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Encyclopedia / Barbs / Rosy barb
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Variations

3 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Rosy barb

Pethia conchonius · Rosy, Red barb

Busy; may nip fins and nibble soft plants.

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10 cmBody length, without tail ✓
16–24 °CTemperature ✓
6–8pH ✓
90 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Rosy barb nips fins, and Congo tetra has long fins.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
Not recommended
  • Rosy barb nips fins, and Guppy has long fins.
Not recommended
  • Rosy barb nips fins, and Betta has long fins.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

293 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓5–20 dGH
Group size ✓8 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 3–4 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Busy; may nip fins and nibble soft plants.

Food

Flakes, pellets, vegetables.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Male Rosy barb
Male
Female Rosy barb
Female

Adult males are smaller, slimmer and much more colourful than females, and have black in the fins; females have no black in their fins and are plumper.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-scatterer · Easy

Prolific egg scatterer, easy to spawn. Use a separate tank with mature water; adults eat the eggs.

Pairing

Buy a group of 6-8 and condition them.

Setup

40-60 L tank with plants or mops and a spawning grate. Dim light.

What starts it

Warm water change and live foods.

Eggs

Several hundred eggs per spawning; eggs hatch in 24-48 hours and fry are free-swimming about 24 hours later.

Raising the fry

Feed infusoria or liquid food for days 1-3, then baby brine shrimp and microworms. Grow out with frequent water changes. Sort by size to cut losses.

Common mistakes
  • Leaving parents with eggs
  • Too little cover
  • Overfeeding
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionNorthern India, Nepal, Bangladesh & Pakistan
Rivers and lakesGanges and Brahmaputra basins
HabitatLakes, ponds and fast or slow rivers in plains and foothills
Native rangeAbout 1,200 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the rosy barb

One of the hardiest barbs, tolerating cool water. Selective breeding has produced long-finned ('veil-tail'), 'super red', 'neon' and golden strains.

Francis Hamilton (also known as Buchanan-Hamilton) described this barb in 1822 in his survey of Ganges fishes. It is one of the oldest aquarium barbs and tolerates cool water. Long-finned and neon-red varieties have been bred in captivity.

First described by Francis Hamilton in 1822.

  • It tolerates unheated tanks better than most tropical barbs.
  • Males flush a vivid rosy red when spawning.
  • Hamilton described it in an 1822 book on the fishes of the Ganges.

Sources

17 facts checked with sources