TankBud

Gold barb

Barbodes semifasciolatus

Also known as Schubert barb, Puntius sachsii, Schuberti barb, Chinese barb, Golden barb

FreshwaterFish

Gold barb (Barbodes semifasciolatus)
Imperial Tropicals · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–75°F
18–24°C
pH
6.0–8.0
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Very common
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Vietnam, Taiwan, southwestern China, northern Laos

Overview

The gold barb is an active schooling barb for a cool, unheated community tank. It is a good first fish.

Did you know

The gold barb's color is the work of breeders. The wild fish is a greenish barb with dark vertical bars across its sides, which gave it the name half-banded barb. Generations of selecting the brightest yellow-gold fish produced the metallic look in the trade today.

Caring for the gold barb

Keep gold barbs in a group of 6 to 10 in a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). A bigger group spreads out their mild fin nipping and settles them down. Give them an open swimming lane down the middle with some planted edges, and a dark substrate to bring out their best color.

They handle cooler temperatures and do fine in an unheated tank at 64 to 75°F (18 to 24°C). They take a pH anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0 and are not fussy about water, as long as it stays clean and stable.

Feed flakes, small pellets and frozen foods such as daphnia or bloodworm. Offer some plant matter too, since they may nibble soft-leaved plants.

Gold barbs are mostly peaceful and hold the middle of the tank. Avoid long-finned or slow tank mates that cannot keep up or that invite nipping. They are egg scatterers with no parental care, and breeding takes some effort to get right.

Good to know

Barbodes semifasciolatus is a barb in the family Cyprinidae. The gold form sold in shops is a color morph of the wild half-banded barb, not a separate species. A healthy adult can live several years.

In the wild

Gold barbs trace back to subtropical streams and ditches across Vietnam, Taiwan, southwestern China and northern Laos. The water there runs cool for much of the year.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The gold barb is a mostly 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 gold barb need?

A gold barb needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a gold barb need?

A gold barb is comfortable at 64–75°F (18–24°C) with a pH of 6.0–8.0.

What does a gold barb eat?

A gold barb eats flakes, small pellets and frozen foods such as daphnia or bloodworm. Offer some plant matter as well, since it may nibble soft-leaved plants.

How big does a gold barb get?

An adult gold barb reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

Does a gold barb need a group?

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

How does a gold barb breed?

Gold barbs are egg scatterers that give no parental care. Breeding them takes some effort to get right.

Related species