At a glance the quick version
Scientific specimens measure up to 4.6 cm SL; aquarium fish have been reported to about 7 cm (Wikipedia)
Looks how to spot one
Small, compressed scaled cyprinid
A small barb with a striking look. Males carry a broad, bright red band along the flank, red eyes and pale fins dotted and edged with black. Females are plainer, beige with a silvery sheen and fainter markings, and a little thicker in the body.231
Personality what they are like
Generally very peaceful, it makes an ideal resident of a well-planned community tank.2
Daily activity how busy a day looks
An active schooling fish that likes room to swim; it is a keen jumper.23
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Regular partial water changes and a varied diet keep it in top colour. A tight-fitting lid is needed because it jumps.23
Home where they are happiest
A tank with a base of at least 80 x 30 cm (about 72 litres). Temperature 16-25 °C, pH 6.5-8.5, hardness 5-20 °H.2
Food basics what goes in the bowl
An omnivorous forager. Offer good flake food with plant content plus small live or frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia and Artemia.2
Company who they like around
Keep at least 8-10 together. Mixes well with similar-sized peaceful cyprinids and loaches.2
The story where it all began
This barb appeared in the aquarium hobby in the early 1970s around Odesa in Ukraine, which gave it its name, and for decades its wild origin was a mystery. Wild fish were found in Myanmar in 2003, and Kullander and Britz described it scientifically in 2008.231
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Its common name comes from Odesa, Ukraine, where it first turned up in the hobby in the 1970s.3
- 2
Aquarists kept it for over 30 years before scientists formally described it in 2008.2
- 3
Its species name padamya is the Burmese word for ruby.3
- 4
Many hobbyists once believed it was a hybrid until wild populations were found in 2003.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Assessed as Data Deficient (February 2010)1
- FishBase
- Described by Kullander & Britz in 20081
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Odessa Barb. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase - Pethia padamya fishbase.seused for author/year, IUCN status, size, type locality, appearance
- Seriously Fish - Pethia padamya seriouslyfish.comused for origin, size, tank and water parameters, diet, behaviour, appearance, history
- Wikipedia - Odessa Barb en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, history, name meaning, colours, size
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.