TankBud

Checkered barb

Oliotius oligolepis

Also known as Checker Barb

FreshwaterFish

Checkered barb (Oliotius oligolepis)
Dodoni · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–79°F
20–26°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
1.8 in
4.5 cm
Minimum tank
16 gal
60 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Sumatra

Overview

The checkered barb is a small, peaceful schooling barb for a planted community tank. It is hardy and undemanding, so it is easy to keep.

Did you know

The checkered barb's checkerboard pattern is made of dark scales along its body, and it is the easy way to identify the fish.

Caring for the checkered barb

Keep checkered barbs in a shoal of six or more, in a tank of 16 gal (60 L) or larger. A planted tank with some cover and dim, gentle conditions suits them.

They take a fairly wide temperature range, 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C), and a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Feed a mix of quality flake and micro pellets, with the odd frozen treat like daphnia or brine shrimp.

Checkered barbs are peaceful, busy fish that favor the middle and lower water. They do not harass tank mates the way some barbs do.

Males get noticeably more colorful as they mature and during spawning, with a reddish wash over the body and fins. Females stay plainer and rounder. Keep a few of each, and the males will display and spar in a harmless way that brings out their best color. They scatter eggs among fine-leaved plants and give no parental care, and breeding them is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

The checkered barb, Oliotius oligolepis, is a small member of the family Cyprinidae. It was long placed in Puntius and now sits in the genus Oliotius.

In the wild

Checkered barbs come from slow rivers and streams on Sumatra. The water there is shaded and plant-heavy, soft and slightly acidic to neutral.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The checkered barb is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a checkered barb need?

A checkered barb needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a checkered barb need?

A checkered barb is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

What does a checkered barb eat?

A checkered barb eats a mix of quality flake and micro pellets, with the odd frozen treat like daphnia or brine shrimp.

How big does a checkered barb get?

An adult checkered barb reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

Does a checkered barb need a group?

Yes. A checkered barb is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How can you tell a male checkered barb from a female?

Males get more colorful as they mature and during spawning, with a reddish wash over the body and fins. Females stay plainer and rounder.

How does a checkered barb breed?

Checkered barbs scatter their eggs among fine-leaved plants and give no parental care. Breeding them is a moderate challenge.

Related species