• Scientific name: Pethia cummingii
• Synonyms: Puntius cumingii, Puntius phutunio, Barbus cumingii, Cuming's Barb
• Common name: Two spot barb
• Group: Cyprinids
• Habitat: Asia; Sri Lanka
• Size: 5 cm
• Biotope: Found in mountain streams in Sri Lanka, basicly in River Kalu.
• Social behavior: A lively barb it enjoys playing with fish of its own species. Recommended for a community tank.
• Diet: Omnivorous; Live foods, flakes.
• Breeding: Quite easy
• Tank: Minimum 70 litres
• Population: 6 fish for 85 litres
• Decoration: Needs a well-planted tank with a layer of mulm and subdued lighting. Use a sand or gravel substrate. Floating plants can supply shade. Frequent partial water changes are important.
• Temperature: 22-27 °C
• pH: 5,5-7
• Hardness: 1-12NK°
• Lifespan: 4-6 years

Description: Puntius cumingii has large conspicuous scales, colored silver with a golden tinge. There are two smudgy black vertical barson the sides. Male is slenderer with a brightly colored tail. Female is more rounded at the ventral line and heavier bodied, especially during the spawning season. There are several geographical variants of this species: the yellow-finned species usually occur in flowing waters, close to the substrate, while red-finned species are found in the marshes of the Kelani Valley foothills. 

The breeding is quite easy, but you will need a separate tank with a small air-powered sponge filter. The tank should be very dimly lit and contain fine-leaved plants such as Java moss, where the fish can deposit their eggs. Water temparature should be around 27 °C, with a hardness to 8 dGH and a pH between 6.5 and 7.4. Cuming's Barb can be spawned in a group, or in pairs, and you should always select the fattest-looking female and best coloured male. Put them in the spawning tank in the evening, and usually they will spawn in the next morning. After the spawning you should take the adults out of the tank, because they will eat the eggs. The fry will hatch in 24 - 48 hours. When the young fishes are swimming free you can raise them with rotifers, and a few days later with baby brine shrimp and powdered dry food.