Odessa Barb
Pethia padamya
Cyprinidae
About
The Odessa barb is a hardy, active shoaling cyprinid from central Myanmar, where it was first described from an artificial pond near Mandalay. Dominant males are striking, flushing an intense scarlet-red band along a silver-green flank flecked with black, while females stay a plainer olive-silver. It is subtropical and adaptable, thriving across a wide range of temperatures and water chemistry. Peaceful for the most part, it can turn into a mild fin nipper when kept in too small a group, so a proper shoal keeps the natural sparring aimed at its own kind rather than at tankmates.
Care
Keep a shoal of 6+ (ideally 8-10) in a long tank with room to swim, moderate flow and stable, neutral-to-hard water 16-25C. A good group curbs fin nipping and brings out the males' red colour.
Diet
Omnivore with a small gape; flake and micro-pellet supplemented with frozen or live daphnia, bloodworm and brine shrimp, plus some vegetable matter.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (40)
Possible with care (184)
Avoid (47)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Colour and patternA hint only · from about 6 months, and only on a settled fish
In rainbowfish, killifish and several barbs the male carries the colour — deeper and more saturated, intensifying further when he displays.
- Extended finsA hint only · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
- Belly depthA hint only · only on well-fed adults, and only as a comparison
For most tetras, barbs and rasboras this is all there is: a conditioned female is deeper through the belly than a male of the same length.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Odessa Barb need?
- A Odessa Barb needs an aquarium of at least 75 litres (19.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 80 cm (31.5 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Odessa Barb need?
- Odessa Barb does best at 16–25 °C (60.8–77 °F), pH 6.5–8.5 and a general hardness of 5–20 °dGH.
- What group size does a Odessa Barb need?
- Odessa Barb is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Odessa Barb suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Odessa Barb is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.