Spotted barb - Trigonostigma heteromorpha - DNZ

The rather high-backed wedge barb (Rasbora heteromorpha) is also called wedge barb. It originates from Southeast Asia. Wedge spot barbs have been present in aquaristics since the beginning of the 20th century. They grow up to 4.5 cm long, the males are somewhat smaller and also slimmer than the thicker females. Rasbora heteromorpha has a beautiful red-orange or light-red to silver ground color, a lighter belly, transparent to red-orange and black fins and the name-giving black wedge-shaped longitudinal spot, which begins very broadly in the middle of the belly and runs out to the tail fin narrowly. Above and below the orange-red intensifies. Directly behind the gills of the wedge spotted barb is a narrow vertical black spot.

The wedge barb prefers soft to medium hard, humic water with a pH of 6 to 7 and 22-26 °C. At cooler temperatures, these aquarium fish are more long-lived. The lively, very sociable wedge barb should always be kept in a larger group of at least 10 fish. The aquarium should have good perimeter planting and be somewhat darkened in some areas by floating plants. The wedge barb prefers a dark substrate.

A shoal of Rasbora heteromorpha can be socialized very well with ornamental fish of the same size or somewhat smaller aquarium fish. Shrimp are eaten below a certain size and need good hiding places in densely growing plants in an aquarium with wedge barbs. Less proliferating dwarf shrimp like bee shrimp, tiger shr imp and similar are not so well suited for socialization, with Neocaridina or Amano shr imp there should rather be no problems. A socialization with crayfish or dwarf c rayfish is possible. An aquarium from 54 liters is sufficient to keep a shoal of Keilfleckbarben, larger is of course always possible.

Rasbora heteromorpha likes to eat flake food or granules for omnivorous ornamental fish, small frozen food or live food like artemia, mosquito larvae, grindal or copepods.

Breeding the Wedge Barb is possible, although not easy: for spawning, the fish are placed in pairs in a spawning aquarium. Before that they are fed with rich live food, black mosquito larvae are particularly suitable. The fish need very soft and humic water with a rather slightly acidic pH value for breeding. A spawning grid prevents the parents from eating the eggs. After spawning, they are returned to the large aquarium. The fry hatch after two to three days. After free-swimming they are fed with artemia euplii.

Our food recommendation: The professional NatureHolic Nanofeed is a staple food for all small aquarium fish. This mini fish food and rearing food is a fine soft granulate which, thanks to its softness, resembles the consistency of tiny crustaceans and insect larvae and protects the delicate mouths of nanofish and fish fry from micro-injuries.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use 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 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.