Checkerboard Barb

1 Species Overview

As a juvenile the checkerboard barb has irregular black spots on its side that look like pieces on a chessboard, hence the name. It is easy to keep, lively, and can be mixed with small fish.

Also known as: Border carp, seven-star lantern

Category: Freshwater tropical fish

Kingdom: Animalia

Distribution: Native to Sumatra, southern Asia

Latin name: Barbusoligolepis

Chinese name: Checkerboard barb

2 Appearance and Physical Traits

The checkerboard barb is from southern Sumatra. Because it is not demanding about water and is robust, it is not hard to keep; its small size makes it popular.

The checkerboard barb has large scales, a green back, and a silver-white belly; the large scales line up like a chessboard, hence the name. In breeding season males show a rosy nuptial color, and the dorsal and anal fins are edged in black, which tells the sexes apart. The fish is 4 to 5 cm, diamond-shaped. The back and dorsal fin are fairly high, the anal fin broad, the caudal peduncle short, the caudal fin forked. Body color is a mix of olive and red with red, blue, and green dots, and the fins rose-red. Its biggest trait is black edges on fins and scale borders; even as a juvenile the fins already show clear black edges.

3 Habitat and Living Environment

The checkerboard barb is small, so its tank need not be large—just enough for its growth and activity. It also needs light; keep the glass lamp hood opening 100 mm above the water to stop the fish jumping in.

The checkerboard barb likes weakly acidic soft water; though not picky, it prefers soft water. It tolerates lows of 15 C; best temperature 20 to 28 C. Spring care focuses on right feeding and disease prevention. As weather warms, fish that overwintered become active but are weak, so raise feeding slowly. Weather swings mean watch insulation in wind and rain. Spring also sees fast germ growth, so fish disease spreads; prevent and treat.

4 Feeding Guidelines

Though small, the checkerboard barb is not hard to keep and is not fussy about food. Place a feeding ring in the tank to keep food from sinking and fouling the water.

The checkerboard barb is an omnivorous egg-layer. It is pretty and gentle, swims in mid and lower levels, gets along with other tropical fish, and can be mixed with small fish. Feed it animal foods; it is not picky.