Sahyadria denisonii “Roseline Shark” aka. Denison Barb (captive-bred)

I remember first seeing the “Roseline Shark” (Denison Barb)…and the commensurate retail price tag at the time, and realizing that here was a freshwater fish on par with some of the higher end saltwater Anthias!  Thankfully they’re not nearly as expensive as they once were.

They’ve been sold as Redline or Redlined Torpedo Barbs, Roseline Sharks, and the common name de jour seems to be Denison’s or Denison’ Barb. From a scientific name standpoint, it is equally confusing. Barbus denisonii, Labeo denisonii, Crossocheilus denisonii, and Puntius denisonii (sometimes also misspelled as P. denisoni) have all been applied, but today the species is firmly recognized as Sahyadria denisonii.

These are peaceful, active schoolers that reach about 4 to 4.5″ in size and arguably deserve an aquarium of at least 50 or so gallons upon maturity. Juveniles only hint at the true nature of this species upon reaching maturity, which is nothing short of striking.

Over-collection for the aquarium trade and habitat degradation have caused this species to be listed on the IUCN Redlist as Endangered, although reportedly wild harvest is still permitted at times. Difficult to breed, this species is produced for the aquarium trade – the specimens offered here are captive-bred, and as such represent no impact on wild populations. Given their status on the redlist, it’s my opinion that there is justification for purchasing this species as wild-caught, the general exception being for broodstock purposes.

“Tiny” is the smallest I’ve seen these to date; around 1-1.25″, showing juvenile coloration. Small juveniles offered here do not yet show full adult coloration, and are currently around 1.5-2″. Medium individuals are generally around 3″ and show more color.  Large fish are adults, at 4″ or larger. Price fluctuates with availability during the year; pricing simply reflects the investment in the fish at any given moment.