Denison Barb

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 5"
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons   • Water Conditions: 62-78° F, KH 4-10, pH 6.8-7.8
• Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: India   • Family: Cyprinidae
• Species: Barbs   • Aquarium Type: Community

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Denison Barb's originate from India where they can be found living in fast flowing streams, rivers and tributaries of the southern part of the country. They are a shoaling species that groups in large numbers for protection from larger predatory species. They are also fast swimmers that use rapid acceleration and jumping from the water to avoid attacks from larger predatory fish species.

Denison Barb's are commonly sold within the aquarium hobby by a variety of common names including: Denison Barb, Rose Line Shark and the Red Lined Torpedo Barb. As with most fish species that originate from fast flowing rivers and streams the Denison Barb is designed to swim very rapidly, thus they need larger (longer) aquariums than other fish species their size.

They also require the aquarium to be fully covered as they have a natural instinct to jump from the water as an escape mechanism when they feel threatened.

Denison Barb's require larger aquariums than most tropical community species their size, as they are very active swimmers and need plenty of room to dart about the aquarium. As they originate from fast flowing streams and rivers, they are used to high levels of dissolved oxygen in the water and very high quality water conditions.

It is important to provide them with plenty of water flow and oxygen through the use of additional power heads or pumps that agitate the water's surface, which will increase the levels of oxygen in the water. While it is possible to keep a single specimen or a pair of Denison Barb's, it is better to keep a group ( 4 or more) as this will help replicate how they live in the wild.

They do very well with other similar sized tropical community species and can be kept with a wide variety of peaceful and semi-aggressive tropical community fish species. In addition to sufficient water flow, the Denison Barb will also appreciate an aquarium with plenty of plants that it can swim among and retreat to when threatened. Lastly, aquariums housing Denison Barb's should be fully covered as they are well known for jumping out of un-covered aquariums.

In the wild the Denison Barb will consume a mix of plant and animal based foods. In order to provide them with a balanced nutritional diet, the aquarium hobbyist should make sure that they have a mixture of plant, algae and meaty foods in their diet. They are not picky eaters and will readily consume a large variety of commercially available foods including: high quality flake and pellet foods, frozen foods, freeze-dried worms, bloodworms, tubifex worms, brine shrimp and other similar foodstuffs.