Home / Fishes / Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches / Danionidae / Indian glass barb
No federal permit to keepIndian glass barb
Laubuka laubuca
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Danionidae (Danios and rasboras)
The Indian glass barb (Laubuka laubuca) is a species of cyprinid fish in the family Cyprinidae found in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal and Indonesia.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 4.1 in / 10.54 cm).
- Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
- Temperature: 75–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.5–7.
- Hardness: 5–10 dGH.
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 12 in (roughly 29 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 64–75 °F, pH 6–8, 2–12 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “This species will do well in most well-maintained larger aquaria but is best maintained in a set-up designed to resemble a slowly-flowing river or stream, with a substrate of variably-sized rocks, gravel and some large water-worn boulders.”
- Diet: “Naturally a surface feeder preying on terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates.”
- Tankmates: “Not an aggressive fish and can be kept with many cyprinids, loaches, cichlids, catfish and characins, although as always when selecting a compatible community of fish proper research is essential.”
- Breeding: “Typical egg-scatterer and does not exhibit parental care.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Danios and rasboras
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These Asian fishes occupy habitats ranging from zebra-danio pools and rice paddies to shaded harlequin streams, rocky Devario streams and planted galaxy-rasbora wetlands. [fg159-zebra, fg159-harlequin, fg159-giant, fg159-galaxy]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Use at least 90 × 30 cm (36 × 12 in) for zebra danios.
- Harlequins require at least 60 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in), shaded planted cover and subdued light.
- Devario aequipinnatus needs at least 120 × 45 cm (48 × 18 in), oxygenated water, moderate flow and a tight lid.
- Galaxy rasboras need dense planting and broken sight lines in at least 45 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in), with gentle sponge filtration.
- Match chemistry: harlequins pH 5.0–7.5, 1–12 dGH; galaxy rasboras pH 6.5–7.5, 5–15 dGH.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 64.4–77°F |
Diet
- Quality flakes or granules sized to the fish.
- Live or frozen Daphnia and Artemia.
- Bloodworms for zebra danios, harlequins and Devario.
- Small sinking foods for galaxy rasboras, which rarely feed at the surface.
Social life
- Keep zebra danios and harlequins in groups of at least 8–10. Galaxy males spar: dense cover and larger groups distribute aggression. Active Devario can overwhelm timid feeders.
Health watch
- Pseudoloma microsporidiosis in zebra danios.
- Pleistophora infection and columnaris can produce similar white lesions in zebra danios.
- Nipped fins among rival galaxy males.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It has also been reported from the Mekong and Chao Phraya.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Indian glass barb” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater and brackish water, in rivers and streams. Inhabits the middle-depth area of streams, ponds and tanks. Occurs in shallow and relatively deep areas of streams, both in still and relatively fast-flowing waters. Form shoals with 15-30 individuals. Spawns at dusk or dawn in shallow water with about 30 eggs scattered at a time; egg hatch within 24 hours. Feeds mainly on insects, but also takes plants. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water, 75–79 °F (24–26 °C), pH 6.5–7, hardness 5–10 dH, depth 0–2 m. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 75–79 °F.
- It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 94°F (up to 105°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 55°F (down to 48°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 75–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 63–77% on average (driest month about 60%) |
| Rainfall | about 1586 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 54 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Spawning occurs during dusk. — FishBase |
| Biology | Inhabits the middle-depth area of streams, ponds and tanks. Occurs in shallow and relatively deep areas of streams, both in still and relatively fast-flowing waters. Form shoals with 15-30 individuals. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 12 in (about 29 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Zebra danio (Danio / Brachydanio rerio) Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Trigonostigma heteromorpha Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Devario aequipinnatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Danio / Celestichthys margaritatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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