Blackbar Silverfish

Myleus schomburgkii

Blackbar Silverfish (Myleus schomburgkii) — Intermediate care, Peaceful, under Other. Minimum tank in the app: 132 US gal min; aim for 73–81°F and pH 5.5–7.5. Details below match the app.

Care levelIntermediate
TemperamentPeaceful
Min tank size132 US gal min
pH range5.5–7.5
Temperature73–81°F
Max size15.7 in (40.0 cm)
Captive lifespan10–15 years
SchoolingYes · 5+ recommended

Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.

Natural distribution

Mostly South America

  • South America

Regional colours match the stocking calculator’s origin map.

Blackbar Silverfish Tank Setup

Plan for at least 132 US gal min of water—that is the minimum in our database for a workable setup, not a challenge to crowd fish. Aim to hold 73–81°F and pH 5.5–7.5 without daily drama. These fish use the Mid zone most, so put wood, plants, or open water there accordingly.

What Do Blackbar Silverfishs Eat?

We record diet as Herbivore/Omnivore. Offer a few food types that match—dry, frozen, or gel—and swap now and then. One flake every day for a year is how dull color and gut trouble creep in.

Blackbar Silverfish Tank Mates

Temperament in the data: Peaceful. Large active shoaling fish; needs very large tank. Herbivorous; will eat plants. Keep in groups of 5+. Plug your full stock list into the stocking calculator—single-species compatibility scores are hints, not a whole-tank verdict.

Are Blackbar Silverfishs Good for Beginners?

We rate this as intermediate. Budget time for testing, maintenance, and watching behaviour if the water looks fine but the fish do not. If this would be your very first tank, start with something more forgiving and come back to this one.

Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.

Log tests and reminders in App-aquatic—free, same data you see here.