Dwarf barb

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep dwarf barbs in a group of at least eight to ten in a tank of 45 litres or more at 22 to 26 C with a pH of 6.0 to 7.2. A larger group keeps them confident and brings out the best color, especially over dark substrate with plants. Feed small flakes, micropellets, and frozen daphnia, cyclops, and baby brine shrimp. It is a gentle schooler that suits other small, calm community fish and dwarf shrimp too large to be eaten.

In the wild

The dwarf barb lives in ponds, ditches, and slow streams across the northern Indian subcontinent. It shoals in soft to moderately hard water among plants and leaf litter. Males show a row of dark bars and a green-gold sheen, brightest in a shaded, planted tank. It is a small, peaceful barb well suited to nano community tanks.

Good to know

Long traded as Puntius phutunio, the dwarf barb was moved into the genus Pethia in the 2012 barb revision. It is one of the smallest barbs at around 3 to 3.5 cm and carries only tiny barbels at the mouth. FishBase lists it under the common name spottedsail barb, after the marked dorsal fin.

Did you know

In a big group the males light up green and gold as they jostle for position, giving a lot of movement and color in a small planted tank.

Related species

• 

  Golden dwarf barb

  Pethia gelius

  1.6 in (4 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)

• 

  Odessa Barb

  Pethia padamya

  1.8 in (4.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)61–77°F (16–25°C)

• 

  Stoliczka's barb

  Pethia stoliczkana

  2 in (5 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
• Cuming's barb

  Pethia cumingii

  2 in (5 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Black ruby barb

  Pethia nigrofasciata

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Ticto barb

  Pethia ticto

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)