Scientific Name : Pethia padamya
Common Names : Scarlet Barb, Ticto Barb
Care Level : Easy
Size : 3 inches (8 cm)
pH : 6 - 7
Temperature : 70°F - 78°F (21°C - 26°C)
Water Hardness : 2° to 10° dH
Origin / Habitat : Indonesia, Sumatra
Lifespan : 3 years or more
Temperament / Behavior : The Odessa Barb can be aggressive with other Odessas in the same tank and it is usually the males bickering over a dominance position within the school. They may also nip at slower moving fish with larger fins, such as Angelfish.
Breeding : An egg scatterer, it can be difficult if not impossible to breed in a community aquarium. A bare bottom breeding tank will increase your chance of success as well as a slightly lower pH. Remove the adults after they have dropped and fertilized the eggs.
Aquarium Size : 10 gallon for one - you'll need a larger tank when keeping multiples.
Tank Mates : Slow swimming fish and fish with larger fins may make an attractive nipping target for this Barb.
Diet / Foods : Omnivore, will accept flake, freeze-dried and live foods. Vary their diet but try to give your barb a good quality flake food as the main source of their nutrition.
Tank Region : This is a relatively fast swimming fish that will roam all over, but mostly stays in the middle region of the tank.
Gender : The female is usually bigger and the males should develop more coloration as they mature.
