TankBud

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
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Coastal lowlands from Benin to Cameroon

Overview

The dwarf amber barb is one of the smallest aquarium fish, a peaceful schooler for a planted nano tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The dwarf amber barb fills much the same niche as the Boraras rasboras of Asian peat swamps. Africa and Southeast Asia never shared these fish, yet both produced almost identical amber micro-barbs. The same still, acidic swamp water shaped very distant relatives in the same way.

Caring for the dwarf amber barb

Keep dwarf amber barbs in a dimly lit, densely planted tank over a dark substrate, which shows off their amber glow. A planted nano of 5 gal (20 L) houses a starter group, and more space with more fish only helps. Add botanicals or dried leaves to tint the water, and keep the filtration gentle.

Keep the water warm, soft and acidic to neutral, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Feed micro foods such as finely crushed flake, micro pellets, baby brine shrimp, microworms and small frozen foods like cyclops.

Keep a shoal of at least a dozen, since single fish or tiny groups stay hidden and slowly lose condition. They swim in the middle water among plant thickets. They are peaceful and easily outcompeted, so pair them only with the calmest, smallest tank mates, or keep a species tank.

The dwarf amber barb is an egg scatterer and moderately tricky to spawn. That keeps wild-type stock uncommon in shops.

Good to know

Barboides gracilis belongs to Cyprinidae, the carp and minnow family. This translucent, amber-tinted micro cyprinid is one of the tiniest fishes on the African continent.

In the wild

The dwarf amber barb comes from shaded, slow coastal streams that run from Benin east to Cameroon. The water is often tea-stained, softened and darkened by leaf litter.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The dwarf amber barb is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a dwarf amber barb need?

A dwarf amber barb needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a dwarf amber barb need?

A dwarf amber barb is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a dwarf amber barb eat?

A dwarf amber barb eats micro foods, such as finely crushed flake, micro pellets, baby brine shrimp and microworms. Small frozen foods like cyclops suit it too.

How big does a dwarf amber barb get?

An adult dwarf amber barb reaches about 0.8 in (2 cm).

Does a dwarf amber barb need a group?

Yes. A dwarf amber barb is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a dwarf amber barb breed?

Dwarf amber barbs scatter their eggs, and they are moderately tricky to spawn.

Related species