TIGER BARB

Look at me, Look at me!  Zoom, Zoom!

This is an accurate description of a Tiger Barb. The Tiger Barb is easy to care for and is a beautiful and active swimmer.  They are known to be fin nippers, so choose their tank mates accordingly.  Keep them with other fast swimmers that don’t have long fins, like zebra danios, silver-tip tetras, and loaches.  This is one fish that should be kept in larger schools of 5-12 to spread out their aggression. They are considered semi-aggressive. Toss in some appropriate leaf litter, driftwood, and caves to mimic their natural environment while leaving some open swimming areas.

CHERRY BARB

I'm too sexy for my tank, too sexy!

The Cherry barb is one of the most peaceful barbs available.  They are great for nano tanks and are good for beginners with an established tank. They are schooling fish, so 6+ is a good start.  The male Barb is deep cherry red, while females have a more rusty appearance.  Feeding a high-quality krill-based food and baby brine shrimp will ensure they POP! with color. An aquarium with a darker substrate and well-planted and floating plants like hornwort, water wisteria, and anacharis.

ODESSA BARB

Odessa Barbs are friendly, quiet, and enthusiastic fish.

Odessa barbs behave nicely when they are in a group of around 5-6 more tank mates. Since Odessa Barbs is extremely enthusiastic and likes to swim,  a bigger tank would be considered a better option. A planted tank with floating plants, driftwood, and rocks will make a nice, secure environment. Some tank mates include Apistogramma, Rasbora, Tetras, Bristlenose Pleco, and Bolivian Ram Cichlid.

DENISON BARB ( Roseline Shark)

Denison barbs are highly active, fast swimmers.

In the wild, the Denison habitat is rocky underwater with solid heavy vegetation; replicating this in an aquarium is ideal for this fish. They are not territorial but do need a longer aquarium to allow plenty of open water for unhindered swimming. The Denison barb can reach up to six inches long and has a life expectancy of around five years.  The Denison barb is slender and shaped much like a shark with a rounded belly and soft, translucent fins. They are best kept in a group of 6+.

GOLD TIGER BARB/GREEN TIGER BARB

Tiger Barbs come in a variety of different colors.

This fish needs to be kept in schools. The larger the school, the better, with nine fish, a good minimum amount. If kept in smaller schools, the weaker individuals will be harassed continuously by the more aggressive individuals until they die. Tiger Barbs have a tendency to nip the fins of slow fish and ones that have long-flowing fins. The way to combat this is to keep them in a large enough school. If this is done, they will generally keep themselves busy within the school and usually not bother their tankmates too much. If kept with smaller fish, they too should be kept in a school.

BARBS

TIGER, CHERRY, ODESSA, GREEN, ALBINO OH MY!

Barbs are lively, hardy, and colorful fish in the minnow family Cyprinidae. They are all schooling fish that do best if kept in groups of at least five or more, so keep that in mind when considering tank size for these fish. Because barbs are so active, tank mates should only be species that can tolerate boisterous companions. Long-finned fish, in particular, are usually not the best tank mates for some, such as the tiger barb. However, selective breeding has produced long-fin varieties of many barb species, including the tiger barb! The following barb species overviews will help you choose one that is right for you.