Family: Cyprinidae
Distribution: Puntius hexazona, better known as Six-banded Barb, is an Asian freshwater species distributed in the Malaysian Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra; it is found in the Mekong basin.
PH: 6.0 – 6.5
Temperature: 20°C – 24C (68 – 75F)
Hardness: 5 – 10 dH
Description: Puntius hexazona can reach a maximum length of 6 cm. This species has six vertical stripes on a gold or orange coloured body. This is a very rare species that is found in only a few streams in the central catchment forest.
Diet: Puntius hexazona will eat most foods. In an aquarium environment, you should feed this species regular meals of live and frozen foods, with quality flakes and granules. This species will flourish if given a varied diet; do not simply feed it flake.
Breeding: There is not a lot of specific breeding information available on the Six-banded Barb, but we can assume it shares the same habits as the Five-banded Barb. This egg-scattering species will require fine-leaved plants; the female will release 150 – 250 eggs and these will stick to the plants. You will probably have to remove the parents as soon as you see eggs in your tank to avoid cannibalisation. The fry will probably hatch around 30 hours later and can be fed on Infusoria before moving on to freshly hatched brine shrimp.
Comments: You should tank this species in at least a 20 gallon tank. The Six-banded Barb will need good lighting and a dark substrate in order to show its best colours, and plenty of hiding spots in the form of roots, plants and rocks.
Article/Books:
Recommended Compatible Species: There is not a great deal of information available on the Six-banded Barb, but it will probably be compatible with other mid-sized species. Avoid housing it with large, aggressive fish.
Related posts:
