Fishes / Habitat
The black ruby barb, Pethia nigrofasciata, develops a striking deep red to purplish head and body in breeding males, set against three dark vertical bands, giving it its alternative name of purple-hea
The black ruby barb, Pethia nigrofasciata, develops a striking deep red to purplish head and body in breeding males, set against three dark vertical bands, giving it its alternative name of purple-headed barb. It is endemic to Sri Lanka, found only in the Kelani and Nilwala river basins in the island's southwestern wet zone, and reaches around five to seven centimetres.
This is a species genuinely worth knowing the conservation story of: wild populations have been assessed as vulnerable by the IUCN, driven by habitat loss and past over-collection for the aquarium trade, and export of wild-caught fish from Sri Lanka is now prohibited. Nearly all black ruby barbs sold today, including in India, are commercially bred rather than wild caught.
A group of six or more does well in a tank of sixty litres upwards. Black ruby barbs prefer cooler, soft, slightly acidic water reflecting their shaded forest stream habitat, though captive-bred stock has adapted reasonably well to a broader range of conditions, including moderate Indian tap water.
A tank with some shade, dense planting and a darker substrate helps bring out the male's colour and makes the fish feel more secure.
A varied diet including flakes, pellets, occasional live or frozen food and some vegetable matter suits its largely herbivorous natural diet. Like tiger barbs, black ruby barbs can show mild fin-nipping tendencies, so a proper group size and short-finned tankmates work best.
They are otherwise a lively, engaging addition to a community tank, with the male's colour intensifying noticeably during breeding displays.
Article content © S Vejay Anand. All rights reserved.
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