appearance of fish
In nature, barbs are found in Asia, Europe and Africa. In the wild, their size reaches 15 cm. In an aquarium, it does not grow so large - the maximum length is 8 cm. For easy maneuvering in the water, the tail is forked into two blades. The body of the fish is torpedo-shaped, laterally compressed.
The coloration of males has distinctive features:
- the scales are golden-red and acquire a rich color during the spawning period;
- fins copper-red;
- The tips of the fins are black.
Females are silvery-greenish. They are larger and fuller, this is especially noticeable during the spawning period. The fins of females are more transparent.
Breeders have developed two decorative forms:
- fiery veiled barb - the fins of this species are veiled, which gives it a special beauty;
- The fiery neon barb has a rich color.
Fire barbs (barbus conchonius) are peaceful and highly mobile. These are schooling fish, so it is better to keep them in small groups of six individuals.
For a comfortable stay for a family of fish (7-8 individuals), you will need a rectangular aquarium. Its volume should be at least 80 liters, the temperature should be maintained at +22°C. Representatives of this species thrive in cool water and can easily tolerate slight increases in temperature in summer conditions.
Plants and driftwood must be placed in the aquarium. There should be enough room for swimming. It is better to choose sandy soil; medium-sized pebbles are also suitable.
Despite the lack of aggressiveness, the fire barb has low compatibility. Due to the high level of activity, the fish can injure other inhabitants of the aquarium. Therefore, it is better to keep the flock in a separate container. If this cannot be done, then neighbors can be:
- gourami;
- bottom catfish;
The golden barb is an omnivorous fish, but for a full-fledged existence they need a varied diet. When undernourished, pets reduce activity. Feed is given in small portions three times a day. Fish should eat their food within 10 minutes. If there are no snails or catfish in the aquarium, the remains are removed immediately.
Live food is great for fish Suitable feed types:
- alive;
- ice cream;
- dry flakes;
- lettuce leaves;
- grated vegetables (pumpkin, cucumber);
- crushed nettle (pre-scalded).
All types of feed need to be constantly alternated and changed. It is permissible to give dandelion leaves (scalded) as a treat, but not more than once a week.
Breeding Basics
Fire barbs are ready to breed at 8 months. Beautiful and large males and females are selected for him. The breeding process itself does not require special conditions. Before spawning, the pair are placed in separate containers and given a large amount of live food. The water should be two degrees warmer- this stimulates the reproduction process. A net is placed at the bottom of the container, since adults can eat the eggs.
During spawning, the female gives up to 600 eggs, the male fertilizes them. After this, it is better to plant the couple. The fry hatch in two days, and they will swim in 3-4 days. They are fed with “live dust”, ciliates and artemia. As they grow, they are transferred to larger feeds, and plant foods are gradually added.
Don’t forget to prepare the appropriate water temperature Possible problems
Many beginners mistakenly believe that barbs cannot get sick. However, incorrect content can lead to a number of problems. Gill rot is an infectious disease caused by a fungus. Its symptoms include loss of response to stimuli and loss of appetite.
A sick fish often assumes a head-down position. Treatment is effective only in the early stages.
Temperature fluctuations and low oxygen levels lead to the appearance of dropsy. It manifests itself as lethargy and protruding scales. There is no treatment, sick individuals are disposed of, and the water in the aquarium is disinfected.
Errors in feeding lead to obesity. Its symptoms are apathy, obesity and decreased motor activity. To solve the problem, barbs are kept on a starvation diet for 3 days, after which they begin to feed them properly.
In this video you will learn more about the fire barb:
(Puntius conchonius), this representative of the carp family has been kept in hobby aquariums for more than 100 years. In nature fire barbs inhabit standing and slow-flowing water bodies of Bangladesh, northern India (Bengal and Assam) and some other countries in Southeast Asia.
The fish are quite common and are often found within their range. Preferring reservoirs with clean, transparent, oxygenated water.
The species was first described by naturalist explorer Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1822.
To Europe fire barbs were introduced only in 1903. They began to be bred in the territory of the former USSR already in the distant twenties of the last century.
- the fish is not large. In nature, its maximum size reaches 15 cm, in an aquarium it usually does not exceed 6-8 cm.
Laterally compressed body fire barb has a regular, classic fish shape. The mouth is small and there are no antennae.
The common name “fiery” is given to the barb for the color of the male during the spawning period. Its back is olive-green, its sides and belly are copper-red, and there is a black spot on the caudal peduncle above the anal fin. The scales are shiny, shimmering in different colors in reflected light. The upper part of the dorsal fin is black, and the lower part is colored the same fiery color as the main part of the body. There are black spots on the anal and ventral fins.
The color of the females is less attractive; they are somewhat fuller, gray-green with a yellow tint - almost matching their fins.
One time fire barbs were also popular among aquarists like the well-known Sumatranus, today not a trace of that popularity remains, other, newer species have taken the palm.
It is better if the aquarium is rectangular in shape and has diffused overhead lighting. A lid or cover glass is required to prevent particularly energetic individuals from jumping out. With effective aeration and filtration of water, water changes should not be abused: one fourth of the volume of the aquarium, once a week, is more than enough.
Long-finned form of fire barb
The fish are not picky about the composition of the water; the general hardness and active reaction of the water are any, within the range suitable for the vast majority of species, temperature from 18 to 23°C. They can even be kept in unheated aquariums. Without much harm to itself, it can withstand water temperatures down to 15°C, making it suitable for keeping in garden ponds in the summer.
When decorating an aquarium with plants in which it is intended to contain fire barbs, preference should be given to plants with large and hard leaves.
As for the other decoration of such a tank, dark branched driftwood and large stones would not be out of place, creating a comfortable habitat for fish, while at the same time providing an excellent background that emphasizes their beauty.
Fire barbs very active and curious fish that prefer to stay in a school. Pack fire barbs throughout the daylight hours, tirelessly swims throughout the entire aquarium, examining every corner of it.
The species is demanding on the oxygen content in water. With a deficiency of which, fish feel discomfort, rising to the upper layers of water and swallowing air from its surface.
Under appropriate conditions, they live in an aquarium for up to 5 years.
Diet
Fire barbs They are not picky about their diet: they happily eat all adequate live food, such as: coretra, bloodworms, and tubifex. They will not refuse granular or flake dry food.
The main thing here is not to overfeed the fish, since the “wisps” do not know how much to eat and will eat until their abdomen swells like a ball.
Once a week, it is useful for fish to have a fasting day. This will keep them in good shape.
Diet fire barbs, however, like other representatives of the genus, must consist of at least 50% plant foods.
If there is a shortage of this component, fire barbs quickly compensate for it by biting the tender young leaves of aquarium plants.
Therefore, they are not very suitable for planted aquariums with a lot of delicate, small-leaved vegetation.
They are able to take food both from the surface and from the bottom, so there are no problems in this regard.
Reproduction in an aquarium
About readiness fire barbs reproduction is evidenced by the constant attention of males to individuals of the opposite sex. Which, being ready for spawning, have swollen abdomens and an extended ovipositor.
In general, from the moment when a young female reaches sexual maturity, the ovipositor, under conditions favorable for spawning, is constantly noticeable and is another sign that allows one to accurately determine whether a given individual belongs to the weaker sex.
Before spawning, it is advisable to keep males and females separately for ten days, on abundant and varied food.
For breeding, an all-glass spawning tank of rectangular or round shape, with a volume of about 20 liters, filled with fresh, settled water with the following parameters is sufficient: T = 27°, pH 7.2-7.4, dH 8°. At the bottom of which a separator mesh is placed, which, due to the stickiness of the caviar, only partially protects it from being eaten by producers. Bundles of nylon threads or bushes of Java moss are usually used as a spawning substrate.
The spawning tank requires a low-power heater with a thermostat that maintains the set temperature and a compressor that supplies air bubbles through a fine spray, which ensures good saturation of the water with oxygen.
A pair of fire barbs. The male is in the foreground.
To obtain the required hardness, the required amount of distilled, desalted or water that has passed through a reverse osmosis unit is added to tap water.
The spawners are planted for spawning in the evening; this can be a pair, or two males and one female.
In addition to increasing the temperature in the spawning area, a decrease in atmospheric pressure stimulates spawning well. Therefore, it is advisable to adapt to this factor, especially for producers spawning for the first time.
As a rule, spawning occurs the next day. After which, under the net you can find transparent eggs laid by fish, in the amount of about 100 pieces and with a diameter of less than one millimeter. The maximum amount of eggs received from one female per spawning can reach up to 400 pieces, but usually less.
After spawning, the spawners are removed from the spawning pond, and methylene blue is added to the water to prevent damage to the masonry by Saprolegnia.
After 36 hours, the larvae begin to hatch. They are completely transparent, some of them lie on the bottom, and some hang on the walls of the aquarium.
After the fry have assumed a horizontal position and swam, they immediately need food. The starting food can be ciliates or microworms. If such food is not available, the fry can be fed with hard-boiled egg yolk, which they readily eat.
After two days, they can already be given Artemia nauplii; by this time, a small dark spot appears in the area of the anal fin.
To slightly diversify their diet, you can include dry food specially designed for fry, which contains everything necessary for active growth. Such food is produced today by almost all well-known brands.
After a week, it becomes noticeable that some fry are larger than others in size. Therefore, it is advisable to sort the juveniles. On the twentieth day of life, the fry reach one centimeter in length, and their body shape already resembles their parents.
Juveniles are fed small portions several times a day. The fry are very voracious, which is noticeable by their swollen abdomens after feeding.
By a month they grow up to 1.5 cm, and begin to color, acquiring a yellowish tint.
After five months, the juveniles reach a size of 3-4 cm and already have all the characteristics of adults. Sexually mature fire barbs become at 6-8 months.
In aquarium practice, cases of crossing have been observed fire barbs with scarlet barbs (B.stoliczkae) and black barbs (P.nigrofasciatus), but such hybrids turned out to be sterile, but when crossed with a scarlet barb, offspring capable of reproduction were obtained.
In general, fire barbs are of great interest to breeders. Thus, hybrids obtained by crossing them with the scarlet barb (P.ticto) have a brighter, fiery scarlet color and larger scales. Their body has a golden sheen and is covered with black strokes, and their abdomen has a silver tint. In a hybrid fire barb with black (P.nigrofasciatus) - dark body with pronounced reddish tones and a purple tint. The fins are completely black.
Currently, several breeding forms have been obtained fire barb: Puntius conchonius “Neon Green”, Puntius conchonius “Neon Red”, Puntius conchonius “Blue”, among which there are also high-finned specimens. Veil forms with a predominance of red tones have also been developed.
The golden barb is also the result of selection fire barb. It should be borne in mind that all these forms are more susceptible to diseases and are more demanding on the temperature of the water.
Fire barb (Puntius conchonius) - estimated cost in Russia
| Size | Average price per piece |
| Up to 3 cm (S) | 50 rub. |
| Up to 4 cm (M) | 80 rub. |
| Up to 5 cm (L) | 140 rub. |
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