Striped Flying Barb

Although its name includes "barb," the striped flying barb belongs to the same family as the danios. A dark stripe runs from the snout to the tail along its slender, silvery body. Its long, wing-like pectoral fins and a pair of very long barbels extending back along the body are its most distinctive features. It grows to about 7 cm. It lives near the surface in the ponds, ditches and rice paddies of Indochina; when in danger it escapes by leaping out of the water.

• At least 100 liters and 80–100 cm in length for a school of 6–10.
• 23–27°C, pH 6–7.5, soft to moderately hard water.
• Wide open space at the surface, plants along the sides; floating plants should cover only part of the surface.
• An excellent jumper; a tight lid without gaps is essential.

Omnivorous; in the wild it picks insects and larvae that fall onto the water from the surface. Floating flakes, frozen mosquito larvae, brine shrimp and small live insects are suitable.

Peaceful and active. As a school it moves through the upper layer and does not much like to go lower. When startled it makes sudden leaps.

Good companions: calm species that live in the middle and bottom layers: rasboras, tetras, corydoras, loaches, kuhli loaches, gouramis.

Avoid: large, fast species that compete at the surface, large predators.