Home / Fishes / Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches / Cyprinidae / Swamp barb
No federal permit to keepSwamp barb
Puntius chola
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Cyprinidae (Carps and barbs)
The swamp barb (Puntius chola), also known as chola barb, is a species of tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Cyprininae of the family Cyprinidae.
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 3.1 in / 8 cm; the largest recorded was 5.9 in).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 68–77°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–6.5.
- Hardness: 8–15 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
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 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 64–79 °F, pH 5.5–8, 2–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Fairly easy to maintain provided a dedicated maintenance routine is adhered to, with choice of décor is more-or-less down to personal taste.”
- Diet: “Likely to be a foraging omnivore feeding on worms, insects and other small invertebrates, as well as plant material and organic detritus.”
- Tankmates: “This species makes an ideal addition to a peaceful community of riverine fishes such as similarly-sized cyprinids plus many botiid, nemacheilid and balitorid loaches.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Carps and barbs
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: The listed barbs and freshwater sharks occupy Asian streams, rivers and floodplain waters, with bala sharks also using natural lakes. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Tiger barbs need a base at least 80 × 30 cm (about 31 × 12 inches), with vegetation and driftwood cover.
- Adult bala shark groups need a base at least 240 × 60 cm (about 96 × 24 inches), ample open swimming space and a heavy, tight lid.
- Red-tailed black sharks need a base at least 120 × 45 cm (about 48 × 18 inches), with rocky refuges.
- Use efficient filtration, water movement and high oxygenation for riverine bala and red-tailed sharks.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 68–78.8°F |
Diet
- Quality flakes or granules containing plant material.
- Live or frozen Daphnia, Artemia and bloodworms.
- For larger bala sharks: chopped earthworms, prawns or mussels.
- For bala sharks: shelled peas, blanched courgette or spinach.
Social life
- Keep tiger barbs in at least 8–10 and bala sharks in at least five. Avoid timid or long-finned companions for tiger barbs. Red-tailed black sharks become territorial toward similar-looking fishes.
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity.
- Nutritional deficiencies.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It originates in inland waters in Asia, and is found in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Swamp 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, in rivers and streams, lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits streams, rivers, canals, beels, haors, ponds and inundated fields. Occurs mainly in shallow water. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 68–77 °F (20–25 °C), pH 6–6.5, hardness 8–15 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 68–77 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 94°F (up to 104°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 53°F (down to 46°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 74–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 66–77% on average (driest month about 59%) |
| Rainfall | about 1934 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 132 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.
| Overview | The swamp barb (Puntius chola), also known as chola barb, is a species of tropical freshwater fish belonging to the subfamily Cyprininae of the family Cyprinidae. It originates in inland waters in Asia, and is found in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Myanmar. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| 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 | The swamp barb is an open water, substrate egg-scatterer, and adults do not guard the eggs. During breeding time, the males display very prominent red bands, which lasts for around two days (rivaling Rosy Barbs - P. conchonius), while females display red stripes which last around 5 hours. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | Swamp barbs will grow in length up to 6 in and weigh up to 60 g. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Inhabits streams, rivers, canals, beels, haors, ponds and inundated fields. Occurs mainly in shallow water. Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter. — 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.
Adult length
Common length to 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 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Morphological and molecular detection of myxosporean parasites in freshwater fish in Myanmar Thu MM et al., Journal of parasitic diseases: official organ of the Indian Society for Parasitology 2023
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
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 — Puntigrus tetrazona Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Balantiocheilos melanopterus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Epalzeorhynchos bicolor Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded 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.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
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