Asian barbs of the genus Puntius are probably the most well known cyprinids in the aquarium hobby. As David now shows us there are some interesting barbs to be found a Continent away.

BARBS AND RELATED CYPRINIDS FROM THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

Text by David Marshall

Photographs by Kevin Webb

The Continent of Africa plays host to more cyprinids than we might imagine. Members of the genus's Chaelaethiops, Engraulicypris, Nebola, Acapoeta and Varicorhinus are among those that occasionally appear in the hobby but it is the members of the genus's Barbus, Garra and Labeo that are the mainstays so we will concentrate on these latter species.

Barbus

Although many Aquarists' believe the members of the genus Barbus to be the only 'true' African barbs this is not actually the case as members of the genus Pseudobarbus, which remain aloof to the hobby, join them in this respect.

The vast majority of Barbus, derived from the four (in most member species) barbels that surround the mouth, have bodies loosely based upon a torpedo design. Icthyologists believe that for millennia evolving African Barbs found this particular shape to be to their advantage, as it allowed them not only to maneuver through weedy riverbanks and over flooded grassland (in the rainy season) but also to gain speed when fleeing from potential predators. As the ancestors of today's Barbus became satisfied with this shape, and found it difficult to compete with fellow fish species for a variety of other ecological niches, they actually stifled a desire for evolutionary body diversity and stuck with what they had.

Although their body diversity was stifled, adaptations to exploit local food resources (mainly algae, vegetable matter, small crustaceans and insects) were not, so the shape and width of the mouth, lips and teeth of the African Barbus species can be extremely varied. Where member species roam large natural ranges sometimes the specie itself can vary in width of mouth etc. and this led to a bizarre situation in which Ichthyologists once believed the fish we now know as Barbus luapulae (from the Luapula River, Congo Democratic Republic) to be 50 different species.

Space allows us to only look at a small selection of popular African Barbus. One very strange, and so far unexplained, aspect of most of these species is that either throughout

their lives or during part of their natural life cycle they will exhibit brilliant red colouration in all or some parts of their bodies.

Barbus hulstaerti

Ever since it featured, close to 30 years ago, in Tetra Digest magazine this beautiful fish, with an adult size of 3.8cm and males and females that exhibit conspicuously different colour patterns, has taken on legendary status. Only recently has a more stable political climate allowed for the Butterfly barb (a common name shared with more than one Barbus species of similar size and colour) to be properly exported from Gabon and with a first documented aquarium breeding recently reported from the U.S.A. it may not be long before we finally see this fish available in commercial quantities.

Barbus jae

The exquisite Jae or Dja barb, adult at 4.5cm, comes from Southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Commercial breeding of this specie does take place but most of the Jae barbs coming into the U.K. remain wild caught. The sexes are easily told apart as males have vivid red body colouration. Not always an easy specie to maintain in aquaria they require soft water, a stable temperature of 23 C and a heavily planted aquarium.

Barbus bariliodes and fasciolatus

As there is a growing belief that these two species are actually one and the same we will talk of them as such Although known commonly as the Angola barb (sometimes African banded barb) this fish is also found in Katanga, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Growing to a size of 5cm these beautiful fish feature vertical stripes set against a broad red or violet background. Of the species featured the Angola barb is probably the most prone to whitespot infection.

Barbus callipterus - The Clipper barb. Dr. David Sands was the first Aquarist to report that males developing red hues to their fins indicate attempted spawning in this specie.

Barbus callipterus

My favourite African barb has a beautiful silver body with scales that appear to have been delicately placed by an artist's hand. Originally exported from Nigeria and Cameroon Barbus callipterus is now captive bred in the Far East. The streamlined body and large dorsal fin explains why early European adventurers likened this fish to the transportation that took them to Western Africa, giving it the name Clipper barb. Although we always think of the Clipper barb as freshwater specie they are one of the few members of their genus, which will also inhabit brackish environments. They can be long-lived aquarium inhabitants, grow to 7.5cm and are the easiest of our featured Barbus to breed.

Barbus trispilos

The 3 Blotched barb comes from Eastern Africa and grows to 9cm. This beautiful salmon-grey fish was made famous by a Survival t.v. programme, which featured mature trispilos gathering on mass to surmount waterfalls and other obstacles in order to reach their spawning grounds. Be warned as these fish will use airline to escape from aquaria!

Barbus holotaenia

Growing to a size of 12cm the Spot-scale or Long stripe barb comes from Cameroon and Zaire. Although mild mannered this fish is extremely sensitive to rises and falls in ph (which should be a stable 6.5) and to water quality. A lovely coloured fish, featuring a broken black lateral line running through the eye with gold scales above, which appear to stand away from the body. The fins appear lemon with reddish-orange tinges.

Barbus trimaculatus

With 3 prominent black spots (which can vary greatly in size) upon a body of cream-rosy red the Three spot barb, which hails from Sub-Sahara Africa, is worth looking out for. This fish, which grows to a size of 15cm, lives in clear water, is an insectivore and spawns during the African rainy season with a mature female capable of releasing as many as 8,000 eggs.

Barbus marie

Although a number of Barbus species will snatch a meal of fish smaller than themselves very few are renowned for their fish hunting ability. One such exception is Barbus marie, the Rhinofish that can reach a length of over 34cm. It haunts the Athi and Tana River systems of Kenya. This fish requires a large aquarium with Clarias and Tilapia your best bet as companions.

Aquarium care

With particular specie in mind choose an aquarium size that will allow for plenty of swimming space. Many African Barbus hide in aquatic vegetation around the edges of watercourses so plant the back and sides of your aquarium leaving free space for the Barbs to swim. A pH of 6.5 to 7 suits most species with a temperature of 23 to 25 C.
Feeding usually causes no problems as vegetable-based aquarium flakes and granules are eagerly taken with live or frozen daphnia and bloodworm as treats.

Keep your chosen Barbs in small shoals. Barbus jae, hulstaerti and marie are best kept without companions for differing reasons. The other featured species will mix with Asian Rasbora, Synodontis and loricarins of an equal body size.

Although South American in origin the Rusty Plec. and other large loricarins make good companions for the majority of Barbus species.

Please note that some Barbus species will reach a stage in aquaria in which they will try and mimic their natural migration pattern and should this happen take great care to seal any holes in condensation shields/covers as not only will these fish attempt to jump unaided but will also use heater-thermostats and airline etc. as climbing objects from which to propel themselves towards the surface of the water.

As Barbus scatter eggs among aquatic vegetation any spawning attempt is made using a separate aquarium into which we place fine leaved plants surrounded by marbles, which help to save the eggs that fall between them from predation. We use reliable reference

materials for our chosen specie in order to determine their natural spawning methods and
the effect of temperature or seasonal changes etc. before proceeding.

Garra

This collective genus, with the largest natural distribution of any freshwater living fishes, pulls together cyprinids with a suctorial and sensory disk on the underside of the head. Most of the Garra, or Log suckers, found in Africa are loach-like and extremely active and territorial in nature. Be warned as if a small group of Garra is placed into the home aquarium there is a big likelihood that they will start a war of attrition that will soon reduce their number to one very strong fish.

A number of African Garra species (as highlighted in the 'Survival' television programme talked of earlier) will gather in large numbers, during the onset of the rainy season, in order to make migration runs in which they will try and surmount any natural obstacles which stand in their way. Once spawning is complete the vast majority of the migrating Garra die.

Because of commercial breeding in Eastern Europe the Asian species Garra ceylonensis is abundant in U.K. retail outlets but African species are also regularly imported. Garra dembeensis (to 11cm) and congoensis (7cm) are worth watching out for.

Labeo

Members of the Labeo genus, which are spread throughout Africa and parts of Asia, are large fish which posses an elaborate suctorial mouth for grazing upon vegetation. One very strange Labeo is 'species' Lagos as with its thin body, dark black lateral stripe and reddish caudal its resembles its cousins of the genus Crossocheilus. When small Labeo are often placid but as they grow their aggressiveness increases.

Labeo cyclorhynchus (variegatus), the Harlequin shark or Harlequin sharkminnow, is the African Labeo you are most likely to find in aquaria. It comes to us from the Middle Congo, the Lower Congo and the Ogowe river system of Gabon. Be warned this fish can reach a size of 35cm. Although Aquarists' have had some success in keeping Harlequins in small groups in large aquaria into which a multitude of caves and hiding places are placed this is very risky so keep a single specimen. Keep a tight fitting condensation shield in place at all times because if 'spooked' these fish will take to the air! Andy Rushworth tells me that the Harlequin shark can be susceptible to velvet disease.

Other large African Labeo, including rosae (40cm) and forkalii (36cm), tend to make sporadic appearances in our hobby.

Hopefully we have given our readers a taste for further research into the wonderful world of African cyprinids.

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