Odessa Barb

The Odessa barb hails from Burma, not Ukraine, but since the Ukrainians were the first aquarium hobbyists to embrace this species, the fish became known as the Odessa Barb (for Odessa, Ukraine). Males develop a beautiful ruby chest and display their colors more with females present, of course.

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Give them a filter, a heater if your room runs cool, and open swimming space along the front, plus some plants around the edges.

Feeding: Feed a quality flake or small pellet once or twice a day, only as much as they eat in a couple of minutes. They also enjoy frozen foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp.

Tankmates: They do well with other active fish of similar size, such as other barbs, danios, larger tetras, rainbowfish, corydoras and loaches. Avoid slow, long-finned fish like bettas and fancy guppies.

Good to know: Males show their brightest ruby stripe with females present and in a group.