Puntius padamya

Puntius padamya
Puntius padamya males show very bright red coloration
Conservation status
Extinct in the Wild (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Cyprinidae
Genus:	Puntius
Species:	P. padamya
Binomial name
Puntius padamya S. O. Kullander & Britz, 2008[1]

Puntius padamya, also known as the Odessa barb, is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Puntius. Its only known natural habitat has been located in Central Myanmar, near Mandalay. It has been known to the aquarium hobby for many years, but was only described scientifically in 2008.

Physical description

Female Odessa barb

The Odessa barb is a small fish with a laterally compressed body. In the available scientific literature, the Odessa barb has been measured with an average length of 4 cm (1.5 in) for both sexes;^[2] however, many hobby aquarist profiles have noted a standard length of 7 cm (2.75 in). This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, which allows for easy identification of the sexes.

Male Odessa barb

Another Male Odessa barb

The male has a beige to light brown background color, but is noted for the bright red stripe running the length of the body. The male also has red irises with a narrow black streak through the middle of the eye. The dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins of the male are yellowish green in color with contrasting black spots.

The female is plainly colored with a light beige body and a reflecting silvery sheen on the scales. The fins of the female are a light yellowish green; however, only the dorsal fin contains the contrasting black spots, which are fainter than those of the male. Both sexes have a black and prominent spot in the dorsal area, as well as a smaller spot in the caudal area.

Name origins

This fish is also known as the ornamental fish species “Odessa barb” because it was said to have first appeared in pet enthusiast’s circles in Odessa, Ukraine in the early 1970s. However, S. Kullander and R. Britz recently described it scientifically, in 2008, under the species name Puntius padamya. The word “padamya” is Burmese for ruby, and was chosen in reference to the alternate ornamental fish name “ruby barb” and the vivid color marking of the male.^[3]

Water conditions

The Odessa barb prefers water in the range 14-25 degrees C. (57-77 degrees F.) This is cooler than most tropical fish prefer. They can live in either a tropical aquarium at 24 degrees C (75 degrees F) or in an unheated aquarium as long as it is not in an extremely cold area.

In the aquarium

Colony of Odessa barb in a home aquarium

Like most barbs, the Odessa barb is an active and generally peaceful fish that is best kept in a community tank. It is a schooling fish that can become semi-aggressive towards other tank mates if it is not kept in groups of 5 or more individuals. As this fish is fast moving, it is best kept in a tank with open spaces. The Odessa barb is a voracious eater that will eat most foods given including flakes and frozen foods, such as Bloodworms. The Odessa barb can be kept with other peaceful fish species including various Tetras, various Corydoras catfish, and the Ram cichlid.

See also

• Barb
• Puntius
• List of freshwater aquarium fish species

References

1. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Puntius padamya" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
2. ^ Kullander and Britz 2008, p. 59.
3. ^ Kullander and Britz 2008, p. 61.

• Kullander, Sven O.; Ralf Britz (October 2008). "Puntius padamya,’ a new species of Cyprinid fish from Myanmar”". Electronic Journal of Ichthyology 4 (2): 56–66. http://ichthyology.tau.ac.il/2008/KullanderBritz.pdf. 
• "Odessa Barb". http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/profiles/odessa-barb/. Retrieved April 28, 2011. 

External links

• Odessa-Barb-Fact-Sheet
• Odessa Barb species profile - Seriously Fish, see: http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Puntius&species=padamya&id=1250