Checker barb

Checker barb
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Cyprinidae
Genus:	Puntius
Species:	P. oligolepis
Binomial name
Puntius oligolepis (Bleeker, 1853)
Nations where Puntius oligolepis can be found
Synonyms
Barbus oligolepis (Bleeker, 1853, non Battalgil, 1941) Capoeta oligolepis Bleeker, 1853

The checker barb (Puntius oligolepis), checkerboard barb, checkered barb, or island barb is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the minnow family (Cyprinidae). It is native to creeks, rivers, and lakes in Sumatra, Indonesia.

The name checker barb comes from the black marks on its side similar in appearance to those found on a checkerboard. The adult males have red fins with black tips. It will grow up to at most 2 inches (5 centimeters).

The checker barb was originally described as Capoeta oligolepis by Pieter Bleeker in 1853. It was also referred to as Barbus oligolepis by many authors, though it does not belong in the genus Barbus and B. oligolepis properly refers to a different fish species that is only found in Turkey.

Habitat

Checker barbs natively live in a tropical climate and prefer water with a pH of 6.0 - 6.5, a water hardness of 10.0 dGH, and a temperature range of 68–75 °F (20–24 °C). Their omnivorous diet consists of small worms, crustaceans, insects, and plants.

An egg-scattering fish, they spawn early in the morning on plants that are the center of the male's territory. Once the spawning is completed, the pair will attempt to eat the eggs that they can find.

In the aquarium

The checker barb has commercial importance in the aquarium trade industry; this peaceful fish is sometimes used in community tanks by fish keeping hobbyists. The checker barb is a schooling fish that is well suited to a community aquarium. It requires warm(75-77 degrees F), soft to medium-hard water. It occupies the medium to lower levels of the aquarium and is an omnivore, doing well on processed foods. The checker barb is a prolific egg-scatterer that lends itself well to the novice breeder.

See also

• List of freshwater aquarium fish species

External links

• Photos from Fishbase

References

• "Barbus oligolepis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=163646. Retrieved April 28, 2004. 
• Lambert, Derek J (1997). Freshwater Aquarium Fish. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books. pp. 15. ISBN 0-7858-0867-1. 
• Checker barb on FishBase.