Dwarf amber barb

Barboides gracilis

Also known as Amber barbling

FreshwaterFish

Dwarf amber barb (Barboides gracilis) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 0.8 in (2 cm)
Minimum tank: 5 gal (20 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Coastal lowlands from Benin to Cameroon
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

This is one of the smallest aquarium fish, so keep it as a shoal of at least a dozen; single fish or tiny groups stay hidden and slowly lose condition. It swims in the middle water among plant thickets and does best over a dark substrate that shows off its amber glow. It is peaceful and easily out-competed, so pair it only with the calmest, smallest tankmates or keep it in a species tank. Feed micro foods: finely crushed flake, micro-pellet, baby brine shrimp, microworm and small frozen items such as cyclops. A planted nano of around 20 liters houses a starter group, and more space with more fish only helps.

In the wild

The dwarf amber barb comes from shaded, slow, often tea-stained coastal streams that run from Benin east to Cameroon, water softened and darkened by leaf litter. Recreate that with a dimly lit, densely planted tank, a dark substrate, botanicals or dried leaves to tint the water and gentle filtration. Hold it warm and on the soft, acidic to neutral side, around 23 to 27 degrees Celsius at pH 5.5 to 7.0.

Good to know

Barboides gracilis belongs to the carp and minnow family Cyprinidae and matures at under 2 centimeters, one of the tiniest fishes on the African continent. It fills much the same niche as the Boraras rasboras of Asian peat swamps: a translucent, amber-tinted micro cyprinid built for still, dark, acidic water. It is an egg-scattering species, moderately tricky to spawn, which keeps wild-type stock uncommon in shops.

Did you know

Africa and Southeast Asia never shared these fish, yet both produced almost identical amber micro-barbs under two centimeters long, a case of the same still, acidic swamp water shaping very distant relatives in the same way.