Magnificent barb gold - Pethia conchonius

Magnificent barb gold - Pethia conchonius / Puntius (Barbus) conchonius

The golden form of the robust splendor barb Pethia (Puntius / Barbus) conchonius is a lively aquarium fish. Originally from flowing rivers and stagnant waters in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, the golden splendor barb is a breeding form. Golden splendor barbs have a slightly high-backed body with shimmering golden base coloration. A greenish stripe runs across the body, and a black spot is found on the caudal peduncle.

The golden splendor barb is a sociable fish and should be kept in groups of at least 10 of the same species. You can mix different colors very well. Barbs show a very special social behavior: They have a regular pecking order. This hierarchy is constantly being clarified. A larger group of barbs is important, so that the sometimes quite rude behavior is distributed among many animals. Barbs can be prone to fin tugging and should therefore not be socialized with long-finned fish.

With a final size of up to 10 cm Pethia conchonius needs a larger aquarium from 100 liters. Since this barb species does not like very high temperatures, it can even be kept in the garden pond from May to October. Sand or fine gravel is suitable as substrate. Roots and stones as well as a good border planting give inferior fish retreat possibilities and visual protection. Golden barbs are very active fish and need enough swimming space to swirl.

You can best distinguish the sexes in the golden splendor barb when the fish is fully grown. The males have a more slender shape than the stronger and rounder females and appear more intense in color. Breeding golden splendor barbs may be possible in a community aquarium depending on co-stocking.

However, for productive breeding, it is more effective to place a breeding pair in a spawning aquarium where the young will later be raised. To get magnificent barbs in spawning mood, skip two water changes and separate males and females at low temperatures between 18-20° C so that they have no visual contact. Plenty of small live foods will get them in spawning mood. The spawning tank should hold at least 20 liters and does not necessarily need a substrate. A spawning grate is useful, because magnificent barbs are spawn predators. Java moss or filter threads serve as spawning substrate. Instead of the spawning grid you can also place coarse pebbles on the bottom, between which the spawn grains can fall.

Before transferring the breeding pair, perform a partial water change and acidify the water in the spawning tank to a pH of 6.3 to 7. A low total hardness below 8 dGH will also put the animals in a spawning mood. The water temperature in the breeding aquarium should be around 25-27 °C. Typically golden barbs like to spawn in the early morning hours. The male strongly drives the female. 300 eggs and more are laid. Then you put the pair back into the community aquarium. Until hatching, the spawn of the magnificent barb needs about 30-36 hours. For another 36-48 hours the tiny larvae lie motionless on plants and the glass. Good water hygiene is important. The larvae are fed infusoria and paramecia and later on Artemia nauplii, microworms and rearing food.

Golden Prachtbarben love live food and frozen food such as cyclops, water fleas and Artemia. However, these omnivores will also happily take dry foods such as granules and flakes or food tabs.

Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic main feed is a professional staple food for all aquarium fish. We supply Hauptfeed in the form of soft granules, which, thanks to its grain size of half a millimeter, can be easily absorbed by small to medium-sized fish. The soft consistency resembles the texture of insect larvae in nature and protects the fish mouth from micro-injuries.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend when keeping fish the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.