Copperband Barb (Puntius sealei)

Puntius sealei, the Copperband Barb or Seale's Barb, is an attractive and modestly sized barb from the Philippines and surrounding island groups of Southeast Asia. Despite its beauty, it remains relatively uncommon in the aquarium trade compared to more popular barb species like the Cherry Barb or Tiger Barb — making it a rewarding find for aquarists seeking something distinctive.

The colouration is appealing: a silver to pale gold body with copper to orange-gold banding running along the lateral midline, and vivid orange-red to copper-orange in the fins, particularly the dorsal and caudal fins. The overall impression is warm and metallic — a more muted but elegant alternative to the bold patterns of many more commonly kept barb species.

Like most Puntius barbs, the Copperband Barb is a peaceful and active schooling fish that does best in groups of eight or more. It is a mid-water fish that appreciates open swimming space with planted edges and moderate water flow. Its peaceful temperament makes it more compatible with long-finned community species than many barb relatives.

The Copperband Barb thrives in moderately hard to hard water and a neutral to slightly alkaline pH — conditions common in the Belgian water supply — making it easy to keep in standard community aquariums without water treatment.

Tank Setup: A minimum 80-litre aquarium for a school of eight. Moderate water flow, open mid-water swimming space, planted edges and background, fine to medium substrate. Good filtration. A lid is advisable.

Water Parameters: Temperature 22–28°C; pH 6.5–7.5; GH 5–18 °dH; KH 3–10 °dH. Adaptable to a range of conditions. Moderately hard, neutral water is ideal and suits most Belgian tap water.

Feeding: Omnivore. Accepts quality flake, micro pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, Daphnia, and blanched vegetables. Feed twice daily. Enthusiastic feeders.

Tank Mates: Peaceful and compatible with most medium-sized community fish: tetras, rasboras, gouramis, other barbs, corydoras, loaches. Less fin-nipping prone than many barb species. Suitable for most planted community setups.

Behaviour: Active, schooling mid-water fish. Groups of 8+ school attractively. Males display to each other with colour intensification. Generally well-behaved toward all tank mates.

Health: Hardy and disease-resistant. Tolerates a wide range of conditions. Weekly 25% water changes maintain health.