The Black Ruby Barb is considered by many aquarists to be the most beautiful of all the commonly available barb species. While females and juvenile males display a pale body with dark vertical bars, mature males develop extraordinary breeding coloration: the body suffuses with deep ruby-red to crimson hues, the head and anterior body become near-black, and the overall effect is of a dramatically dark, jewel-like fish that bears little resemblance to the drabber juvenile form. Native to the shallow, shaded, fast-flowing hill streams of Sri Lanka, this species inhabits clear, cool, oxygen-rich water with dense vegetation and varied substrate. In the aquarium it is somewhat more tolerant of slightly cooler conditions than many barbs. The Black Ruby Barb is semi-aggressive in the sense that males compete actively for dominance and breeding opportunities, but it is significantly less prone to fin-nipping than the tiger barb and can be kept successfully with a wider range of tankmates when maintained in a school of six or more. It is a schooling, mid-water swimming species that rewards keepers with energetic, lively behavior and spectacular color in mature males.
