Taxonomy & naming
Osteochilus vittatus was described by Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes in 1842, with the type locality Bantam, Java, Indonesia. The Catalog of Fishes gives Osteochilus vittatus as valid. Stores sell it as Osteochilus hasseltii, a name the trade still uses; look for the fish under both. It belongs in Cyprinidae.
Morphology
A deep-bodied, laterally compressed barb with thick, fleshy lips. FishBase gives a maximum of 12.5 in SL for males or unsexed fish. Young fish carry dark flank stripes that fade with age.
Habitat
FishBase records the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Borneo, and reports from the Salween and Maeklong basins, China and lower Myanmar. The recorded water values are a temperature of 22 to 26 C, pH 6.5 to 7.0 and dH 5 to 8.
Feeding
The genus Osteochilus is built for grazing. Fish scrape algae, biofilm and detritus from hard surfaces with their lips.
Mating
Courtship and spawning behaviour are not recorded in the cached FishBase entry.
Breeding
Fecundity, egg type and spawning season are not recorded in the cached FishBase entry. FishBase lists the species in aquaculture and fisheries use.
In the aquarium
Small ones are sold for algae control. They outgrow most tanks: plan for a very large tank or pond for adults. FishBase's values are 22 to 26 C, pH 6.5 to 7.0 and dH 5 to 8. Offer algae, vegetable foods and blanched greens, and expect it to eat soft plants.
Conservation
FishBase lists the bonylip barb as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, assessed 18 April 2020. It is widely distributed and harvested for food.