BLACK RUBY BARB

Comments: This is a Premium Pet Fish, and we never see Premium Black Ruby Barbs like these in any of the live fish stores that we visit.

Premium Pet Fish are more energetic, hardier, and have brighter colors with a beautiful metallic sheen.

Origin: Their ancestors originally lived in Sri Lanka, which is a large island southeast from India in Asia, but now Black Ruby Barbs are now found living in aquariums throughout most of the world.

Maximum Size: In aquariums, Black Ruby Barbs can grow to be about 2″ long, including their tails. Sometimes very old Black Ruby Barbs are even bigger.

Behaviors: Most Black Ruby Barbs are active swimmers and are rarely aggressive.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include, other smaller Barbs, Rainbowfish, Danios, small Gouramis, and many other small to medium size aquarium fish.

Temperature: Black Ruby Barbs can live pretty well from about 65 to 80 degrees F., but they’re probably most comfortable at about 74 degrees F.

Feeding: Premium Fish Food Flakes when small and small Premium Pellet Food when larger.

Water Conditions: Black Ruby Barbs seem to be tolerant of a wide range of water conditions. Probably a pH of about 7 with moderate hardness is best.

Most water in the US seems to be OK, so it’s probably best NOT to adjust the pH or the hardness of the water.

Here in our facilities, the water is hard and the pH is usually about 7.8. We ship them in this water.

Aquarium Size: It is probably best to house these fish in at least a 30-gallon tank, but more is better.

Keep at most one Black Ruby Barb per gallon, when they’re small. Larger Black Ruby Barbs need about 2-gallons per Black Ruby Barb.

Decor: Black Ruby Barbs do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4″ thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.