Easy to intermediate
Chocolate Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)
18–26°C · pH 6.5–8 · 30L
£13.99
This listing is for a group of 5 Black Ruby Barbs (Pethia nigrofasciata, 3-3.5 cm) — the same fish as our single Black Ruby Barb (Pethia nigrofasciata) listing, supplied together as a ready-made shoal.
Black Ruby Barbs colour and behave best in numbers; our care notes strongly recommend a group of six or more, so treat five as a starter group to add to.
Black Ruby Barb (Pethia nigrofasciata), often sold simply as Ruby Barb, is a lively Sri Lankan barb for planted community aquariums. Mature males develop deep ruby-black colour when settled, while females are usually softer silver-gold with dark banding. Keep them as a proper group so their energy stays within the shoal rather than being directed at tank mates.
| Scientific name | Pethia nigrofasciata |
|---|---|
| Common names | Black Ruby Barb, Ruby Barb |
| Adult size | 5-6 cm |
| Minimum aquarium | 80 litres for a group, with more space preferred |
| Temperature | 20-26°C |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| Temperament | Active, generally peaceful when kept in a group |
| Diet | Quality flakes, small pellets, frozen foods and vegetable matter |
Use a mature aquarium with open swimming space, plants around the sides and back, and gentle cover from wood or floating plants. A group of six or more is strongly recommended. In too small a group, Ruby Barbs can become pushy; in a settled shoal they are much easier to manage and show better colour.
They suit robust peaceful tank mates that enjoy similar water, including many barbs, danios, rasboras, loaches and medium community fish. Avoid slow long-finned fish if the group is small or the tank is cramped.
Offer a varied omnivore diet. Use quality flake or micro pellets as the staple, then rotate small frozen foods such as daphnia, brine shrimp or bloodworm, plus occasional vegetable-based foods. Several small feeds keep the group active without polluting the water.
Livestock is packed carefully for UK dispatch by licensed live-animal courier where live-animal shipping applies. First-time eligible customers can use at checkout, and livestock orders are covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee when the arrival steps are followed.
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