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De Witte's barb (Labeobarbus wittei) — Cyprinidae

De Witte's barb

Labeobarbus wittei
Family: Cyprinidae

The De Witte's barb (Labeobarbus wittei) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 28 cm.

Length
27.5 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

De Witte's barb is a freshwater barb from the Congo basin of Central Africa. The species grows to about 28 cm and has a streamlined, silvery body with large scales and two pairs of barbels. As a bottom-oriented omnivore it lives in flowing rivers and searches the bed for insect larvae, molluscs, plant material and detritus. It is a local food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the De Witte's barb?

The De Witte's barb has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the De Witte's barb live?

The De Witte's barb lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom.

How big does the De Witte's barb get?

The De Witte's barb grows to a maximum of about 28 cm.

Is the De Witte's barb dangerous to humans?

No, the De Witte's barb is harmless to humans.

Is the De Witte's barb edible?

Yes, the De Witte's barb is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
De Wittes grootbarbeel verified
English name
De Witte's barb verified
Scientific name
Labeobarbus wittei
Family
Cyprinidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
27.5 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Netvisserij sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Labeobarbus

More from the family Cyprinidae

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