Odessa Barb

The Odessa Barb (Pethia padamya) is an omnivorous freshwater tropical fish native to South East Asia and the Himalayas. 

This fish can be found in shallow freshwater streams in China, India, Nepal, and Thailand. Scarlett Barb is the name given to this bright Barb because of its iridescent colourful scales that cover its body. 

The Odessa Barb is well-known and well-liked for its funny lively behavior and zipping around its tank.

The Odessa Barb is a resilient fish that lives three to five years in both its native habitat and captivity. To allow your Odessa Barb to live the longest and healthiest life possible, immaculate stable water conditions must be maintained, as this fish is extremely sensitive to frequent changes in water conditions. 

This little fish can grow to be three to four inches long, and under ideal conditions, it can grow to be five inches long.

Considering its size, the Odessa barb grows extremely swiftly. With the right nutrition and water conditions, this fish will be fully matured in three to four months. The Odessa Barb is a tiny, fast-growing fish that thrives in clean water and with a suitable diet. The Odessa Barb is a small, fast-growing fish that will provide years of entertainment if fed properly and kept in immaculate water conditions.

II. You would love the fish because…

The female Odessa Barb, also known as the Scarlet Barb, has a silver and pink body with a black patch above the pectoral fin. The male has a stunning brilliant red stripe running horizontally from the head to the tail and is black to silver in hue. They are very attractive and vivacious fish that prefer to swim in groups.

They do require at least 30 gallons of soft, somewhat acidic water in a well-planted tank. Add rocks and driftwood to the aquarium, but leave enough room for swimming. The Scarlet Barb is a fast-moving fish that can bother or even nibble the fins of larger, slower-moving fish.

When attempting to breed the Odessa Barb, it is better to keep several Barbs in the same aquarium until they couple off. After a pair has formed, the female will lay her eggs, followed by the male to fertilize. After around 5 days, the fry will be able to swim freely. Feed newly hatched brine shrimp fry until they are large enough to eat crushed flake food.

The Odessa Barb requires a variety of nutrients, including vegetables and meaty items. Feed a high-quality flake diet along with freeze-dried, live, and frozen foods like brine shrimp and bloodworms.

III. Is this fish species peaceful or hostile?

 Odessa Barb is considered semi-aggressive but will push smaller, susceptible fish around. They may also nibble at the fins of slower-moving tankmates. Aggressive behavior is frequent even within their species.

IV. Species compatibility

Rosy Barb, Cherry Barb, Cory Catfish, Most Types Of Plecos, Clown Loach, Tinfoil Barb, Pictus Catfish, Neon Tetra.

V. How to feed this species?

Feed your tiger barbs twice a day if possible, or once a day if your schedule allows. Every day, feed your fish high-quality flake food. Once a day, feed them bloodworms, brine shrimp, boiled lettuce, or zucchini.