Rosy Barb

Pethia conchonius

A hardy, active barb that tolerates cooler water and is even kept as a pond fish in mild climates. Best in schools of 5 or more.

Care Parameters

Adult size

10 cm

Min tank

90 L

Temperature

16–26°C

6–8

5–19 dGH

Diet

Omnivore

Temperament

Peaceful

Water zone

All levels

Difficulty

Beginner

Schooling

School of 5 or more.

Suitable Plants

Water Sprite

A fast-growing, fern-like plant that can be floating or planted. Provides excellent cover for fry and absorbs nutrients rapidly. Very easy to grow.

Bacopa caroliniana

A hardy, straightforward stem plant with thick, oval leaves on upright stems. One of the easiest background plants, tolerating a wide range of conditions and requiring minimal maintenance.

Java Fern

Care profile for Java Fern: low light, none CO₂, beginner difficulty.

Blyxa japonica

Care profile for Blyxa japonica: medium-high light, medium CO₂, intermediate difficulty.

Anubias barteri

Care profile for Anubias barteri: low light, none CO₂, beginner difficulty.

Compatible Invertebrates

Mystery Snail

A colorful, active apple snail that cruises the glass for algae and leftover food. Pairs lay their pink egg clutches above the waterline - remove them to avoid overpopulation. Keep hardness at 7-18 dGH and offer calcium-rich foods so the shell stays strong.

Assassin Snail

The striped predator of the aquarium world, kept to hunt down pest snails and worms. It burrows by day and hunts by night, and will happily share a tank with fish and plants - it ignores shrimp and fish entirely. Also known as Clea helena; both names are accepted.

Amano Shrimp

The classic algae-eating workhorse shrimp, unmatched for clearing hair algae from planted tanks. Hardy at 3-15 dGH, but never breeds in freshwater: its larvae need brackish water, so all reports of 'Amano babies' in freshwater tanks are actually other shrimp species.

Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp

A stunning red and white striped shrimp from the ancient lakes of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Unlike most Caridina, it thrives in warm, alkaline water (pH 7.5-8.5, 26-30°C).