Odessa barb care
Pethia padamya · Myanmar
Odessa barbs are silver fish whose males show a wide scarlet band and black-flecked fins.
- Tank size
- 29 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 68 to 79 °F (20 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 2.5 in
- pH
- 6 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 5 to 19 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 29 gallon
30¼ × 12½ × 18¾ in outsideHow to keep Odessa barbs
Odessa barbs are silver fish whose males show a wide scarlet band and black-flecked fins. They are hardy and calmer than tiger barbs; keep six or more in a 29 gallon or larger tank.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Odessa barb tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Dwarf chain loach
2.5 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Julii corydoras
2.5 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
DrawingGolden pencilfish
2.6 in · 15+ gal · 75–82 °F
Pearl danio
2.6 in · 20+ gal · 68–77 °F
Sterbai corydoras
2.6 in · 20+ gal · 74–82 °F
Gardneri killifish
2.6 in · 10+ gal · 72–79 °F
Bumblebee catfish
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 70–77 °F
Lyretail killifish
2.4 in · 10+ gal · 70–79 °F
Keep apart
Discus: No shared temperature: Odessa barbs need 68 to 79 °F, discus 82 to 88 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as Odessa barbs.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as Odessa barbs.
Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as Odessa barbs.
Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as Odessa barbs.
What an Odessa barb tank needs
A tank of 29 US gallons or more (such as the 29 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 20
Rated by the maker for up to 30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon Odessa barb tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon Odessa barb tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Pro 100W
Odessa barbs need 68 to 79 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding Odessa barbs.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 68 to 79 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 29 gallon tank · Heaters for a 29 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common Odessa barb problems
- Males stay pale without females and a planted tank.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Pethia padamya. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Odessa barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf chain loach Stefan Maurer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Julii corydoras Bob Jenkins, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearl danio Павлик Лисицын, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sterbai corydoras Matthew Mannell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Gardneri killifish Tommy Kronkvist, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bumblebee catfish CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lyretail killifish Alexander Prokoshev, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Demasoni cichlid lee Nachtigal, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red zebra cichlid Maha Dinesh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry barb Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Tiger barb Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rosy barb Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Denison barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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