Rambo Barb?

[AquaNut]

Okay, help out a lazy friend! lol While fishing out a particularly elusive kuhli for me the other day, my lfs worker accidentally caught what they call a 'rambo barb' and, rather than risk losing the impossible to catch kuhli, she said, wanna just take it? (actually, she told me it was a baby tiger barb and I didn't notice until I got home that it wasn't). I know my lfs sells them as rambo barbs, though, because I've asked about them before. They have vertical black bands like the tiger barbs, but are more elongated and less diamond shaped. Can anyone tell me anything about him? He's not schooling with the tigers (big surprise lol), and I wouldn't mind picking up a few mates for him, if I knew a bit more about them. TIA..

Kirsten

 

[Lateral Line]

Lucky girl.

Almost certainly one of the four sub-species of Barbus pentazona. A superficially similar fish to B. tetrazona, (Tiger Barb), but much more peacful, and a little more delicate. They are not as deep in the body as tetrazona.

Tigers are "tetrazona" i.e. the body has four zones, (3 stripes).

B. pentazona pentazona has 4 stripes
B. pentazona hexazona has 5 stripes
B. pentazona partipentazona has 4.5 stripes, the middle one, usually below the dorsal, goes only half way down the body
B. pentazona rhombocellatus has 4 stripes which are narrow at the top and bottom but widen and split into two in the middle then close up again. Looks like a row of diamond shapes along the side.

They are presented above in order of how common they are in the trade.

B. pentazona is, in many ways a nicer fish than tetrazona. Does your fish sound like one of these, if not, tell me a bit more, or ideally post a picture, (in fact try to do that anyway!).

 

[CFC]

B. pentazona rhombocellatus

Hmm rhombocellatus, i wonder.....rhombocellatus could = rambocellatus=rambo barb?


B.pentazona pentazona is a very nice fish indeed, i have s a small school of these myself, very timid peaceful pretty little fish.

 

[Lateral Line]

That had occured to me, but genuine B. pent. rhomb. are really quite rare. I've only ever seen 1 live one, and that was years ago. Of course, someone could be breeding them again. Don't know.

 

[MAM]

here's a link to some barbs and pictures, maybe this will help.....

http/www.mongabay.com/fish/barbs.htm

 

[AquaNut]

Hmm... I'm at work now, so I can't compare the pictures to the fish at the moment, but I'm sure it is some sort of pentazona barb, although it doesn't really match the pictures on that link from many a molly (but very similar). It's also a little tricky because it's very tiny and very young and surely doesn't have its best colouring yet. I know my tiger babies are dull in colour when compared to the adults. I did look at the fish before coming to work (as best I could... he's timid and quick), and he definitely has four black stripes against a pale hmmm peach? coloured background. The middle stripe, extending down from the dorsal fin, is wider than the others. His fins are currently translucent, with perhaps some black? Ugh. I'll have to try and get a picture after work. At any rate, would adding a few more of these guys in with tiger barbs be alright? I feel sorry for the lonely little fellow.

 

[ketyana]

B.pentazona pentazona is a very nice fish indeed, i have a small school of these myself, very timid peaceful pretty little fish

LOL I have had mine just over one week but they has settled in well, definately pentazonas but timid and peaceful They are like unruly teenagers, tearing around the tank in games of chase between the plants and fighting their way through against shark to eat his algae wafers

Thery are great fish I love them and they are no harm to any of their fellow fish but I think the looks of disgust my rosy barbs give them when they run full pelt in a shoal of 6 around they says they dont find much peace

 

[MAM]

have you figured out what it is yet? i'm curious now

 

[AquaNut]

Sure did Molly. It's a young barbus fasciatus. CFC and Lateral Line both gave a positive id from a pic I posted. Here's the thread if you want to see the lil guy. http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...showtopic=15408 He's really sweet, but 6" is too big for me to have a school of him in the tank where he is now, so I'm not too sure what I'm going to do with him. If all goes according to plan, the fish in my 45 gallon community are going to be moving into a much bigger tank soon. Then maybe I will move my loaches and barbs to the 45 and get b. fasciatus some friends.

 

[MAM]

i wondered if it might be that. was considering them once myself, 'til i did my research and saw the 6 inch thing (yikes!)