Last updated on July 7th, 2022 at 08:07 am
Pethia conchonius (commonly known as rosy barbs) is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish, and they’re easy to understand why. They’re very colorful and active, so they make a beautiful centerpiece in your tank and the perfect pet to observe as it leaps gracefully through your aquarium or pond.
Barbs (Barbonymus) are tropical freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, or carp family. They are distributed across India, Southeast Asia, and China, as well as Africa and South America. The rosy barb, Pethia conchonius, or just pethia for short, is one of the most popular barbs in the aquarium trade due to its brilliant coloration and easy care requirements.
They are originally from Southeast Asia but are now found in areas throughout the world including Florida, Hawaii, and Texas. Though beautiful and easy to care for, it’s important to know how to properly take care of rosy barbs if you plan on introducing them into your home aquarium.
Your pethia conchonius (rosy barbs) require slightly different care than other popular fish, so it’s important to be knowledgeable about their needs in order to keep them happy and healthy in your tank. While they can be kept in community tanks, they will thrive best with other rosy barbs, so you may need to plan to set up another tank just for your pet.
Here are some helpful tips on how to care for your pethia conchonius (rosy barbs).
Origin and descriptions
Pethia conchonius are bright red freshwater fish native to South Asia. They’re called rosy barbs because of their coloring and, in common with goldfish, come in many different varieties and color morphs. These little guys have been around since at least 1885 when they were first discovered, and thanks to their bright coloration, they are quite popular in aquariums across Europe and America.
Rosies will eat just about anything put in front of them but do particularly well on a diet of brine shrimp and bloodworms along with flake food. Because these fish tend to grow rather quickly, aquarists should be careful not to overfeed them; without regular exercise due to a lack of activity from overfeeding, rosy barbs can become overweight very easily leading to health problems down the road.
Species profile
Pethia conchonius have long, pointed fins and are usually silver or bluish in color. Like angelfish, rosy barbs originate from South America. In fact, Pethia is a common name given to several species of small fish native to Guyana, while conchonius refers to an ichthyologist named Louis Conchon who discovered Pethia conchonius in 1865. The fish live at depths between one and 15 feet deep, so they’re better suited for larger tanks than bowls.
Rosy barbs grow up to 6 inches (14 cm) long but their peaceful nature makes them ideal tank mates with other similarly sized fish (such as tetras). They’re relatively easy to care for as long as their tank water is kept clean and filtered; otherwise, you’ll see them flitting around in search of cleaner water.
Habitat
Pethia conchonius, is a freshwater fish indigenous to Southeast Asia. They are shoaling fish (like guppies), which means that they do best in groups of at least three or four. These fish prefer neutral water conditions, with a pH of 7-8 and an ideal temperature range of 24-28 degrees Celsius.
Their diet should include some protein, although flakes make excellent substitutes if you feed them regularly. Live food such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae, and daphnia can also be used to provide needed nutrients.
Rosy barb size
This fish species of barb can grow up to 14 cm (6 inches) in length.
Rosy barb tank size
The minimum recommended tank size for Pethia conchonius is 30 gallons, although larger is always better.
Tank Requirements
Because of their small size, Pethia conchonius need a large amount of space compared to other fish. A 30-gallon tank or larger is ideal, and it’s preferable that at least two are placed in a single tank since they do better when they have a friend. Aquarium decorations should be sturdy and well planted with plenty of hiding spots and water movement within their territory.
Water quality is critical to them, so frequent water changes are necessary (at least once every week). Be sure your filter includes some kind of biological media, like bio-wheels or foam blocks, this is because rosy barbs have sensitive gills.
Test your tap water before use to see if it needs any chemicals changed first. Their diet consists of fresh veggies and greens and live foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms, blackworms (live), tubifex worms, or mosquito larvae.
It’s recommended that you feed them separately from any other type of fish because some species may eat their food before they get a chance to consume all of it if there’s more than one type around at once.
Rosy barb tank mates
Because rosy barbs are not overly aggressive, they can be kept with a variety of other fish. However, bigger, more aggressive fish will bully them around, so smaller, peaceful tank mates are best. Keep a school of 6 or more rosy barbs in your tank to prevent bullying from aggressive tank mates like bettas and larger species of cichlids.
Aquatic invertebrates such as snails and shrimp may also get eaten by your rosy barbs if they become hungry enough.
Some good tank mates are tetras and danios, as well as other varieties of small schooling fish like shubunkins. Keep in mind that your rosy barbs might harass these fish constantly, but they probably won’t kill them.
Pethia conchonius breeding
Rosy barbs are egg layers. So, they must be kept in a breeding aquarium set up and maintained as breeding pairs would be kept. First of all, you should make sure that both fish are of approximately equal size, though females can often be smaller than males when first purchased. Give them an individual container to start out with so that they become accustomed to it before being moved into their new home together.
While moving them from their original containers will cause some stress (and may cause undue aggression in particularly skittish individuals), waiting too long might encourage aggressive spawning behavior towards each other. Leave them for at least 3 days (4-5 is even better) once water parameters have been adjusted and aggression quelled, until moving them together; by then, you’ll know whether or not they’re going to get along in one tank.
If either fish has yet to spawn prior to being combined, divide your current tank setup in half and place two separate heaters side by side, this will increase water temperature enough for spawning without drastically raising the overall temperature. You’ll still need two separate filters on opposite sides of your tank for adequate filtration, but these won’t necessarily need to be strong ones if only stocking 10-15 pairs at a time, most filters work fine on medium power settings under such circumstances.
Are Pethia conchonius aggressive or peaceful?
The Pethia conchonius is a relatively peaceful species, making it a good choice for community tanks. However, if kept in groups of 5 or more, they may become aggressive toward other fish. If you’re keeping your rosy barbs with other species that they’re known to get along well with (such as catfish), you can keep them in larger groups and skip extra aggression-prevention measures.
Rosy barb care
A common freshwater aquarium fish, rosy barbs can be difficult to care for. There are many types of barbs, and each one has specific requirements that must be met in order to keep them healthy. However, with proper planning and preparation, caring for rosy barbs is not too challenging. Following a few simple tips will help you give your fish a happy home where they will thrive!
Rosy barb food
Rosy barbs are omnivores, but their diet should be made up of meatier foods, like bloodworms and brine shrimp. They’ll readily accept flake food, though, so don’t worry if you can’t get your hands on live or frozen foods—just make sure it has a good variety of proteins and vitamins in it. Also, consider supplementing with algae wafers; they offer great nutritional value and will help ensure your fish is receiving all its needs nutrients.
Rosy barb lifespan
Rosy barbs are hardy and relatively healthy, so most will usually live 3–5 years.
Parasites and diseases of Pethia conchonius
If you’re planning on keeping rosy barbs, be aware that they are highly susceptible to ich, and other parasites and diseases. Some hobbyists have lost a whole batch of fish in just one night because they weren’t attentive enough.
Keeping them in clean water is paramount, but there are also medications available from your pet store. Be sure to follow instructions closely, so you don’t poison your pets; over-dosing can cause harm as well as under-dosing.
Pethia conchonius predators
In their natural habitat, barbs are at risk of getting eaten by a few predators. The bull shark is one such predator that has been known to target barbs. Bull sharks will frequently prey on small fish, particularly in murky water. So if you’re keeping barbs in a pond or tank with plenty of covers, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about from these aggressive creatures.
Do Pethia conchonius make good pets?
Pethia conchonius is an ideal fish for beginners and advanced aquarists alike. They’re tolerant of a wide range of water parameters, can be kept in smaller tanks, and adapt well to life in community aquariums. Rosy barbs should not be kept with fin-nipping species such as tiger barbs, since they might get picked on by more aggressive tankmates.