Keeping Barbs
Background:The Barb species encompasses all fish of the genus Barbus.
Guide to keeping Barbs:
Barbs are a large group of fish, some of which grow too large for smaller aquariums. Tiger barbs and cherry barbs are good ones to consider.
Tiger barbs (green & albino tiger barbs) are well known for fin nipping. They are best kept in a single species shoal and not mixed with other fish. These striking fish look very impressive and grow to about 3 inches in length.
Cherry barbs are much milder in character than they’re stripy cousins. They grow to about 2 inches and can be mixed with most other small community fish. They prefer to be kept as a male & female pair as they can get nervous with other cherry barbs.
A similar alternative to the tiger barb is the five banded barb. This looks like the tiger barb but has a more slender body and an extra black stripe. Growing to 2 inches, the five banded barb is more peaceful and can be mixed with other species. Golden barbs are smaller at 1½ inches, they are also peaceful.
