Photos © Sean Evans
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| Common name: | Pentazona barb, Five Banded barb |
| Scientific name: | Puntius pentazona |
| Synonyms: | Barbus pentazona, Capoeta pentazona, Puntius hexazona |
| Size: | Up to 2" (5cm) |
| Origin: | S.E. Asia: Borneo, Malayan peninsula, Singapore. |
| Tank setup: | Planted tank with plenty of cover for this timid shoaling species. Avoid overly bright lighting, or provide shade. |
| Compatibility: | A peaceful community fish, may be timid in the presence of more boisterous fish. Keep in a shoal. |
| Temperature: | 23-26oC (73-79oF) |
| Water chemistry: | Fairly soft, slightly acidic preferred (pH 6.0-7.0), especially for breeding. The addition of peat to the filter or
the use of 'blackwater' tonics will be beneficial and promote better colour. |
| Feeding: | Omnivorous, most foods accepted, use flake and granular foods as a staple, supplemented with small live/frozen foods. |
| Sexing: | Males tend to be more colourful and are smaller and slimmer than females. |
| Breeding: | Typical egg scatterer, but not easy to breed. Maintain the breeding tank at the upper end of the
temperature range. |
| Comments: |
This fish has a pattern similar to the Tiger barb, but does not share the reputation of that species for fin-nipping,
and is therefore a good alternative for the peaceful community tank.
It has been suggested that the scientific name for the species found in the hobby should be Puntius hexazona. This may be the same or a similar
species to Puntius pentazona.
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