TankBud

One species · 1 variety

Rosy barb

Pethia conchonius

FreshwaterFish

Rosy barb (Pethia conchonius)
The Great Mule of Eupatoria · CC BY-SA 4.0

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
Origin
South Asia (Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh)

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Overview

The rosy barb is a mostly peaceful schooling barb for the middle of a coolwater community tank. It is a good first fish.

Did you know

A rosy barb's red comes on strongest over dark substrate with some current. The same fish can look washed out in a bare, still tank and rich in a planted one with flow.

Caring for the rosy barb

Keep 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.

Rosy barbs 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 a bit of flow. Open swimming space matters more than heavy decor.

Feed flakes, pellets and frozen foods such as bloodworms or daphnia. Rosy barbs are mostly peaceful, but skip slow or long-finned tank mates such as bettas, angelfish and fancy guppies.

Males flush deep red as they mature and during spawning, while females stay a plainer silver-gold. 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 rosy barb, Pethia conchonius, is a barb in the family Cyprinidae. With good care it lives several years, and most rosy barbs in the trade are tank bred.

In the wild

Rosy barbs come from rivers and streams across South Asia, through Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The water there runs cool and moves with some current, which makes this a subtropical coolwater barb.

Other named lines

Shop rosy barbs are usually a line-bred form rather than the wild fish.

Neon
intensified red, the common shop form

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Every variety on this page wants the same water, so one set of picks fits them all. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a rosy barb need?

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

What temperature and pH does a rosy barb need?

A rosy barb is comfortable at 61–75°F (16–24°C) with a pH of 6.0–8.0.

What does a rosy barb eat?

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

How big does a rosy barb get?

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

Does a rosy barb need a group?

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

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

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

How does a rosy barb breed?

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

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