The Black Ruby Barb is quite an amazing animal. It changes colors, depending on its state. Their large, reflective scales glitter in light, making them a stunning species to add to any aquarium. Black Ruby Barbs are also hardy and easy to care for, making them a good fish for the beginning aquarist.

Black Ruby Barbs, like other Barbs, are little nippers. Their favorite pastime is to nip at other fish. However, if kept in schools of five or more, and in active tanks, the nipping shouldn't be too much of a problem. If Black Ruby Barbs are kept with slower fish, such as Angel Fish, the slower fish will shortly have damaged fins. Their behavior can be described not as aggressive, but as playful. The constant activity of the species makes it fun to watch. Black Ruby Barbs should be kept in brightly lit tanks, with lots of plants and a moderate amount of rocks.

The Black Ruby Barb gets its name from the fact that it changes colors. Most of the time, the Black Ruby Barb is a yellowish-gray color, with gray to black stripes. When it comes time to breed, however, the fish turns to a beautiful purple-red color. This color change will also happen when they are excited. This color-changing trait makes the Black Ruby Barb quite interesting.

At maturity, Black Ruby Barbs will reach a maximum size of two to three inches. Males are easily distinguished from females by their larger size and brighter colors. Male Black Ruby Barbs also have dark-tipped ventral fins. The females have clear ventral fins.

The Black Ruby Barb, or Barbus nigrofasciati, is from South Asia, mainly Sri Lanka. They are found schooling in shallow, slow moving streams and rivers.

Black Ruby Barbs are easy to care for. The can be fed flake foods, but prefer freeze-dried foods. In addition, they should be given live food from time to time, including, bloodworms, glass worms, plankton and brine shrimp. Black Ruby Barbs should be kept in slightly acid and soft water, with the pH from six to seven and with a temperature from 75 to 82 degrees fahrenheit.

Black Ruby Barbs are relatively easy to breed. As mentioned before, this species changes colors when it is breeding. For optimum breeding, several males should be placed with one female, and live food should be fed to the fish. They will spawn several times a year. After laying the eggs, the parents should be removed, as they will eat the eggs.