Rosy barb tank mates

Good matches

62 of 98

The safest picks for rosy barbs are goldfish, paradise fish and crayfish. Each match shares rosy barbs' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Tolerates cool water. Mild nipper in small groups.

Temperature

64–77°F

pH

6–7.5

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

Minimum tank

30 gal

With care

20

Avoid

16

Good tank mates

• Goldfish64–74°F
• Paradise fish64–77°F
• Crayfish65–77°F
• Panda cory68–77°F
• Zebra danio65–77°F
• Corydoras72–77°F
• Dojo loach64–77°F
• Gold barb64–75°F
• Mystery snail68–77°F
• Hillstream loach68–75°F
• Pictus catfish72–77°F
• Bolivian ram72–77°F
• Upside down catfish72–77°F
• Kuhli loach75–77°F
• Blue gourami72–77°F
• Killifish70–77°F
• Otocinclus72–77°F
• White cloud minnow64–72°F
• Sparkling gourami72–77°F
• Red tail shark72–77°F
• Rainbow shark72–77°F
• Tiger barb72–77°F
• Zebra loach73–77°F
• Odessa barb70–77°F
• Black skirt tetra70–77°F
• Bristlenose pleco73–77°F
• Kribensis75–77°F
• Yoyo loach75–77°F
• Neon tetra72–77°F
• Chinese algae eater74–77°F
• Clown pleco73–77°F
• Congo tetra73–77°F
• Harlequin rasbora72–77°F
• Ramshorn snail70–77°F
• Serpae tetra72–77°F
• Cherry barb73–77°F
• GloFish tetra72–77°F
• Lemon tetra72–77°F
• Nerite snail72–77°F
• Hatchetfish75–77°F
• Kissing gourami72–77°F
• Platy70–77°F
• Apistogramma75–77°F
• Siamese algae eater75–77°F
• Firemouth cichlid75–77°F
• Pygmy cory72–77°F
• Celestial pearl danio72–77°F
• Black neon tetra73–77°F
• Electric blue acara72–77°F
• Endler's livebearer72–77°F
• Glowlight tetra74–77°F
• Ember tetra73–77°F
• Swordtail72–77°F
• Pencilfish75–77°F
• Severum74–77°F
• Glass catfish75–77°F
• Rummy nose tetra75–77°F
• Silver dollar75–77°F
• Assassin snail75–77°F
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish75–77°F
• Chili rasbora75–77°F
• Boesemani rainbowfish75–77°F

Possible, with care

• Koi At 24 inches a koi can swallow a small rosy barb. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Pea puffer Pea puffers are aggressive. Rosy barbs hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Honey gourami Rosy barbs nip at slow fish. Honey gouramis cannot get away.
• Amano shrimp Rosy barbs will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give amano shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Dwarf gourami Rosy barbs nip at slow fish. Dwarf gouramis cannot get away.
• Elephant nose fish Rosy barbs nip at slow fish. Elephant nose fish cannot get away.
• Bamboo shrimp Rosy barbs will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give bamboo shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive. Rosy barbs hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• African dwarf frog Rosy barbs nip at slow fish. African dwarf frogs cannot get away.
• Common pleco Plecos grow to 15 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for rosy barbs.
• Pearl gourami They only share 77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Molly Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.
• Clown loach They only share 77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Bala shark Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for rosy barbs.
• Tinfoil barb Tinfoil barbs grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for rosy barbs.
• African cichlid Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, rosy barbs want pH 6–7.5.
• Blood parrot They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Electric yellow cichlid Different water: rosy barbs want pH 6–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Cardinal tetra They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Peacock cichlid They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

• Betta Rosy barbs nip fins, and the long fins of bettas are an easy target.
• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); rosy barbs need 64–77°F. They overlap only at 64–66°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Cherry shrimp A rosy barb is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.
• Guppy Rosy barbs nip fins, and the long fins of guppies are an easy target.
• Ghost shrimp A rosy barb is big enough to swallow adult ghost shrimp.
• Fancy goldfish Rosy barbs nip fins, and the long fins of fancy goldfish are an easy target.
• Angelfish Rosy barbs nip fins, and the long fins of angelfish are an easy target.
• Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches rosy barbs do.
• Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches rosy barbs do.
• Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches rosy barbs do.
• Zebra pleco No shared temperature. Rosy barbs need 64–77°F, zebra plecos need 79–88°F.
• Jack Dempsey An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches rosy barbs do.
• German blue ram No shared temperature. Rams need 80–86°F, rosy barbs need 64–77°F.
• Discus No shared temperature. Discus need 82–88°F, rosy barbs need 64–77°F.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 4 inches rosy barbs do.
• Flowerhorn No shared temperature. Flowerhorns need 80–89°F, rosy barbs need 64–77°F.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the rosy barb care sheet.