Red Lipstick Barb - Pethia erythromycter

Originally known as Barbus cf. Puntio, the Red Lipstick Barb has only recently become known in the trade as Pethia erythromycter and originates from Burma. These small dwarf barbs with their cute appearance and the name-giving red "beard" have already been pleasing quite a few fans for some time. The peaceful and easy to keep fishes can be kept by beginners and can be socialized and propagated very well.

Their basic color is silver-gray with a black spot on the caudal peduncle, the mouth terminal. Their proportionally quite large eyes are striking. The red stripe on their upper lip, which looks like it was drawn with a lipstick, is worth mentioning. Males form this more strongly than females, at spawning time they also form a black shadow over their body color. The females remain somewhat smaller than the males, which reach up to 4 cm, and are stronger in stature. They live about 5 years.

The Red Lipstick Barb can also be bred in the aquarium. They are free spawners that simply release their eggs and semen into the water and do not care about their spawn.

Although the Red Listick Barb can already be kept in small aquariums, the keeping of these schooling fish is recommended from at least 6 animals with an edge length of 60 cm.  Their new home can be nicely planted and decorated. A few hiding places and dense plant stands in places serve them as a retreat. The Red Lipstick Barbs tolerate water values with a total hardness (GH) between 5-20 °dGH, a pH value of 6-7 and temperatures of 20-26 °C. If the aquarium is not too brightly lit and offers in places a  few darker corners, for example by floating plants, this promotes among other things the well-being and the sense of security of these impressive animals. With Alder cones and Sea almond tree productsbut also with liquid Humic substances the water values can be kept well in low ranges.

Red Lipstick Barbs can be socialized well, because they are very peaceful. Since they feel particularly well only in the group, we recommend the attitude with at least 6 animals. Likewise peaceful fish from similar water parameters are suitable here well, as for example Corydoras, Tetras, Danios and others. Due to their affinity to small crustaceans and similar the socialization with small dwarf shrimps is rather not recommended, the popular Amano shrimp should usually not be bothered.

The barbs feed on both animal and vegetable food and can therefore be optimally fed in the aquarium with commercially available dry food, as well as flake food or granulated food for omnivorous ornamental fish. They can be pampered particularly easily with small live and frozen foods, such as Mosquito larvae, Daphnia, but also with Artemia. Occasionally they will also tug at over-broiled vegetables such as peppers, cucumber or squash.

Our food recommendation:  NatureHolic professional main feed is a professional main feed 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 from algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping 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.