African Barbs

[New Boy]

What african barbs are there, clipper barb? and any others? Anyone keep them/have any info on them?

 

[Lateral Line]

There are more then 100 species of African Barbs. I have always been an avid collector of them. Unfortunately, only a few species are regulaly exported. It is a case of finding out when a shipment is coming in to see if any "odd" ones have slipped in with the consignment.

Barbus callipterus and Barbus fasciolatus, (often called barilioides), are probably the most common seen. Barbus trispilos, jae and macrops, (often called gambiensis), are seen from time to time.

One of the most striking of all the small barbs is Barbus hulstaerti, I have been trying to get hold of these for more then 30 years. Never seen a live one. In 1992 I bought back a dozen Barbus kerstenii from a collecting trip in Zambia. I guess over the decades, I kept about 25 - 30 species.

The classic work is the Boulenger Catalogue, it lists many species, many of them were later reclassified as regional variations of other species, so the number is lower. A good paper is one by Greenwood. Hopson has also done some good work on the African Cyprinids.

I have never bred Barbus callipterus, (Clipper), and don't know anybody that has despite trying.