Info on "Odessa" barbs or "neon" barbs?

[Breakthecycle2]

I bought two, thinking they were a pair but it turns out they are definatly both males. they do that "spiral" dance and the one is bulling the other. Chasing him around and such. Should I have him removed? Or will adding a femal or two solve this problem? I know they should be kept in schools, but no one bothered to tell me that when I bough them. Id rather not have 6 of them because i will be overstocked.

 

[Lateral Line]

Here's a common name problem.

Odessa Barbs are a distinct group of fish. I don't know if they are a species or a morph. They breed true.

"Neon" Barbs, is one of a dozen species that have been bred to exagerate the xanthic qualities. Most fish I see as "Neon" Barbs, are Rosy Barb morphs, which are not "fixed" and do not breed true.

So if you have a real Odessa Barb and a "Neon" barb, well - who knows.

The "Neon" morph of the Rosy Barb behaves like any other Rosy Barb, the males will spiral dance.

In either case, these are fish that should be kept in groups, ideally 2 females to each male to disperse aggression. Ideally 6 or more fish.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Well, the ones i have, not sure of thje exact name, have a red line donw the middle, running horizontal with yellow/bluis fins with black specs.

 

[sylvia]

That would suggest you have odessa barbs then - which, BTW, are usualy considered a variety or sometimes subspecies of ticto barb and not a seperate species on their own - and which is better than if you had rosy barbs as odessa barbs stay smaller. Anyway, like Lateral Line said, they are a schooling fish so you should either make room for 4 more or re-home them where they'll have the tankmates they require. In future, assume any tetras, danios, barbs or rasboras you purchase to be schoolers which should all be kept in groups of at least 6 of their own kind. Those that are not schooling fish are the exception rather than the norm.

 

[Lateral Line]

Certainly sounds like Odessa Barbs.

>>> are usualy considered a variety or sometimes subspecies of ticto barb and not a seperate species on their own

Two recent papers I read showed that genetically, they were distinct from B. ticto and B. stoliczkanus, however, I also read another article which "confirmed" the B. ticto relationship. Such is life.

I have kept them for years. They certainly breed true.

At the moment, I don't know what they are.