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Variety of Rosy barb

Longfin rosy barb

Pethia conchonius

The named variety of Pethia conchonius · See the species →

FreshwaterFish

Longfin rosy barb (Pethia conchonius)

Care at a glance

Temperature
61–75°F
16–24°C
pH
6.0–8.0
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
24 gal
90 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Easy
Rarity
Very common
Family
Cyprinidae

Overview

The longfin rosy barb is a rosy barb with trailing dorsal, anal and tail fins. It is a mostly peaceful schooling fish for a coolwater community tank, and a good first fish.

Did you know

A longfin rosy barb male in spawning color is the same red as a standard male beside it. The longfin trait changes only the outline, so the difference your eye picks up is silhouette, not color.

Caring for the longfin rosy barb

Keep longfin rosy barbs in a group of 8 to 10 or more, in a tank of 24 gal (90 L) or larger. A full school keeps them settled, while an under-grouped fish turns into a fin nipper. They are strong jumpers, so keep a tight lid on the tank. Inspect the fins at the counter for splits and cloudy edges before you buy.

They like cool water at 61 to 75°F (16 to 24°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 8.0. They do fine in an unheated tank in most rooms. Give them dark substrate and open swimming space rather than heavy decor. A bit of flow suits them, but the long fins drag in strong flow, and heavily finned fish hold position less easily in moving water.

Feed flakes, pellets and frozen foods such as bloodworms or daphnia. Longfin rosy barbs are mostly peaceful, but skip slow or long-finned tank mates such as bettas, angelfish and fancy guppies. Their own trailing fins are an easy mark for nippy tank mates too.

Males flush deep red as they mature and during spawning, while females stay a plainer silver-gold. Longfin rosy barbs are egg scatterers with no parental care, and the adults will eat their eggs once they drop. Breeding is easy if you separate the parents from the eggs.

Good to know

The longfin rosy barb is a form of Pethia conchonius, a barb in the family Cyprinidae. The longfin trait is a mutation that lengthens the fin rays. Fin growth continues well past sale size, so a shop juvenile understates the finished shape. Fin length and symmetry vary between suppliers and even within one batch.

In the wild

Long-finned rosy barbs are an aquarium strain, and no wild fish of this species has fins like these. Seriously Fish lists the long-finned form among the established ornamental strains, alongside veiltail, super red, neon and golden lines. No breeder, country or decade is documented for when the long fin line was fixed.

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Tank mates

The longfin rosy barb is a mostly 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

Is a longfin rosy barb a different species from the rosy barb?

No. A longfin rosy barb is a variety of the rosy barb, Pethia conchonius, and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.

What size tank does a longfin rosy barb need?

A longfin rosy barb needs at least 24 gal (90 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What does a longfin rosy barb eat?

A longfin rosy barb eats flakes and pellets. Add frozen foods such as bloodworms or daphnia.

How big does a longfin rosy barb get?

An adult longfin rosy barb reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

Does a longfin rosy barb need a group?

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

How can you tell a male longfin rosy barb from a female?

Males flush deep red as they mature and during spawning. Females stay a plainer silver-gold.

How does a longfin rosy barb breed?

Longfin rosy barbs scatter their eggs and give no parental care, and the adults eat the eggs once they drop. Breeding is easy if you move the parents away from the eggs.

Related species