Checkered Barb (Oliotius oligolepis)

Checkered Barb (Oliotius oligolepis) is a small, peaceful Sumatran barb recognised by the dark edging on each scale, which creates its distinctive checkerboard pattern. In older UK aquarium books and supplier lists you may also see Puntius oligolepis or Capoeta oligolepis. These are older scientific combinations for the same fish, not separate species on this listing.

Some stock is also described in the trade as Gold Checkered Barb, reflecting the warmer gold or brass body tones seen in well-conditioned fish. Use the live size selector on this page for current supplied size, price and availability.

Quick facts

• UK common name: Checkered Barb / Checker Barb / Checkerboard Barb
• Scientific name: Oliotius oligolepis
• Older names: Puntius oligolepis, Capoeta oligolepis
• Adult size: around 5 cm
• Group size: at least six
• Practical aquarium baseline: around 60 litres for a small group, with more space preferred
• Temperature: around 20–25°C
• pH: around 6.0–7.0
• Temperament: peaceful, social and active
• Diet: omnivorous

Aquarium size and layout

A 60-litre aquarium is a sensible starting point for a small group, but length is more useful than height. Checkered Barbs are active midwater fish and look more natural when they have a clear swimming lane with planted cover around the sides and rear.

Use fine smooth gravel or sand, wood and robust planting. A darker substrate can make the checkerboard scale pattern and warmer male colouration easier to see. Keep a secure lid and avoid filling every part of the aquarium with décor.

Group behaviour

Keep at least six, with a larger group preferred where space allows. A proper shoal spreads normal social attention between several fish and usually produces more confident swimming and display behaviour.

Mature males can spar and show stronger colour without normally causing serious damage in a suitable group. If one fish is repeatedly excluded from food or shelter, review group size, aquarium length and visual cover rather than assuming the behaviour is harmless.

Water parameters

Checkered Barbs suit the cooler side of the tropical range. Keep them around 20–25°C in clean, stable water, typically mildly acidic to neutral and soft to moderately hard. They are therefore not ideal companions for fish that need permanently very warm water.

Ammonia and nitrite must remain at zero. Maintain nitrate with sensible stocking, regular partial water changes and mature biological filtration. Gentle-to-moderate circulation with good surface movement is suitable.

Feeding

Offer a varied omnivorous diet. Good-quality small flakes or micro-pellets can form the staple, supported by vegetable or algae-based foods and small frozen foods such as daphnia, Artemia or mosquito larvae.

Feed modest portions once or twice daily and spread food across the surface so the whole group can feed. Remove leftovers before they break down and reduce water quality.

Tank mates

Suitable companions include peaceful small cyprinids, rasboras and calm bottom dwellers that share the same temperature and water chemistry. Choose companions by adult size and long-term temperature range, not simply by the label “community fish”.

Avoid highly territorial cichlids, persistent fin-nippers, very slow long-finned fish and warm-water specialists that need temperatures above the Checkered Barb’s preferred range.

Sexing and breeding

Mature males are usually slimmer and show stronger colour, often with reddish tones and darker fin edging. Females are generally fuller-bodied and more subdued. Juvenile fish should not be sold with a promised sex unless the individual has been assessed reliably.

Checkered Barbs are egg scatterers. Breeding is normally attempted in a separate aquarium with soft water, fine-leaved plants, spawning mops or another medium that protects eggs from the adults. Once spawning is complete, adults are usually removed because they do not provide parental care.

Before ordering

Choose Checkered Barbs if you want a compact, peaceful shoaling fish for a mature planted community aquarium on the cooler side of tropical. Reconsider if the aquarium only has room for one or two fish or is maintained permanently at high Ram/Discus-style temperatures.

The live size selector is the current source for supplied size, price and stock. Plan the aquarium for the adult fish and full group rather than the delivery size.