Pentazona Barb

About

Found in the lowland blackwater streams and peat swamps of the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, this small Southeast Asian barb, Desmopuntius pentazona, is a genuine rarity in the hobby. And that's worth knowing before you buy. The vast majority of fish sold under the pentazona name or as the 'pentazona barb' are actually the closely related D. hexazona. The reliable way to tell them apart is a small dark mark at the rear base of the dorsal fin, present in true pentazona and absent in its lookalike. Both species are nearly identical in appearance, carrying the classic series of bold vertical bars typical of the Desmopuntius group. In the aquarium, this is a peaceful, active schooling fish that genuinely needs company to thrive. A group of eight or more makes a noticeable difference in confidence, and males in a good-sized group will display their richest colors as they compete with each other. Keep it with calm, similarly sized Southeast Asian companions; boisterous tankmates will stress it and outcompete it at feeding time. Because it appreciates soft, acidic conditions and rewards attentive husbandry, it sits comfortably in the intermediate care bracket. A well-planted setup with gentle flow suits it well.