Five-Banded Barb Breeding Guide

How to breed Desmopuntius pentazona: sexing, conditioning, a dim soft-acidic spawning tank, and rearing the fry that hatch within 24-36 hours.

Overview

Desmopuntius pentazona is a small cyprinid that prefers soft, slightly acidic water. It is an egg-scattering free spawner exhibiting no parental care and may even produce fry naturally in mature, well-planted aquaria.

Sexing

Adult males tend to be slightly smaller, noticeably slimmer and more intensely coloured than females.

Conditioning

Condition the adults together, then transfer them to a smaller breeding tank with mature water once the females appear gravid.

Breeding Setup

Use a very dimly lit tank with slightly acidic water and a temperature towards the upper end of the maintenance range of 21-26 °C. Cover the base with mesh, plastic grass matting, glass marbles or fine-leaved plants such as Taxiphyllum or spawning mops so eggs fall out of reach, and add an air-powered sponge filter or air stone.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

When the adults are well conditioned and the females appear gravid, introduce one or two pairs; spawning should take place the following morning.

Egg & Fry Care

The adults will consume the eggs if given the opportunity and should be removed immediately upon detection. Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours and the fry become free-swimming 3-4 days after hatching. Offer infusoria-grade food for the first few days until they are large enough to accept microworm, Artemia nauplii or similar.