Gold barb

Barbodes semifasciolatus

Also known as Schubert barb

FreshwaterFish

Gold barb (Barbodes semifasciolatus) — Nguyen DInh Tao · CC BY 3.0

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
Difficulty: Beginner
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Very common
Origin: Vietnam, Taiwan, southwestern China, northern Laos
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Keep them in a group of 6 to 10 in a tank of at least 75 liters, since a bigger group spreads out their mild fin-nipping and settles them down. They are mostly peaceful, active swimmers that hold the middle of the water column. Water can run cool to room temperature, 18 to 24 C, with a pH from 6 to 8. Feed flakes, small pellets, and frozen foods like daphnia or bloodworm, and offer some plant matter since they may nibble soft-leaved plants. Avoid long-finned or slow tankmates that cannot keep up or that invite nipping.

In the wild

Gold barbs trace back to subtropical streams and ditches across Vietnam, Taiwan, southwestern China, and northern Laos, where the water runs cool for much of the year. Because they handle cooler temperatures, they do fine in an unheated tank held between 18 and 24 C. Give them an open swimming lane down the middle of the tank with some planted edges, a pH anywhere from 6 to 8, and dark substrate to bring out their best color. They are not fussy about water as long as it stays clean and stable.

Good to know

This is Barbodes semifasciolatus, a barb in the family Cyprinidae that grows to about 7 cm. The gold form sold in shops is a selectively bred color morph of the wild half-banded barb, not a separate species. They are egg scatterers with no parental care, and breeding takes some effort to get right. A healthy adult can live several years.

Did you know

The gold color is the work of breeders, not nature. The wild fish is a greenish barb marked with dark vertical bars across its sides, which is where the name half-banded barb comes from. Generations of selecting for the brightest yellow-gold fish produced the metallic look you see in the trade today.