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Hello everyone!

I've been absent for a while, but I've just had enough spare time to pop in and let everyone know that the tanks are still running nicely (as a matter of fact, I spent yesterday doing the gravel vac routine) and, I've acquired some new playmates for my Siamese Algae Eaters.

I've bought a shoal of six Barbus arulius.

I've had then just 25 minutes, and already they're chomping away on some food. I thought they'd need about an hour or so to settle in properly, but the moment I let them out the bag, they started exploring their new home, all confident and cheerful, then they started waggling about at the front of the tank, whereupon I thought "hang on, they're not after food this soon after arriving home, are they?" So, I popped some food in and ... wallop. They wasted no time whatsoever diving in and chowing down at about warp factor six.

When the Flag Fish decided to die all at once for some unknown reason (no signs of disease, injury or anything, they just turned over and expired) and the SAEs were left without playmates, they became shy and timid, so I decided that what was needed was some more playmates, and I thought to myself "what's going to be playful, active, and showy, without being aggressive toward my SAEs?", and after a while, I thought "I know, let's get some Barbs". It's been ages since I last touched Barbs in the aquarium, and I wanted something slightly different from the run of the mill Barbs that do the rounds of the stores here in the UK. Tiger Barbs I've had in the past, and know that they can be nippy little devils, I've also had the wild type semifasciolatus that the Gold Barb is derived from, but that seems to have vanished off the face of the Earth around here. Cherry Barbs I reckoned would be too small, as would be Checker Barbs, and so I wanted something that was bigger than a Checker Barb, but smaller than a Clown Barb, and preferably something that relatively few people around here had even heard of, let alone seen. So, off to Maidenhead Aquatics I went, and ... they had Barbus arulius.

Since there's only going to be the nine fish in that tank, namely the arulius and the 3 SAEs, they're not going to be overcrowded, and the arulius will have some growing space to boot. So in a couple of years' time, I should have some nice looking specimens of arulius that will show themselves nicely and keep the SAEs entertained into the bargain.

Oddly enough, most of the sites Google throws up that provide images of these fish are from Russia. Why are these fish so popular with Russian aquarists?

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I like the pics I have found. Have they interacted with the SAE's at all?

Not as such. Though since their introduction, the SAEs have been a lot less shy.

The barbs just mill about in their own shoal, and seem to regard the SAEs as just part of the furniture.

EDIT: Breakfast time. Once again, they're putting on their "garbage compactors with fins" act.

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Double post ... it's pictures time!

Arulius Barbs No. 1

Arulius Barbs No. 2

Arulius Barbs No. 3

Arulius Barbs No. 4

Arulius Barbs No. 5

Arulius Barbs No. 6

And they're currently settling in very nicely. Appetites are still huge.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

your arulius barbs look good!
Just wait untill you've seen a fully grown male once; you'll fall in love instantly.
In your shoal there's one male which is bound to become a very impressive one when he grows up! (pic no 6, center background)

When you have an aquarium you need to know very well about the species and their character. Apart from providing an ample living conditions for the fish you need provide them with the entertainment they want. Yes, they also do need their playmates. The Barbus Arulius would be definitely very perfect mates for the Siamese Algae eaters. They are very calm, non aggressive and active species of fish. It will surely take some time for both the species to get well acquainted.