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Eightband false barb (Eirmotus octozona) — Cyprinidae

Eightband false barb

Eirmotus octozona
Family: Cyprinidae

The Eightband false barb (Eirmotus octozona) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 4 cm.

Length
3.6 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand

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Description

The eightband false barb is a small cyprinid (Cyprinidae) from clear, soft fresh water of Sundaland in Southeast Asia. The species grows to about 4 cm and has a stocky, semi-translucent, silvery body with narrow dark crossbars. As a schooling fish it swims in quiet forest streams and blackwater among water plants and snaps at small zooplankton and larvae. The fish is harmless to humans and is popular in the aquarium trade.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Eightband false barb?

The Eightband false barb has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Eightband false barb live?

The Eightband false barb lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water. Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand

How big does the Eightband false barb get?

The Eightband false barb grows to a maximum of about 4 cm.

Is the Eightband false barb dangerous to humans?

No, the Eightband false barb is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Eightband false barb (Eirmotus octozona) — Cyprinidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Ganjar Cahyadi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Eightband false barb (Eirmotus octozona) — Cyprinidae — 3
Raredon, Sandra J. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Eightband false barb sourced
Scientific name
Eirmotus octozona
Family
Cyprinidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
3.6 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Natural range
Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Invertebrates, algae and detritus inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Cyprinidae

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