Shortfin barb

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Shortfin barb
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Cypriniformes Family: Cyprinidae Genus: Barbus Species: B. brevipinnis
Binomial name
Barbus brevipinnis (Jubb, 1966)

The shortfin barb, Barbus brevipinnis, is a tropical fish belonging to the minnow family (Cyprinidae). It originates from Southeast Africa in the Sabi and Limpopo River systems.

The shortfin barb will grow to a normal length of 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

Shortfin barbs live natively in freshwater headwater streams containing plant matter. Their diet consists of small invertebrates.

The shortfin barb has commercial importance in the aquarium hobby industry.

The species is listed as vulnerable due to population reduction caused by a decline in the size or quality of their natural habitat in addition to predation by introduced rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, in their habitat.

An egg-layer, they spawn in the spring and summertime.

[edit] See also

• List of freshwater aquarium fish species

[edit] References

• Skelton (1996). Barbus brevipinnis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A1c v2.3)
• "Barbus brevipinnis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. February 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
• Schulz, GWC; HJ Schoonbee (April 1999). "Aspects of the length, mass, fecundity, feeding habits andsome parasites of the shortfin minnow, Barbus brevipinnis(Cyprinidae) from the Marite River, Mpumalanga Province,South Africa". Water SA 25 (2). ISSN 0378-4738. 
• Skelton, P. "Barbus brevipinnis." The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (IUCN, 2003), URL: species 2574