TankBud

Cosuatis barb

Oreichthys cosuatis

Also known as High-fin barb, Hi-fin headstander barb

FreshwaterFish

Cosuatis barb (Oreichthys cosuatis)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–79°F
20–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
India, Bangladesh and Thailand

Overview

The Cosuatis barb is a peaceful schooling barb for a calm, planted community tank. It suits keepers with a little experience.

Did you know

Male Cosuatis barbs settle their rivalries with pageantry rather than fighting. They circle each other with their tall dorsal sails raised and spread. The silent posturing contest rarely does any harm.

Caring for the Cosuatis barb

Keep Cosuatis barbs in a group of six or more, so the males display instead of hiding. Give the group at least 20 gal (75 L), densely planted and softly lit, over a dark substrate. Gentle filtration and little current suit them.

They prefer the cooler end of the tropical range, at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Keep the water clean and stable. Feed small, varied foods such as fine flake and micro pellets. Regular frozen or live daphnia, bloodworm and brine shrimp bring them into condition and draw out the males' sail-fin show.

The Cosuatis barb is slightly shy and swims in the middle of the tank. Keep it in a calm community of other small, gentle fish. Give new fish time to settle in before expecting their best color.

Mature males carry a tall, sail-like dorsal fin edged in dark and gold. They flare it in quiet lateral displays to rivals and females. Spawning them is a middling challenge, and the fish scatter their eggs and give no parental care.

Good to know

The Cosuatis barb, Oreichthys cosuatis, is a barb of the family Cyprinidae that Hamilton described in 1822. It also goes by the names high-fin barb and hi-fin headstander barb. Fish kept in tanks often fall short of the full adult size.

In the wild

The Cosuatis barb lives in quiet, often weedy fresh waters across South and Southeast Asia. Its range runs from India and Bangladesh east to Thailand.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Cosuatis 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 Cosuatis barb need?

A Cosuatis barb needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Cosuatis barb need?

A Cosuatis barb is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a Cosuatis barb eat?

A Cosuatis barb eats small, varied foods such as fine flake and micro pellets. Regular frozen or live daphnia, bloodworm and brine shrimp bring it into condition.

How big does a Cosuatis barb get?

An adult Cosuatis barb reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

Does a Cosuatis barb need a group?

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

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

Males carry a tall, sail-like dorsal fin edged in dark and gold once they mature. They flare it in quiet lateral displays to rivals and females.

How does a Cosuatis barb breed?

Cosuatis barbs scatter their eggs and give no parental care. Spawning them is a middling challenge.

Related species