Dwarf barb
Pethia phutunio
Also known as Spottedsail barb, Green dwarf barb, Puntius phutunio
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.2
- Adult size
- 1.4 in
- 3.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 12 gal
- 45 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Origin
- Native to still and slow waters across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Overview
The dwarf barb is a small, peaceful schooling barb for a planted nano tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
Male dwarf barbs light up green and gold as they jostle for position in a big group. That gives a lot of movement and color in a small planted tank.
Caring for the dwarf barb
Keep dwarf barbs in a group of at least eight to ten, in a tank of 12 gal (45 L) or more. A larger group keeps them confident and brings out the best color, especially over a dark substrate with plants.
Give them soft to moderately hard water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.2. Feed small flakes and micro pellets, with frozen daphnia, cyclops and baby brine shrimp.
The dwarf barb is a gentle schooler that swims in the middle of the tank. It suits other small, calm community fish, and dwarf shrimp too large to be eaten. Males show a row of dark bars and a green-gold sheen, brightest in a shaded tank. Breeding dwarf barbs takes moderate effort.
Good to know
The dwarf barb was long traded as Puntius phutunio and moved into the genus Pethia in the 2012 barb revision. It is one of the smallest barbs and carries only tiny barbels at the mouth. FishBase lists it under the common name spottedsail barb, after the marked dorsal fin. It also goes by green dwarf barb.
In the wild
The dwarf barb lives in ponds, ditches and slow streams in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It shoals among plants and leaf litter.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The dwarf 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Common otocinclus
Otocinclus vittatus
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 12 gal (46 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Pygmy hatchetfish
Carnegiella myersi
Freshwater1 in (2.5 cm) · 12 gal (45 L)73–79°F (23–26°C)
Bamboo shrimp
Atyopsis moluccensis
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 13 gal (50 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a dwarf barb need?
A dwarf barb needs at least 12 gal (45 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a dwarf barb need?
A dwarf barb is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.
What does a dwarf barb eat?
A dwarf barb eats small flakes and micro pellets. Add frozen daphnia, cyclops and baby brine shrimp.
How big does a dwarf barb get?
An adult dwarf barb reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).
Does a dwarf barb need a group?
Yes. A dwarf barb is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
How can you tell a male dwarf barb from a female?
Males show a row of dark bars and a green-gold sheen. The color is brightest in a shaded tank.
Related species
1.6 in (4 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Canius barb
Pethia canius
1.6 in (4 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Golden dwarf barb
Pethia gelius
1.6 in (4 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Redlip barb
Pethia erythromycter
1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.8 in (4.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)Manipur barb
Pethia manipurensis
1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.8 in (4.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)Narayan barb
Pethia narayani
1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.8 in (4.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)61–77°F (16–25°C)Odessa barb
Pethia padamya
1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)