Home / Fishes / Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches / Cyprinidae / Java barb
No federal permit to keepJava barb
Barbonymus gonionotus
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Cyprinidae (Carps and barbs)
The Java barb (Barbonymus gonionotus; Thai: ตะเพียน Ta-phian; Lao: Pa keng; Khmer: ត្រីឆ្ពិន Trey Chpin; Indonesian: Tawes; Vietnamese: Mè Vinh), more commonly known as silver barb in aquaculture, or Java carp, is a species of ray-finned fish in the…
Intro from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 84 in long and 33 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 16.9 in / 43 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A grazer on plants and algae: base the diet on vegetable foods (algae wafers, blanched vegetables, spirulina). FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 83 × 24 in (roughly 200 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–79 °F, pH 6–8, 2–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament predatory; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Choice of décor is not as critical as water quality and the amount of open swimming-space provided; we have seen very healthy-looking specimens being maintained in completely bare set-ups for example.”
- Diet: “Omnivorous and something of an opportunist although studies suggest it is primarily a herbivore; wild fish have been observed feeding on invertebrates, algae, smaller fish, plant matter both aquatic and terrestrial and even carcasses of dead animals.”
- Tankmates: “Not aggressive species but will eat small fishes and can upset slow-moving/more timid tankmates with its constant activity and rather vigorous feeding behaviour.”
- Breeding: “Not known to have been bred in private aquaria but is cultured in some numbers as a food fish in both its native countries and further afield.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Carps and barbs
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: The listed barbs and freshwater sharks occupy Asian streams, rivers and floodplain waters, with bala sharks also using natural lakes. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Tiger barbs need a base at least 80 × 30 cm (about 31 × 12 inches), with vegetation and driftwood cover.
- Adult bala shark groups need a base at least 240 × 60 cm (about 96 × 24 inches), ample open swimming space and a heavy, tight lid.
- Red-tailed black sharks need a base at least 120 × 45 cm (about 48 × 18 inches), with rocky refuges.
- Use efficient filtration, water movement and high oxygenation for riverine bala and red-tailed sharks.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 68–78.8°F |
Diet
- Quality flakes or granules containing plant material.
- Live or frozen Daphnia, Artemia and bloodworms.
- For larger bala sharks: chopped earthworms, prawns or mussels.
- For bala sharks: shelled peas, blanched courgette or spinach.
Social life
- Keep tiger barbs in at least 8–10 and bala sharks in at least five. Avoid timid or long-finned companions for tiger barbs. Red-tailed black sharks become territorial toward similar-looking fishes.
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity.
- Nutritional deficiencies.
Understanding the animal
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in lakes, rice paddies. Uses both the bottom and open water. Occurs at midwater to bottom depths in rivers, streams, floodplains, and occasionally in reservoirs. Seems to prefer standing water habitats instead of flowing waters. Inhabits the flooded forest during high water period. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–82 °F (22–28 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Grazing on aquatic plants. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 92°F (up to 96°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 64°F (down to 53°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 73–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 72–79% on average (driest month about 66%) |
| Rainfall | about 1826 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 146 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The Java barb (Barbonymus gonionotus; Ta-phian; Lao: Pa keng; Trey Chpin; Vietnamese: Mè Vinh), more commonly known as silver barb in aquaculture, or Java carp, is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Barbonymus. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Assuming same reproductive mode as B. schwanenfeldii (RF). — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 43.0 cm tl male/unsexed. — FishBase |
| Biology | Occurs at midwater to bottom depths in rivers, streams, floodplains, and occasionally in reservoirs. Seems to prefer standing water habitats instead of flowing waters. Inhabits the flooded forest during high water period. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 83 × 24 in (about 200 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Dietary chitosan promotes the growth, biochemical composition, gut microbiota, hematological parameters and internal organ morphology of juvenile Barbonymus gonionotus Salam MA et al., PloS one 2021
- A cross-sectional study on the potential transmission of the carcinogenic liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini and other fishborne zoonotic trematodes by aquaculture fish Pitaksakulrat O et al., Foodborne pathogens and disease 2013
- Evaluation of the Partial Replacement of Dietary Fish Meal With Fermented or Untreated Soybean Meal in Juvenile Silver Barb, Barbonymus gonionotus Jahan H et al., Frontiers in nutrition 2021
- Susceptibility, metacercarial burden, and mortality of juvenile silver barb, common carp, mrigal, and tilapia following exposure to Haplorchis taichui Kopolrat K et al., Parasitology research 2015
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. See all 8 on PubMed → 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish — Puntigrus tetrazona Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Balantiocheilos melanopterus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Epalzeorhynchos bicolor Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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