Tank mates for black ruby barbs

We checked black ruby barbs against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for black ruby barbs include nerite snail, neon tetra, panda corydoras, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras and zebra danio. Avoid cherry shrimp, oscar and chinese algae eater: black ruby barb eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.

Black ruby barbs: 22–26°C (72–79°F), pH 6–7.5, adult size 6 cm (2.4 in), minimum tank 20 gallons (76 L). Full black ruby barb care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (86)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (43)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Angelfish · 29+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of angelfish are an easy target.
    • Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black ruby barbs.
  • Betta fish · 5+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of bettas are an easy target.
  • Common goldfish · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Dwarf gourami · 15+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of dwarf gouramis are an easy target.
  • Fancy goldfish · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of fancy goldfish are an easy target.
  • Guppy · 10+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of guppies are an easy target.
  • Tiger barb · 29+ gal
    • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black ruby barbs.
  • Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Black ruby barb hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Bala shark · 230+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat black ruby barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Blood parrot cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black ruby barbs.
    • Blood parrot cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase black ruby barbs, which use the same area.
  • Boesemani rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–26°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Clown loach grows much larger than black ruby barbs and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Dojo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Electric blue acara · 40+ gal
    • Electric blue acara may eat black ruby barbs, especially young or small ones.
    • Electric blue acara is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black ruby barbs.
  • Firemouth cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Firemouth cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black ruby barbs.
  • Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Black ruby barb hunts shrimp. Larger ghost shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Honey gourami · 10+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of honey gouramis are an easy target.
  • Pearl gourami · 29+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of pearl gouramis are an easy target.
  • Pictus catfish · 75+ gal
    • Pictus catfish may eat black ruby barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black ruby barbs.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of three spot gouramis are an easy target.
  • White cloud mountain minnow · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • African butterfly fish · 29+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of african butterfly fish are an easy target.
  • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
  • Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Black ruby barb hunts shrimp. Larger bamboo shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Buenos Aires tetra · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black ruby barbs.
  • Congo tetra · 40+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of Congo tetras are an easy target.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Black ruby barb may attack small crustaceans like dwarf orange crayfish, especially after they molt.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Kissing gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black ruby barbs.
  • Paradise fish · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Rabbit snail · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
  • Ropefish · 75+ gal
    • Ropefish may eat black ruby barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Serpae tetra · 20+ gal
    • Serpae tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like black ruby barbs.
  • Severum · 55+ gal
    • Severum may eat black ruby barbs, especially young or small ones.
    • Severum is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black ruby barbs.
    • Severum defends its patch of the tank and may chase black ruby barbs, which use the same area.
  • Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
    • Black ruby barb may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
  • Threadfin rainbowfish · 20+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of threadfin rainbowfish are an easy target.
  • Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Black ruby barb hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Zebra pleco · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–26°C).
  • Moonlight gourami · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of moonlight gouramis are an easy target.
  • Thick-lipped gourami · 20+ gal
    • Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of thick-lipped gouramis are an easy target.

Avoid Bad tank mates (20)

  • Cherry shrimp: Black ruby barb eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat black ruby barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black ruby barbs.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black ruby barbs.
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Black ruby barb 22–26°C (72–79°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black ruby barbs don't belong in that setup.
  • German blue ram: They need different temperatures: Black ruby barb 22–26°C (72–79°F), german blue ram 27–30°C (81–86°F).
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat black ruby barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black ruby barbs.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black ruby barbs. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black ruby barbs don't belong in that setup.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black ruby barbs. Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black ruby barbs don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat black ruby barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat black ruby barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Crystal red shrimp: Black ruby barb eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black ruby barbs. Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black ruby barbs don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat black ruby barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black ruby barbs don't belong in that setup.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat black ruby barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black ruby barbs.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful black ruby barbs.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Black ruby barbs don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat black ruby barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with black ruby barbs?

Good tank mates for black ruby barbs include nerite snail, neon tetra, panda corydoras, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras and zebra danio. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat black ruby barbs.

Can black ruby barbs live with angelfish?

Sometimes, with care. Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of angelfish are an easy target. Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller black ruby barbs.

Can black ruby barbs live with bettas?

Sometimes, with care. Black ruby barb sometimes nips fins, and the long fins of bettas are an easy target.

Can black ruby barbs live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can black ruby barbs live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.