Sawbwa resplendens – Sawbwa Barb
Sawbwa resplendens was described by Annandale in 1918. The common name for this little fish is Sawbwa Barb. The genus name Sawbwa comes from the local language and means prince or chief.
The genus Sawbwa is monotypic, which means that the genus has only one species. Sawbwa resplendens falls into the family Cyprinidae or the Carps.
In some countries they are called Naked Rasbora a reference to the absense of scales. They just ignored the fact it isn’t even a Rasbora!
Description
Sawbwa resplendens is a peaceful, lively shoal fish that needs a lot of free swimming space. Do not keep them with less than 12 as this is a true shoal fish, if not they will be very shy! In the wild it occurs in gigantic shoals. They are quiet and small and therefore well suited for a small aquarium. The company will also have to be quiet peaceful fish otherwise the Sawbwa Barb will remain shy and you will not enjoy it much.
Sex characteristics:
The female does not look very spectacular, gray-brown, but the males are silver to steel blue with a blood red head and back of the tail.
Origin
Lake Inlé in Myanmar
Diet
Small live foods should be given as food. Dry food is also accepted.
Size:3.5-4cm
The Aquarium
The aquarium should be decorated with dense vegetation around the edges and in the background. The water should not be too soft as the colors will fade. So in the aquarium you will need to put dense plantings in addition to swimming space.
Water parameters:
pH: 7 – 7,5
KH: 16 – 20
Temperature: 21 – 25
Breeding Sawbwa resplendens
Breeding is not too difficult, provided one can give enough small food to the young. The eggs are deposited between fine-leaved plants. After spawning, the parents must be removed. They should be raised with infusoria.
Comments
This is actually a very special fish, as it has no scales. Their common name is Sawbwa Barb.
**As well as Danio erythromicron, Microrasbora rubescens, Channa harcourtbutleri, Macrognathus caudiocellatus and Inlecypris auropurpureus, this fish belongs to the endemic species found in the Inlé Lake in Myanmar(Burma). Lake Inlé is located near the town of Nyaung Shwe in southern Shan State. It is 22 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide, and lies 1,000 meters above sea level. The lake is surrounded by wetlands, sometimes whole sections of which float across the lake. A lot of fish appear to be endemic to the lake. Of the 31 species of fish found in the lake , 16 are endemic (occur only in this lake ).
Video
Authors
CB – Amazoona.be (original website no longer online)
John de Lange
Copyright images
John de Lange
Resources
Aquavisie.org
Aquaclopedie.co.uk (original website no longer online)
