Genus · Barbs

Enteromius

Enteromius is a genus with 226 species in this atlas, catalogued in the Barbs section, recorded from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Tanzania and 50 more countries. Adult sizes run from 0.5 in to 15.5 in. Every species below links to a full researched profile.

Species in atlas
226
Adult sizes
0.5–15.5 in
IUCN assessed
226 of 226 · 33 threatened
Recorded from
53 countries

About the genus

Enteromius is a large genus of small African barbs in the carp family Cyprinidae, split off in recent decades from the old wastebasket genus Barbus to hold the continent's own barb lineage. The atlas covers 226 species spread across sub-Saharan Africa, with strong representation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Tanzania, Guinea, Cameroon, South Africa, Zambia and Kenya, a range that touches nearly every major African river and lake system from the Congo basin to the Cape. Most species are compact, streamlined schooling fish adapted to small streams, floodplains and rocky rivers, though the genus is unusually broad in scale: the atlas lists species from under 1 in to around 15.5 in, spanning tiny stream barbs up to substantial river fish.

A number of Enteromius are long established in the aquarium hobby, prized for the flash of orange or red that breeding males show in their fins: the chubbyhead barb (E. anoplus), a familiar sight in southern African streams and tanks alike, and the East African red-finned barbs (E. ansorgii and E. apleurogramma) among the better-known examples. Most are undemanding, active schooling fish for a community tank with reasonable flow. Conservation pressure varies a great deal across the genus; the atlas tally includes 19 Vulnerable, 7 Endangered and 7 Critically Endangered species, and one species in the genus currently carries CARES conservation-priority status, a reminder of how localized and easily disrupted many of these small barbs' home streams can be.

IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered · 7 Endangered · 7 Vulnerable · 19 Near Threatened · 4 Least Concern · 87 Data Deficient · 36 Not Evaluated · 66CARES 1 on the priority list

The 226 species

Every Enteromius recorded in this atlas. Each card links to a full researched profile — distribution, water parameters, and aquarium care, cited to primary sources.

(Bleeker, 1863)

Spottail barb

4 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1911)

2 in SL · LC

(Crass, 1960)

Hamilton's barb

3 in TL · NE

(Nichols & Boulton, 1927)

3 in SL · NE

(Boulenger, 1911)

3.5 in SL · NE

(Poll, 1939)

3 in SL · NE

(Bigorne & Lévêque, 1993)

3.5 in TL · NE

(Roman, 1971)

1.5 in SL · NE

(Lambert, 1961)

3 in TL · NE

(Skelton, 1990)

4 in SL · NE

(Boulenger, 1903)

Broadstriped barb

3 in TL · NE

(Gilchrist & Thompson, 1917)

Broadstriped barb

3 in SL · LC

(Lévêque, 1983)

3 in SL · NE

(Weber, 1897)

Chubbyhead barb

4 in TL · NE

(Boulenger, 1904)

East African red finned barb

2.5 in SL · NE

(Boulenger, 1911)

East African red-finned barb, Striped barb

4 in TL · NE

(Pellegrin, 1935)

2.5 in SL · NE

(Keilhack, 1908)

3 in TL · NE

(Günther, 1868)

Silver barb

3 in SL · NE

(Boulenger, 1907)

Blackback barb

5 in SL · LC

(Daget, 1957)

3 in SL · LC

(Bailey, 1969)

2 in SL · NE

(Nichols & Griscom, 1917)

2 in SL · NE

(Norman, 1932)

4 in SL · VU

Prokofiev, Levin & Golubtsov, 2021

3.5 in SL · NE

(Jubb, 1965)

Blackback barb

3 in SL · LC

(Pellegrin, 1920)

Barotse barb

2 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1918)

1.5 in SL · NE

(Hopson, 1965)

1 in SL · EN

(Fowler, 1935)

Hyphen barb

3 in SL · LC

(Lévêque, Teugels & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1988)

4.5 in SL · LC

(Schultz, 1942)

2 in SL · CR

(Pellegrin, 1928)

4.5 in SL · EN

(Boulenger, 1915)

2 in TL · DD

(Pellegrin, 1901)

4.5 in SL · LC

(Trewavas, 1936)

Shorthead barb

3 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1915)

Dwarf barb

2 in SL · LC

(Poll, 1967)

Shortfin barb

2.5 in SL · DD

(Jubb, 1966)

2 in SL · NT CARES

(Poll & Lambert, 1959)

Brichard's barb, Clipper barb

3 in TL · LC

(Daget, 1962)

3 in SL · VU

(Boulenger, 1907)

Goldeneye barb, Red-spotted barb

2 in SL · NE

(Bleeker, 1863)

African redfinned barb

6 in TL · LC

(Nichols & Griscom, 1917)

Blacknose Butterfly Barb

1 in SL · LC

(Stiassny, 1991)

3 in SL · CR

(Boulenger, 1912)

1.5 in SL · LC

(Fowler, 1936)

2 in TL · DD

(Poll & Lambert, 1959)

2 in SL · DD

(Poll, 1967)

2 in SL · DD

Ilodiri, Huyghe, Costa, Baba, Mizani & Vreven, 2024

2 in SL · VU

(Barnard, 1938)

Cunene barb

2 in SL · NE

(Poll, 1967)

3.5 in SL · LC

(Pellegrin, 1936)

3 in TL · LC

(Boulenger, 1911)

2.5 in SL · NE

(Norman, 1925)

Silver barb

7 in SL · DD

(Boulenger, 1920)

2 in TL · DD

(Thys van den Audenaerde, 1976)

1 in SL · CR

(Poll, 1945)

1.5 in TL · VU

(Mahnert & Géry, 1982)

3 in TL · NE

(Matthes, 1964)

1.5 in TL · DD

(Pellegrin, 1909)

3.5 in TL · NE

(Banyankimbona, Vreven & Snoeks, 2012)

3 in SL · NE

(Daget, 1962)

4 in TL · VU

(Teugels & Mamonekene, 1992)

4.5 in SL · LC

(Daget, 1962)

2.5 in SL · LC

(Trewavas, 1936)

Cunene barb, Topstripe barb

3 in SL · LC

(Poll, 1941)

Orangefin barb

3.5 in TL · VU

(Poll & Lambert, 1959)

1.5 in TL · DD

(Boulenger, 1904)

Orangefin barb

5.5 in SL · LC

(Fowler, 1930)

1.5 in SL · LC

(Günther, 1868)

African banded barb, Angola barb

2.5 in SL · NE

(Lévêque, Teugels & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1988)

6 in TL · EN

Englmaier, Chai, Wubie, Collins & Getahun, 2024

2 in SL · NE

(Poll, 1967)

1.5 in SL · NE

(Loiselle, 1973)

2 in SL · LC

(Pellegrin, 1913)

4.5 in SL · DD

(Thominot, 1886)

3 in SL · NE

(Günther, 1868)

Redtail barb, Rooistert-barber

4 in SL · VU

(David, 1936)

Sickle barb, Sicklefin barb, Sickle-fin barb

1.5 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1904)

Spotscale barb

4.5 in SL · LC

(Bigorne & Lévêque, 1993)

2 in TL · NE

(Poll, 1945)

1.5 in TL · NE

(Boulenger, 1902)

Inconspicuous barb

3 in TL · LC

(Boulenger, 1902)

2.5 in FL · NE

(Lévêque, Teugels & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1988)

2 in SL · NE

(Pfeffer, 1896)

Inconspicuous barb

3 in TL · LC

(Günther, 1889)

Jae barb

2 in SL · NE

(Boulenger, 1903)

Jae barb

1.5 in TL · LC

(Poll, 1976)

1.5 in SL · LC

(Poll, 1938)

3.5 in TL · LC

(Gilchrist & Thompson, 1913)

2.5 in SL · LC

(Peters, 1868)

3.5 in SL · LC

(Steindachner, 1866)

Gillbar barb

3 in TL · LC

(Daget, 1954)

2 in TL · VU

(Pellegrin, 1930)

3 in SL · DD

(Lönnberg & Rendahl, 1920)

4 in SL · DD

(Pfeffer, 1889)

3 in TL · VU

(Lévêque & Paugy, 1982)

3 in SL · VU

(Boulenger, 1915)

1.5 in SL · LC

(Steindachner, 1894)

2.5 in SL · NE

(Boulenger, 1903)

Line-spotted Barb

3.5 in SL · LC

(Keilhack, 1908)

14 in SL · DD

(Ricardo-Bertram, 1943)

2 in SL · DD

(Boulenger, 1916)

2.5 in SL · VU

(Boulenger, 1917)

4.5 in TL · NT

(Ricardo, 1939)

Luika barb

2 in TL · LC

(Boulenger, 1913)

1.5 in TL · DD

(Boulenger, 1915)

3 in TL · DD

(David & Poll, 1937)

3 in TL · LC

(Fowler, 1930)

1.5 in TL · LC

(Poll, 1967)

3 in SL · DD

(Daget, 1954)

2 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1911)

3 in SL · NE

(Worthington, 1933)

Broadband barb

4 in TL · LC

(Boulenger, 1906)

Bunjako barb

2.5 in SL · LC

Kambikambi, Kadye & Chakona, 2021

Eastern Cape chubbyhead barb, Eastern chubbyhead barb

3 in SL · NE

(Pellegrin, 1919)

Yellow barb

6 in SL · LC

(David & Poll, 1937)

2.5 in TL · LC

(Roman, 1971)

4 in SL · LC

(Poll & Gosse, 1963)

NE

(Guimarães, 1884)

Papermouth barb, Papermouth

15.5 in SL · LC

(Poll, 1967)

2 in SL · DD

(Stiassny, 1991)

1.5 in SL · CR

(Boulenger, 1912)

Ewaso Nyiro barb

2 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1902)

Zigzag barb

5 in SL · LC

(Trewavas, 1936)

2 in SL · DD

(Steindachner, 1894)

3 in SL · NT

(Worthington, 1933)

Copperstripe barb

2 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1910)

Sidespot barb

2 in TL · LC

(Greenwood, 1962)

Sidespot barb

3 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1903)

Southern sidespot barb

4 in TL · LC

(Fischer, 1884)

Neumayer's barb

2.5 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1903)

Nigerian barb

2.5 in SL · NE

Scheepers, Bragança & Chakona, 2024

NE

(Nichols, 1928)

1 in SL · DD

(Pellegrin, 1930)

3 in SL · NE

(Daget, 1959)

2 in SL · LC

(Van den Bergh & Teugels, 1998)

2 in TL · LC

(Whitehead, 1960)

3 in SL · LC

Bigirimana, Kisekelwa, Costa, Huyghe, Banyankimbona & Vreven, 2024

Olivegreen ufipa barb

3 in SL · CR

(Fowler, 1949)

1.5 in TL · NE

(David, 1937)

3 in TL · NE

(Seegers, 1996)

Olivegreen Ufipa Barb

2 in TL · LC

(Barnard, 1943)

Orange River chubbyhead

4 in TL · NE

(Ricardo-Bertram, 1943)

1.5 in SL · DD

(Smith, 1841)

Goldie barb

3 in SL · LC

(Peters, 1852)

Straightfin barb

6 in SL · LC

(Banister & Bailey, 1979)

Dashtail barb

1 in SL · DD

(Daget, 1957)

2.5 in SL · LC

(Van den Bergh & Teugels, 1998)

1.5 in SL · LC

(Poll, 1939)

4.5 in SL · LC

(Rüppell, 1835)

2 in SL · NE

(Poll, 1967)

12 in SL · DD

Mipounga, Cutler, Mve Beh, Adam & Sidlauskas, 2019

1.5 in SL · VU

(Boulenger, 1902)

1.5 in TL · DD

(Pellegrin, 1911)

2 in SL · LC

(Steindachner, 1911)

1.5 in SL · NE

Cope, 1867

5 in SL · NE

(Mahnert & Géry, 1982)

3.5 in SL · LC

(Greenwood, 1970)

2.5 in SL · LC

(Seegers, 1996)

2 in TL · VU

(Boulenger, 1901)

2 in SL · NE

(Daget, 1954)

3 in TL · LC

(Poll & Gosse, 1963)

1 in TL · NE

(David, 1937)

2 in TL · EN

(Pfeffer, 1896)

Four-spotted barb, Fourspotted barb

1.5 in TL · DD

Kisekelwa, Snoeks, Decru, Schedel, Isumbisho & Vreven, 2022

3.5 in SL · CR

(Peters, 1853)

Radiation barb

4.5 in SL · LC

(Daget, 1962)

2.5 in SL · VU

(Pellegrin, 1921)

Rohani barb

5.5 in TL · NE

(Ladiges & Voelker, 1961)

3 in TL · NE

(Daget, 1961)

3 in TL · DD

(Poll & Lambert, 1964)

4.5 in SL · LC

Ilodiri, Huyghe, Costa, Baba, Mizani & Vreven, 2024

2.5 in SL · VU

(Pellegrin, 1908)

2 in SL · NE

(Roberts, 2010)

1.5 in SL · NE

(Farm, 2000)

Serengeti pardkala

1.5 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1911)

2 in SL · NE

(Tweddle & Skelton, 2008)

Thamalakane barb

4.5 in SL · VU

(Poll & Gosse, 1974)

4 in SL · LC

(Daget, 1967)

3.5 in SL · EN

(Fowler, 1936)

3.5 in TL · NE

(Boulenger, 1903)

Midspot barb

3.5 in TL · LC

(Hopson, 1965)

1.5 in SL · EN

(Daget, 1954)

Morse barb

3.5 in TL · LC

(Loiselle & Welcomme, 1971)

0.5 in SL · VU

(Fowler, 1949)

1 in TL · NE

(Boulenger, 1917)

3.5 in TL · LC

(Boulenger, 1903)

4.5 in SL · VU

(de Graaf, Dejen, Sibbing & Osse, 2000)

2 in SL · LC

(Fowler, 1936)

4.5 in TL · DD

(Boulenger, 1913)

2.5 in SL · DD

(Bamba, Vreven & Snoeks, 2011)

4 in SL · NE

(Fowler, 1935)

2 in TL · LC

Katemo Manda, Snoeks, Decru, Bills & Vreven, 2020

2.5 in SL · NE

(Trewavas, 1974)

2.5 in SL · EN

(Lévêque, Teugels & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1987)

3.5 in SL · NT

(Fowler, 1936)

2.5 in TL · DD

(Rendahl, 1935)

1 in SL · DD

(Boulenger, 1916)

East Coast barb

1.5 in SL · LC

(Lévêque, Teugels & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1987)

2 in SL · VU

(Groenewald, 1958)

4.5 in TL · CR

(Peters, 1852)

Threespot barb

6 in SL · LC

(Fowler, 1936)

3.5 in TL · LC

(Lévêque, Teugels & Thys van den Audenaerde, 1987)

2.5 in SL · NE

(Boulenger, 1907)

2 in TL · LC

(Boulenger, 1902)

4 in SL · LC

(Bleeker, 1863)

4 in TL · LC

(Hopson & Hopson, 1982)

4 in TL · NE

(Günther, 1867)

Slender barb, Longbeard barb

5.5 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1917)

3 in TL · LC

(Lönnberg, 1907)

3 in TL · LC

(Stiassny, Liyandja & Monsembula Iyaba, 2016)

4 in SL · NE

(Poll, 1945)

4 in TL · DD

Lederoun & Vreven, 2016

2 in SL · DD

(Bailey, 1980)

Red Pangani barb

1 in SL · DD

(Lohberger, 1929)

Victoria barb

3 in TL · DD

(Weber, 1897)

Bowstripe barb, Viviparus barb

3 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1904)

Walker's barb

3 in SL · NE

Mamonekene, Ibala Zamba & Stiassny, 2018

2 in SL · NE

(Boulenger, 1911)

3 in TL · DD

Englmaier, Tesfaye & Bogutskaya, 2020

2 in SL · NE

(Johnsen, 1926)

1.5 in TL · DD

(Whitehead, 1960)

Nzoia barb

2 in SL · LC

(Blache & Miton, 1960)

1.5 in SL · NE

(Peters, 1868)

Zanzibar barb

4 in TL · LC

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How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Genus Enteromius. Aquarist Atlas. https://www.aquaristatlas.com/enteromius/

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