A hardy, peaceful-active schooling barb from northern India and Bangladesh, prized for the deep rose-red flush males develop in breeding condition. Cooler-tolerant and undemanding, it is one of the best beginner barbs but needs a roomy tank and a proper school to stay calm.
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Around 6 cm (2.4 in) in aquaria, occasionally to 8-10 cm; males slimmer and rosy-red when in condition, females deeper-bodied and more golden.
Lifespan
4–6 years
Social needs
group
Native region
Northern India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan (Ganges and Brahmaputra basins)
Origin
Old World
Climate
⛅ Subtropical
Water type
💧 Freshwater
Family
Cyprinidae
Genus
Pethia
Part of the Barbs
Active, social cyprinids that thrive in schools and bring constant motion to a planted community tank. Most are hardy and beginner-friendly but appreciate swimming room and the security of a proper group.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Cool schooling tank
30 gal / 110 L (school of 6+)
Pethia conchonius reach 10 cm and prefer cool (18–24 °C) water — unheated in most homes. Active schoolers needing 4-ft+ length and a group of 6+ to prevent fin-nipping.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Long planted community
55 gal / 200 L
School of 8–10 in a long planted tank with strong flow. Pair with similarly active species — too peaceful tankmates get bullied.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Unheated stream biotope
75 gal+ / 280 L+ biotope
Long unheated planted biotope with strong flow, robust plants, and a large school. Full courtship colour and natural schooling formations.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg
Fish eggs are small, translucent spheres, often laid in clutches on plants, substrate, or in a nest — or carried/brooded by a parent in livebearing and mouth-brooding species. A dark eye spot and the curled embryo become visible inside as development progresses.
Photo coming soon
Fry
Newly hatched fry are tiny and semi-transparent, frequently still carrying a yolk sac that fuels them before they feed freely. They lack full fin structure and adult coloration, staying near cover until they can swim and forage on their own.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
Juveniles look like miniature adults but with developing fins and muted or different markings; many species shift pattern and color as they mature. Growth is rapid at this stage given clean water and steady feeding.
Adult
Adults show the species' full size, finnage, and mature coloration, and are sexually mature. Many fish develop sex-specific differences in size, color, or fin shape, which can intensify during breeding.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Keep a group in a tank of at least 110 L (30 gal) with plenty of horizontal swimming length, as these are active fish. Target 18-24 C (64-75 F) — they tolerate cooler unheated rooms and can even be kept as coldwater/subtropical fish; pH 6.0-7.5 and soft-to-moderately-hard water (up to ~18 dGH). They appreciate moderate flow and do best with open swimming space framed by planting.
In the wild they inhabit fast-flowing streams, ponds and ditches of the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins, so they handle a range of conditions but dislike warm, stagnant water.
Substrate
A darker fine gravel or sand substrate shows off their red coloration and makes them feel secure. Aquascape with hardy plants and some open swimming lanes; driftwood and rounded rocks suit their stream origins.
Equipment & setup
A reliable hang-on or canister filter giving gentle current suits their active nature. A heater is optional in warm rooms but useful for stability; standard community lighting is fine and a darker background enhances color.
Diet
Omnivorous and unfussy. Feed a quality flake or micropellet as a staple, supplemented with frozen or live bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, plus some vegetable matter (blanched spinach, spirulina) to keep color and gut health. Feed small amounts 1-2 times daily.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful but boisterous and fast-moving; keep in a school of 6 or more to spread out activity and prevent fin-nipping of slow tankmates. They can harass long-finned, sedate fish like bettas or fancy guppies, so pair them instead with other active mid-water fish — danios, larger tetras, other barbs, rainbowfish, loaches and peaceful catfish.
Health
Hardy and disease-resistant when water quality is good. Watch for ich (white spot), which is easily triggered by chilling or stress, and fin issues from poor water; standard quarantine of new stock is recommended. Avoid keeping them too warm long-term, as chronically high temperatures shorten lifespan.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Easy egg-scatterers: condition a group, set up a separate tank with spawning mops or fine-leaved plants and a mesh/marble bottom so eggs fall out of reach, then remove the adults after spawning. The wild form colors up far more intensely than tank-strains when given a varied diet and a dark substrate.
