Barbus anoplus
| Chubbyhead barb | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Genus: | Barbus |
| Species: | B. anoplus |
| Binomial name | |
| Barbus anoplus M. C. W. Weber, 1897 | |
Barbus anoplus, the chubbyhead barb, is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Barbus.
Identification
The females (120 mm) are larger than males (100 mm). They have blunt heads with a small mouth. A few beards reach down to the mouth. During the breeding season the males are brightly golden coloured, otherwise all the fish are a greyish green on the back with a small spot on the tail fin. Some males have a broad, brown band on the sides.
Distribution
The fish is widespread in rivers from the Highveld down to KwaZulu-Natal, former Transkei and the middle and upper parts of the Orange River. The species is also found in the bigger rivers of the Western and Eastern Cape.
Habitat
The fish prefers cooler water to live in and occur in a variety of habitats, from lakes to small streams. They keep to dark waters where there are shadows, for example under fallen trees. They breed during the summer when the rivers are full after some rain.
The female lays her eggs against the vegetation. The larvae hatch within three days and began to swim and feed after 6 to 7 days and reach maturity after one year. Most males are only two years old and females reach up to three years old. The species is omnivorous and eat insects, zoo plankton, green algae and diatoms. They themselves fall prey to larger fish and birds.
Footnotes
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Barbus anoplus" in FishBase. April 2006 version.