View source for Java barb

{{Short description|Species of fish}}{{distinguish|Javaen barb}}
{{For|other fishes with the same name|Silver barb (disambiguation){{!}}Silver barb}}
{{Speciesbox
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name = IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Thinh, D.V. |author2=Van, N.S. |author3=Nguyen, T.H.T. |author4=Lumbantobing, D. |year=2020 |title=''Barbonymus gonionotus'' |volume=2020 |article-number=e.T166914A89799952 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T166914A89799952.en |access-date=14 July 2024}}</ref>
| image = Barbon_gonion_120127-22830_tsm.JPG
| taxon = Barbonymus gonionotus
| display_parents = 3
| authority = ([[Pieter Bleeker|Bleeker]], 1849)
| synonyms = 
''Barbodes gonionotus'' <small>(Bleeker, 1849)</small><br />
''Barbodes jolamarki'' <small>([[Hugh McCormick Smith|Smith]], 1934)</small><br />
''Barbus gonionotus'' <small>Bleeker, 1849</small><br />
''Barbus javanicus'' <small>Bleeker, 1855</small><br />
''Barbus koilometopon'' <small>Bleeker, 1857</small><br />
''Puntius gonionotus'' <small>(Bleeker, 1849)</small><br />
''Puntius javanicus'' <small>(Bleeker, 1855)</small><br />
''Puntius javanicus'' <small>Sauvage, 1881</small><ref name = IUCN/><br />
''Puntius jolamarki'' <small>Smith, 1934</small><br />
''Puntius viehoeveri'' <small>[[Henry Weed Fowler|Fowler]], 1943</small>
| synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite WoRMS|author=Bailly, Nicolas|year=2017|title=''Barbonymus gonionotus'' (Bleeker, 1849)|id=1026316}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Barbon gonion 120127-22830 tsm.JPG|thumb|Java barb (''Barbonymus gonionotus''), <br />from [[Tasikmalaya]], [[West Java]]]]
[[File:Barbonymus gonionotus-Pla som861.jpg|thumb|left|Deep fried chunk of pickled silver barb ([[pla som]])]]
The '''Java barb''' ('''''Barbonymus gonionotus'''''; {{langx|th|ตะเพียน}} ''Ta-phian''; [[Lao language|Lao]]: ''Pa keng''; {{langx|km|ត្រីឆ្ពិន}} ''Trey Chpin''; {{langx|id|Tawes}}; [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]]: ''Mè Vinh''), more commonly known as '''silver barb''' in [[aquaculture]], or '''Java carp'''<!--https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/20123291858-->, is a species of [[ray-finned fish]] in the genus ''[[Barbonymus]]''.

==Description==
The Java barb has a strongly compressed body with an elevated back caused by an arched dorsal profile. It has a small head with a short, pointed snout and a terminal mouth, the snout's length is less than the diameter of the eye. It has very small barbels, with the upper barbels being minute, even disappearing entirely. The colour of fresh specimens is silvery white, occasionally tinted with gold. The [[dorsal fin|dorsal]] and [[caudal fin]]s are grey to grey-yellow while the [[anal fin|anal]] and [[pelvic fin]]s are pale orange with reddish tips and the [[pectoral fin]]s are pale yellow. It has very few tubercles on the snout and these are only visible when magnified. The dorsal fin has four spines and eight soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 6-7 branched rays. The males can grow to {{cvt|40.5|cm}} in total length.<ref name = FB/>

==Distribution==
The Java barb's natural distribution ranges from Vietnam, where it has been recorded in the [[Mekong Delta]] and [[Dong Nai River]], through the basin of the [[Mekong]] to the [[Chao Phraya]] basin in Thailand. It is also found on [[Sumatra]] and [[Java]] and has been recorded from the [[Rajang River]] basin in [[Sarawak]], [[Borneo]]. An introduced population has been found in [[Peninsular Malaysia]].<ref name = IUCN/>

==Habitat and ecology==
The Java barb is found in the middle of the water column to the bottom in rivers, streams, floodplains, and sometimes in reservoirs. It shows and apparent preference for still water habitats rather than flowing waters. During periods of raised water levels it moves into flooded forest. Its diet consists of plant matter such as leaves, weeds, ''[[Ipomoea aquatica|Ipomoea reptans]]'' and ''[[Hydrilla]]'' as well as some invertebrates. It is not a long distance migrant but is a local migrant in the Mekong showing a rainy season movement from the main river channel into small streams and canals and then into flooded areas returning as the water recedes. The upstream migration of the Java barb seems to be triggered by the first rains and rising water levels.<ref name = FB>{{FishBase |Barbonymus|gonionotus| month = December | year = 2017}}</ref>

==Human use==
[[File:Silver barb total production thousand tonnes 1950-2022.svg|thumb|Capture (blue) and aquaculture (green) production of Silver barb (''Barbonymus gonionotus'') in thousand tonnes from 1950 to 2022, as reported by the [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fisheries and Aquaculture - Global Production |url=https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/collection/global_production?lang=en |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)}}</ref>]]
The silver barb is one of the five most important aquacultured [[freshwater]] species in [[Thailand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/fi/website/FIRetrieveAction.do?dom=countrysector&xml=naso_thailand.xml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121203024144/http://www.fao.org/fi/website/FIRetrieveAction.do?dom=countrysector&xml=naso_thailand.xml|archive-date=December 3, 2012|title=National Aquaculture Sector Overview - Thailand|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref> The silver barb is a short-cycle species that, like [[tilapia]], can be farmed with low technology and relatively less effort than other species, being thus popular as a farmed fish in [[Bangladesh]], where it is known as ''Thai {{not a typo|sharputi}}''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/searching-synergy/women-integrate-fish-and-farming |title=Women integrate fish and farming |access-date=2011-08-24 |archive-date=2012-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330032221/http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/searching-synergy/women-integrate-fish-and-farming }}</ref> The [[pituitary gland]] of the Java barb is frequently used to enable artificial propagation of other species of fish in aquaculture. Escaped farmed Java barb have established populations which support fisheries on several Southeast Asian islands.<ref name = FB/> This species is also considered to be useful in controlling excessive vegetation in reservoirs. It can be infrequently found in the aquarium trade.<ref name = IUCN/>

In fish farms, silver barbs rarely exceed {{convert|40|cm|abbr=on}} in length and {{convert|1.5|kg|lboz|abbr=on}} in weight. However, a {{convert|2.8|kg|lboz|abbr=on}} specimen was caught in the [[Teak Tree Lake]] in Thailand and the rod and reel record with a weight of {{convert|13|kg|lboz|abbr=on}} and a length of {{convert|90|cm|abbr=on}} was caught in [[Malaysia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fishing-worldrecords.com/scientificname/Barbonymus%20gonionotus/show |title=''Barbonymus gonionotus'' Java Barb, Silver Barb|website=Fishing World Records}}</ref>

It is an important food fish in [[Thai cuisine|Thai]], [[Lao cuisine|Lao]] and [[Cambodian cuisine]]. In [[Laos]] it is commonly used as an ingredient for ''[[larb]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.asianspicyrecipes.com/recipes/laos/lap_pa_keng.php |title=Lap Pa Keng (Minced Raw Fish) |access-date=2011-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007141921/http://www.asianspicyrecipes.com/recipes/laos/lap_pa_keng.php |archive-date=2011-10-07 }}</ref> In Thailand it is usually either pickled as ''[[pla som]]'' (ปลาส้ม)<ref>[http://thaifoodandtravel.com/blog/tag/pla-som/ Pla som, or sour fish]</ref> or boiled in [[tom yam]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Barbonymus gonionotus}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110929170748/http://www.nafri.org.la/document/sourcebook/Sourcebook_eng/volume2/17_aquaculture_larrec.pdf Livelihood Opportunities for Upland Aquaculture]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110926232649/http://www.mrcmekong.org/Catch-Culture/vol15_3Dec09/maximising-the-benefits.htm Maximising the benefits of aquaculture in Cambodia's Svay Rieng province]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1583380}}

[[Category:Barbonymus]]
[[Category:Thai cuisine]]
[[Category:Fish farming]]
[[Category:Fish described in 1849]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Pieter Bleeker]]