As its name suggests, the Clown Barb is a colorful and hardy Asian barb that sports two pairs of barbels. The Clown Barb has a distinctive brown or red brown color with a significant orange tinge while the abdomen is almost white. The flanks on the body are silver, reddish or golden iridescence with blue-grey or black vertical markings.
Unlike its other brethren , the Clown Barb does not have dark stripes running through the eye. The females of the species tend to be bigger and stouter than the males and are also less colorful. The Clown Barb is happy to make its home in the lower layers of the aquarium and since they have a penchant for shoaling, a few of them should be kept together.
For the fish to thrive, ensure that the tank has moderate vegetation that includes plants with tough foliage as the fish enjoys nibbling on leaves. To the utter chagrin of breeders, the Clown Barb can be difficult to breed in captivity but it's not impossible.
Clown Barb breeding tips
Keep the male and the female that you intend to mate apart for three weeks; this is the time to get them ready for breeding with a plentiful diet that should include greens such as lettuce, white worms and insect larvae.
After 21 days of healthy eating, its time to put the Barbs together and hope that they will mate. Early mornings are their preferred time for mating and fine leaved plants offer the perfect environment.
Unfortunately, when the young ones are born, they have to be protected not only from other fishes but also their own parents.