slow moving waterways in Vietnam, Taiwan, southwestern China, and northern Laos. Feral populations of golden barb are found in Singapore and Hawaii. Golden barbs grow to about 7 cm and are well suited to temperatures of 16–24°C. Checker barb (Oliotius oligolepis) The checker barb is a small (to 4.5 cm) silvery to reddish-brown fish with a black leading edge to each scale, giving rise to its common name. Commercially bred checker barbs
Photo: Dodoni
tend to come in two colour forms: one that has a reddish hue and another a greenish hue. Adult males are more colourful with red, black-edged, unpaired fins. Checker barbs are found in Sumatra, although a feral population has established in Colombia and possibly India. Checker barbs can be kept in temperatures of 18–25°C. Six banded barb (Desmopuntius hexazona) The six banded barb grows to about 5.5 cm and is a great subject for a heavily planted or blackwater aquarium. It originates from the Malay Peninsula, southern Borneo, eastern Sumatra, and Singapore where it is often found in blackwater streams and peat 36 ∙ Aquarium World
Photo: deUserSun-man
swamps. It is often confused with, and sold as, the five banded barb (D. pentazona), a species which is rare in the hobby and has a small dark mark at the rear base of the dorsal-fin. Six banded barbs are best kept in temperatures of 20–26°C. Other barbs that are sometimes imported include the clown barb (Barbodes everetti), spanner barb (Barbodes lateristriga), rhombo barb (Desmopuntius rhomboocellatus), melon barb (Haludaria fasciata), and the lined barb (Striuntius lineatus).
Melon barb - Photo: Robert Beke
Two other barbs are worth mentioning. Tinfoil barbs are regularly imported but grow large and are only suitable for very large
