# densoni barbs ;roseline sharks



## coralbandit

I already know this is a controversial fish , and have attempted to do research about them.I'm interested in attempting to breed them.They are fairly easy to come across where I live (petsmart $5.99 for small , I'm sure are wild caught). So besides don't buy this fish ( the name of one article I found) any advice. I live in NY so I don't want to put them in pond for "short " season and fear birds. I have 5 large (3years old for me) and 5 more smaller(6 months with me), in my crowded 180. I don't think standard breeding tanks would be big enough for them either , so help me make an honest attempt.I'd prefer that for the rest of my life that I take 2/4/ or10 , as long as I put more than I received back. They are great looking, and fantastic community members. One of my wifes(and my ) favorites.


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## coralbandit

OK , I found more recent info on breeding(source was reported breeding 1996) , still new(sorta) to me. The breeder woon't disclose exact "treatment" but used hormones to "stimulate " breeding.Found info on hormones to induce breeding ; and all I found was literally injection the fish with syringe!Can't hormones (they were available to be used as I saw it) be introduced to complete system(the water/ tank) instead of directly injecting fish? And if this was possible might sexes have to be seprated(treatment I saw was to female only; to "develope eggs" ) seemed male was ready whenever.It would truely seem to me these fish are now being bred sucessfuly as they are now available again,cheap and young.


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## navigator black

They have been bred for a while and if cheap, are tank bred, but like the praecox rainbow a few years ago, they try to only sell males in pet shops. 

It's likely they are hormone treating them to make males - most egg-laying fish hatch without a determined sex and develop as males or females by environmental cues in the first few weeks, and fish farms know how to work that. I've experimented a lot with fish noted for uneven ratios. Sometimes it's water hardness, or pH or temperature that allows you to control sex ratio. It takes a little experimenting, species by species. Then again, you can whap fry with hormones and forget environment, if you want to.

Hormone injecting fish is common, especially with low-grade colour form Discus. I've had commercial breeders laugh at me because I refused to hormone inject my fish to force breeding. It's common in some dark corners of the hobby.

It seems female denisoni must have gotten out from the falling prices. I don't think they'll need hormones. If you have females, they should breed like any other larger barb. 

They are a money fish, and breeders don't want you to try this at home. It puts them out of business.


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## RyLuci1021

Is there any way to tell the difference between a male and a female?


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## navigator black

From what I have read from people who bred them, it is very hard to sex the fish. The females should have heavier bodies, and maybe there could sometimes be a difference in dorsal colouration... maybe.


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## RyLuci1021

I bought two of these fish a couple weeks ago. Love the looks of them. I was trying to figure out the sex of them, but couldnt really see a difference in the two. Maybe I will have to pay closer attention next time I buy some.


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## coralbandit

Good luck! I have 15 ; 5 large (3 years with me), 5 medium(6months with me and tripled there size),and 5 small(how I know how much 5 mediums grew). They all look the same! None are fatter or noticeably finned differently(can't really count spines or bones). They are beautiful ,peacefull and love to nibble on algae.Great peaceful community fish,great!


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## Aquariuman

I read somewhere that an accidental spawning occurred when a hobbyist placed driftwood in the tank and the pH dropped. The dorsal fin turned blue. ??? Don't know where I found this but I'll try to find the link. I also know that a public aquarium is trying to breed them. They think breeding occurs EN MASSE. Lastly, I was looking up pictures of the fish and came across an article of a dude who went searching for Puntius denisonii and I think if someone were to provide them with enough room, large enough numbers, right conditions they might just spawn w/o hormones. I've been researching this topic for almost six months so trust me, I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I am obsessed with this fish. Just ask susan, bev, and I think summer was in the chat room too when I kinda ticked susan off talking about this subject and she blocked me but finally figured out how to UNblock me. I may do more research soon ~ haven't for about a month or two now because of school and not enough money to implement a plan to breed these guys. Now that I know you want to breed them and you have some just contact me and I'll tell you what I know and provide the links I can.


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## coralbandit

Possible difference noted among myD. barbs. I've noticed that there is "shadowing" of black on tip of scales under the black stripe.This is not on all my barbs. Once I spotted this it seemed hard not to notice.Lacking the shadowing could be female since if the more "robust" is usually female and this fish would be slightly fuller bodied.I'll try to load pics later.The quest continues!


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