Barbus Schubert: what does it look like and how to care for it?

The Schubert barbus is a beautiful interesting aquarium fish obtained in artificial conditions from the green barbus that lives in southern China. The fish has a unique color, which is considered a clearly inherited trait - this was the discovery of Tom Schubert, in his honor the pet got its name.

Almost all Schubert barbs that can be found in the aquarium are the result of artificial cultivation, so their color differs from the color of greenish wild counterparts. The aquarium fish has a yellow-gold color with black dots and stripes. By puberty, individuals form small antennae in the corners of the mouth. Schubert barbus fins are colored red, and the tail fin is bifurcated. The size of one individual usually reaches a maximum of 7 cm, and life expectancy is limited to five years.

In general, these are rather mobile playful creatures, but they can also show aggression. In part, these are predatory fish that do not get along with every aquarium inhabitant.

You can distinguish between males and females by color. Females are more faded, they have a rounded large abdomen. The females are larger in size.Males are distinguished by a more saturated color and compact size; during the spawning period, their fin turns red. This is the case when it is not difficult to distinguish between females and males.

The content of these fish is not difficult, they are not picky to care. The Schubert barbus is even suitable for beginner aquarists. These are energetic fish who need to pick up a spacious aquarium where they can swim without problems. So, for 8-12 individuals, a capacity of at least 100 liters and a length of 70 liters or more is suitable. In general, these fish prefer to spend more time in the lower and middle water layers, but despite this, they tend to jump out of the aquarium during active games, so be sure to equip the aquarium with a lid.

Water should be clean and enriched with oxygen. Provide these conditions will be able filter and aeration system. If the filter is internal, then do not forget to clean it every week. And weekly replace 30% of the total volume of water, use the water that has settled for a day.

To additionally enrich water with oxygen, it is recommended to equip green spaces in the tank. Any types of plants are suitable, their choice may be due, for example, to their decorative function. Plant the vegetation thicker, but leave free spaces where the fish can move freely.

Schubert barbs are considered omnivorous fish, but the owner should monitor their diet, since the quality of the offspring, the color of the fish and the health of the pets depend on the variety of the menu. In the natural environment, barbs prefer to feast on worms, larvae and algae. In aquarium conditions, bloodworms, small earthworms and various insects are suitable as live food. It is customary to offer live food 2-3 times a week.

Dry finished food is well absorbed by Schubert barbs, although it is not recommended to completely replace it with live food. It is important to feed fish and plant foods, for example, zucchini, spinach, cucumbers, cabbage and lettuce leaves.

These fish are not very immune and can often get sick. Almost all diseases are treatable, but it is important to establish the cause of the disease in time. The most common disease for this type of fish is gill rot. It is dangerous because it quickly spreads to all individuals. Treatment is possible at an early stage. The main signs of the disease are loss of appetite, passivity, the infected fish begins to rub its gills on various objects, the formation of blue spots on the gills is possible. The treatment is carried out with Rivanol in a general aquarium.

As already mentioned, barbs are often obese. The reason is uncontrolled feeding, and the symptoms of the disease include overweight, rounded fish, passive behavior. For treatment, a diet is prescribed for 2-3 days and a review of the diet.

A flock of barbs gets along well with many species of moving small fish. To barbs do not behave aggressively towards neighbors, you need to keep them in a group.In any case, in order to avoid conflicts, it is not recommended to lodge with veils slow veil specimens, such as cockerels, laliuses, marble gourami - these fish can remain without fins, being in the company of barbs. A peaceful neighborhood can be formed with zebrafish, Sumatran barbus, Denisoni.

Reproduction of Schubert barbs also does not seem difficult, although it requires a certain amount of time. A week before spawning, females and males are planted separately from each other and begin to be plentifully fed with live food. At this time, you can prepare spawning. First of all, plant small-leaved plants, such as Javanese moss, in a separate aquarium, or lay a net. It is better if from the top of the greens to the surface of the water there will remain about 10 cm in order to save part of the eggs from being eaten by their own parents.

Set up a grotto in the tank to shelter the female, as her lover becomes aggressive during the spawning period and can even kill her lady. Usually, two males and one female are planted in the spawning ground, although reproduction in a separate pair or in a flock is possible. Water temperature, favorable for spawning, is +28 degrees, it is recommended to gradually increase it from +23 degrees. The pH level is from 6.5 to 7.5.

Fish become sexually mature at 8 months. Females are selected large, dense, well-fed, among males give preference to beautiful bright individuals with a saturated color. Spawning occurs in the early morning. The male selects the breeding place, he performs a mating dance and makes the female swim to the selected site. Further, the female individual throws 100-200 eggs, after which the male fertilizes them. Gluttonous parents do not mind eating their own cubs, so at the end of the spawning they are sent back.

Within a few days, fry will hatch from the eggs. First, the cubs will feed on the contents of the yolk sac, and when they begin to swim on their own (about 4 days), their feeding will fall on the shoulders of the owner. The starting food can be ciliates, egg yolk, special food for fry. At a weekly age, you can switch to micro-feed, and on the 10th day you can feed sifted small cyclops. From 3 months you can offer bloodworms, and from 4 months babies are fed the same way as adults.

You will learn more about the contents of Barbus Schubert.