Denison Barb

Looks how to spot one

Scaled cyprinid (barb), torpedo-shaped

A sleek, streamlined silver fish built for speed. A bold black band runs along the flank from nose to tail, topped by a vivid scarlet line that starts at the snout and passes through the eye to about mid-body. The dorsal fin carries a red flash, and the tail has diagonal black and yellow bands. Older fish often pick up a green sheen on the head.1234

Personality what they are like

A lively and mostly peaceful shoaling fish. It does best with tankmates of a similar size and speed, and it is calmest when kept in a proper group with plenty of room.14

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Very active swimmer that needs a long tank with open swimming space, good water movement and plenty of oxygen.14

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Needs very clean, well-oxygenated water, so regular partial water changes and strong filtration are part of the routine. Seriously Fish suggests a tank base of at least 120 x 45 cm (about 240 litres); Aquarium Source suggests at least 55 US gallons for a small group. Water: about 15 to 25 C, pH 6.5 to 7.8, hardness 5 to 25 dGH.142

Home where they are happiest

In the wild it lives in fast-flowing hill streams and rocky pools edged with dense vegetation. A long aquarium with current, smooth rocks, some plants and an open swimming lane suits it well.21

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Omnivorous. Offer a quality flake or granule (sinking foods are taken readily) plus small live or frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia and brine shrimp, and some vegetable matter. Foods rich in carotenoids help keep the red colour bright.14

Company who they like around

A shoaling species that should be kept in a group of at least six, ideally six to ten or more.14

The story where it all began

Francis Day described this barb in 1865 and named it after Sir William Denison. It reached the international aquarium hobby from India in the late 1990s, won a prize at Aquarama in 1997 and quickly became one of India's most exported ornamental fish. Captive breeding was first achieved in Kerala in 2009, and most fish in the trade are now commercially bred.31

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Assessed as Endangered (EN), July 20102

Scientific description

Described by Francis Day in 18652

Aquarama 1997

Took third prize in the New Species category3