Instructions
Choose small-sized barbs for a 20-gallon aquarium. These are barbs that grow up to 2 inches, and include species such as the cherry barb (Puntius titteya), dwarf gelius barb (Puntius gelius), golden barb (Puntius semifasciolatus), and the tiger barb (Puntius tetrazona). They are best suited for smaller aquariums with fish of similar size, and get along well with tank mates such as neon tetras and dwarf gouramis. Small-sized barbs are not a good choice for a community tank that has larger, predatory species that will consider them as prey.
Go for medium-sized barbs if you want four-inch to six-inch fish for in your aquarium. These include the rosy barb (Puntius conchonius), zebra barb (Puntius eugrammus) and clown barb (Puntius everetti). When you house six or more of these barbs in an aquarium, they tend to swim in schools--an undoubtedly impressive sight. Medium-sized barbs love lots of swimming space as well as a strong water current that they can swim into. You can maintain a current in your tank using a powerhead. They are great company for catfish, gouramis, spiny eels and chiclids.
Select jumbo-sized barbs for large display tanks or warmed pools such as those in zoos and in botanical gardens. These big barbs include the tinfoil barb (Puntius schwanenefeldi) and spanner barb (Puntius lateristriga), and can grow to lengths over 8 inches. They require lots of space to swim in--at least 70 gallons--and also enjoy strong water movement. Given their sheer size, this barb species eat quite a lot and tend to produce large amounts of waste, therefore requiring powerful filtration. For this reason, they may be relatively demanding for the home aquarist, unless you have the space and can make the commitment. They make great tank mates for giant gouramis and large catfish.
How to Choose Barb Fish
The name “barb” is derived from the scientific name barbus (“bearded” in Latin) a reference to the small barbells or “whiskers” often found around the mouth area. All are omnivorous, have a hardy constitution, and are compatible with many other inhabitants in a community tank. Barbs are very popular fish because they offer the fish keeper a multitude of fish sizes to choose from, and the majority of barbs are suitable in size for the home aquarium. Read on to learn how to choose barbs for your aquarium.