Pethia nigrofasciatus (Black ruby barb, Чёрный барбус)

Barbus nigrofasciatus, Puntius nigrofasciatus, Purple-headed barb, Ruby barb, чёрный пунтиус, рубиново-черный барбус, чернополосый барбус. Black ruby barb prefers clear , shaded and shallow streams with rocky / sand substrata. It lives within marginal aquatic vegetation. The Black ruby barb is a popular species in the aquarium trade. It is considered to be among the top five exported endemic fish species in Sri Lanka. The male is larger and more intensely colored while the female is fatter and does not change color during the spawning season. For breeding water should be 77-82 °F (25-28 °C) not too hard and slightly acid (to 12° dGH and pH 6). Juveniles have a colour and striped pattern similar to the Tiger barb, but breeding males change colour quite dramatically. Export of wild specimens from Sri Lanka is currently prohibited meaning all those available in the aquarium trade should theoretically be bred on a commercial basis, although wild fish are apparently still collected.