Rosy barb care
Pethia conchonius · Streams of India, Nepal and Bangladesh
Rosy barbs are hardy, active barbs whose males turn deep pink-red.
- Tank size
- 29 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 64 to 77 °F (18 to 25 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 6 in (usually 2.5 to 4 in in aquariums)
- pH
- 6 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 5 to 19 dGH
- Lifespan
- 4 to 6 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 29 gallon
30¼ × 12½ × 18¾ in outsideHow to keep rosy barbs
Rosy barbs are hardy, active barbs whose males turn deep pink-red. They are happy from about 64 °F, so they suit unheated tanks, and a group of six or more needs a 29 gallon or larger.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, pellets, vegetables, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Rosy 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.
Bristlenose pleco
6 in · 29+ gal · 73–81 °F
Siamese algae eater
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–80 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Vampire shrimp
6 in · 29+ gal · 74–84 °F
Flying fox
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–79 °F
Lionhead goldfish
6 in · 30+ gal · 64–74 °F
Candy-striped pleco
5.9 in · 30+ gal · 72–79 °F
Rubbernose pleco
5.7 in · 30+ gal · 68–77 °F
Keep apart
Guppy: Rosy barbs nip long fins like those of guppies.
Betta: Rosy barbs nip long fins like those of bettas.
Angelfish: Rosy barbs nip long fins like those of angelfish.
Discus: No shared temperature: rosy barbs need 64 to 77 °F, discus 82 to 88 °F.
German blue ram: No shared temperature: rosy barbs need 64 to 77 °F, German blue rams 78 to 85 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
What a rosy barb tank needs
A tank of 29 US gallons or more (such as the 29 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below. Rosy barbs are comfortable at room temperature, so a heater is optional in a normal home.
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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 rosy 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 rosy barb tank without being built for a far bigger one.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding rosy 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 64 to 77 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters 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 rosy barb problems
- They nip slow, long-finned fish and eat soft plants.
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 conchonius. 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.
- Rosy barb Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bristlenose pleco André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Siamese algae eater aleander2137, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Vampire shrimp Ray eye, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Flying fox Mirko Hartig, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lionhead goldfish Roderick Santos, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Candy-striped pleco Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rubbernose pleco Frank Alvarez, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Guppy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, 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
- Denison barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Odessa barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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