Six Banded Barb
Six Banded Barb (Desmopuntius hexazona) is a beautiful and peaceful small barb from Southeast Asia with a warm orange-gold body crossed by six precise, well-defined vertical black bars — the most complete-banded of the Desmopuntius species. In good light, the orange between the bars glows warmly against the crisp black lines, creating a clean, graphic pattern.
Feeding & Care Tip: Hikari Micro Pellets (soak briefly) and Sera Vipan Baby make excellent daily staples for this smaller barb. Supplement 2–3× per week with Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Baby Brine Shrimp or Hikari Vibra Bites. Feed small amounts 2–3 times daily.
Native to slow-moving, blackwater peat swamp forests and forest streams of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. This species inhabits soft, acidic, tannin-stained water — tannin additions from Indian almond leaves or driftwood are beneficial and produce the richest orange-and-black coloration.
Keep in groups of at least eight. The Six Banded Barb is peaceful and entirely suitable for planted community tanks with other small, non-aggressive species. Unlike Tiger Barbs, this species causes no fin-nipping concerns. An excellent companion for small tetras, nano rasboras, and similar species.
Egg-scatterer. The Six Banded Barb is one of the most attractive small barbs available and criminally underappreciated. In a blackwater planted setup with dark substrate, the warm orange-and-black pattern is striking and highly visible.
Care & Ideal Parameters
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful — community |
| Typical Adult Size | 2.0 inches (5 cm) |
| Min. Group Size | 8 minimum |
| Ideal Temp | 73–82°F (23–28°C) |
| Ideal pH | 6.0–7.0 |
| Ideal GH | 1–8 dGH |
| Ideal KH | 0–4 dKH |
| Staple Food | Hikari Micro Pellets (crushed/soaked); Sera Vipan Baby |
| Treat / Supplement | Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Baby Brine Shrimp; Hikari Vibra Bites |
| Origin | Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo |
| Notes | Six precise vertical black bars on orange-gold body. Blackwater species — soft acidic water and tannin additions important. Peaceful — no fin-nipping. Underappreciated gem for planted tanks. |
