If you've ever looked into an aquarium or fished in a lake, you've almost certainly encountered members of the carp family. This is one of the largest and most diverse groups of fish on the planet. Their world is much richer than it seems at first glance.
From bright little barbs and danios in a home aquarium to powerful carp in a river, they are all related. They share a common structure: these fish have no teeth on their jaws, but they do have special pharyngeal teeth for grinding food. Many of them have excellent hearing thanks to a special organ called the Weberian apparatus.
These fish have colonized almost all freshwater bodies in the world, and some even venture into brackish waters. They can be unpretentious pond cleaners, sport fishing targets, and decorations for any aquarium. Let's get to know this amazing family better.
- Shark bal
- Barbus arulius
- Barbus asoka
- African Barb
- Eight-striped barb
- Barbus gracilis
- Two-spot barb
- Barbus denisoni
- Jae barb
- Didi barb
- Long-striped barbus
- Dakin's Barb
- Canius Barb
- Cozaatis Barb
- Congo barbus
- Red-cheeked Barb
- Cross barb
- Barbus cumingii
- Bream-like Barb
- Linear Barb
- Barbus Manipur
- Barbus Maharashtra
- Barbus maheola
- Barbus deceptive
- Barbus Odessa
- Barbus Oreichitis
- Barbus variegatus
- Five-line barb
- Barbus Reval
Shark bal
Outwardly, it has common features with a predatory representative of the deep sea – the shark. A large, calm fish, it is not aggressive, but may eat small fish on occasion.
Barbus arulius
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with many non-aggressive species of similar size. Keep in a school of at least 8 individuals.
Barbus asoka
They are active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 5-6 individuals.
African Barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
Eight-striped barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
Barbus gracilis
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 20-30 individuals.
Two-spot barb
An active, peaceful fish. Compatible with many non-aggressive species of similar size. Keep in a school of at least 6 individuals.
Barbus denisoni
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in a school of at least 6-10 individuals.
Jae barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
Didi barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
Long-striped barbus
Active, friendly fish. Easy to keep. Compatible with other non-aggressive species of comparable size. Recommended to keep in schools of 8-10 individuals.
Dakin's Barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
Canius Barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in a school of at least 8-10 individuals.
Cozaatis Barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in a school of at least 6-8 individuals.
Congo barbus
These fish do not have bright colors, but they compensate for this with their activity, friendly disposition, and ease of care in home aquariums.
Red-cheeked Barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in a school of at least 6-8 individuals.
Cross barb
Active, restless fish. Poses a threat to small and/or slow species. Compatible with fish of comparable size and temperament. Keep in a school of at least 5-6 individuals.
Barbus cumingii
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in a school of at least 8-10 individuals.
Bream-like Barb
An active, restless fish. Poses a threat to small and/or slow-moving species. Compatible with fish of comparable size and temperament. Keep in a school of at least 5-6 individuals.
Linear Barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
Barbus Manipur
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with many non-aggressive species of similar size. Keep in a school of at least 6 individuals. Prone to biting off the long fins of other fish.
Carps are a large and diverse group of fish that can be found in almost any calm body of water: from ponds and lakes to rivers. Among them are both simple weed species and valuable fishing species — for example, carp, bream, crucian carp, and, of course, carp itself, which is often bred for food or in amateur ponds. These fish are unpretentious, grow well, and quickly get used to people, especially where they are regularly fed. Thanks to their endurance and ability to survive in different conditions, carp have become one of the most common and recognizable fish in Europe and Asia.
Barbus Maharashtra
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
Barbus maheola
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
Barbus deceptive
Active, restless fish. Poses a threat to small and/or slow species. Compatible with fish of comparable size and temperament. Keep in a school of at least 5-6 individuals.
Barbus Odessa
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in a school of at least 8-10 individuals.
Barbus Oreichitis
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 6-8 individuals.
Barbus variegatus
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 6-8 individuals.
Five-line barb
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with many non-aggressive species of similar size. Keep in schools of at least 5-6 individuals.
Barbus Reval
Active, peaceful fish. Compatible with non-aggressive species of comparable size. Keep in schools of at least 8-10 individuals.
As you can see, cyprinids are much more than just crucian carp and carp. This is a huge and amazingly diverse family that has become an integral part of freshwater bodies around the world. From the tiny bitterling to the powerful sazan, they display an incredible variety of shapes, sizes, and survival strategies.
Their importance in nature cannot be overestimated. These fish are a crucial link in the food chain. They influence the condition of water bodies, and their presence or absence clearly indicates how healthy the ecosystem is.
Carps are also of great value to humans. They are the basis of recreational fishing for millions of people and a serious commercial fishing industry. Many colorful species have become the pride of home aquariums, bringing joy to their owners.
Understanding and preserving this diversity is our common task. The future of these amazing and familiar fish depends on how we treat our water bodies.
