Butterfly barb - Barbus hulstaerti

Food and feeding
Although these fish will accept a quality flake do not use this for the staple diet. Give them regular meals of live or frozen foods to get the best colouration from the fish. Daphnia and brine shrimp are ideal foods for this fish.

Origin
Africa; they are found in the waterways of the Congo.

Sexing
Males will display a brighter colouration with a yellow tint in their finnage. The females will have a stockier body shape.

Breeding
Add Java moss or spawning mops to the breeding tank and condition the parent fish with live or frozen foods. When spawning is complete, remove the parents and the fry should hatch after within 24-36 hours. A few days later the fry should be free swimming and can be fed on Infusoria until they are large enough to manage micro worms.

Lifespan
The expected life span for this fish is 2-4 years.

Short description
This species of fish is very shy and timid and will not compete for food. Because of this most keepers will place them in a species tank that is heavily planted and full of hiding places created from rocks or wood. They must be kept in small groups as single specimens will become very nervous and their health will deteriorate.

Pictures
Bought by aqua-fish.net from jjphoto.dk.