Odessa Barb

Temp. Range:    74-79°F. pH:    6.2 - 7.4 dH range:    4.0 - 10.0 Adult Size:    3"

Barbus/Punitius Odessa

Odessa Barb $6.99 Buy Odessa Barbs

Native Region:    Vietnam, Mekong Delta area - Occurs mainly in heavily shaded streams and rivulets, preferring shallow, slow-flowing water with silt substrate and leaf debris
Temperament:    Community.  Easy care, but competitive among their own kind.
Feeding:   Staple foods, vegetable flakes, thawed adult brine shrimp, and live foods. However, vegetable matter is a heavy influence in their diet in the wild.
Sexing:    Male is larger and turns bright red, orange or pink near spawning time.
General Comments:    The Odessa Barb is sometimes known as the Scarlet Barb, and the body of the female is silver and pink with a black spot above the pectoral fin. The male is black to silver in coloration and has a beautiful bright red stripe running horizontally from the head to the tail. They are very beautiful and lively fish that prefer to be in schools.

    They do prefer a well-planted tank of at least 30 gallons with soft, slightly acidic water. Rocks and driftwood can be added to the aquarium, but leave plenty of space for swimming. The Scarlet Barb is a very active fish that may pester or even nip the fins of larger, slower moving fish.

    It is best, when trying to breed the Odessa Barb, to house a number of Barbs in the same aquarium until they pair off. After a pair has developed, the female will lay her eggs and the male will follow behind to fertilize. The fry will be free-swimming after about 5 days. Feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp until large enough to accept crushed flake food.

    The Odessa Barb needs to be fed a variety of foods including vegetables as well as meaty foods. Feed a quality flake food as well as freeze dried, live, and frozen foods such as brine shrimp and bloodworms.

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