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BARBEL, common name for any fish of the genus Barbus, so called from the four fleshy feelers, or barbels, attached to the upper lip and used in the search for food. They are part of the family Cyprinidae (see CARP). Found in fresh waters of the Old World, these fish feed on the leaves and roots of aquatic plants. They are greenish-brown above, shading to white below. Barbels attain a maximum weight of about 23 kg (about 50 lb). The coarse flesh is seldom used for food. |