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Encyclopedia / Barbs / Gold barb
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Photo by naturalist132890, CC BY · source · credits

Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Gold barb

Barbodes semifasciolatus · Chinese barb, Schuberti barb

Peaceful, active.

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7 cmAdult size ✓
18–24 °CTemperature ✓
6–8pH ✓
80 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Gold barb only grows to 7 cm.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (18–24 °C vs 26–30 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • Oscar eats animals up to about 12 cm. Gold barb only grows to 7 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

313 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓2–20 dGH
Group size ✓8 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2.5–3.5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful, active.

Food

Flakes, pellets.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Male Gold barb
Male
Female Gold barb
Female

Adult females are rounder-bellied and grow slightly larger than males.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-scatterer · Easy

Easy egg scatterer that spawns in the early morning. Use a separate, smaller tank with mature water; adults eat the eggs.

Pairing

Buy 6 or more and let them pair up.

Setup

40 L tank with fine plants or mops. Spawning grate helps.

What starts it

Warm water change and good live foods.

Eggs

Eggs hatch in 24-48 hours and fry are free-swimming about 24 hours later.

Raising the fry

Feed infusoria or liquid food for days 1-3, then baby brine shrimp and microworms. Grow out with frequent water changes. Sort by size to cut losses.

Common mistakes
  • Leaving parents with eggs
  • Too little cover
  • Overfeeding
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouthern China and northern Vietnam
Rivers and lakesPearl River (Xi Jiang) and nearby coastal basins, plus Hainan
HabitatStreams and ponds in lowlands and hills
Native rangeAbout 700 km across
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The story of the gold barb

The gold barb is an ornamental golden strain of the Chinese barb, first developed in the 1960s by the American Thomas Schubert (hence the trade name 'schuberti'). A hardy subtropical fish that does well at 16-24 °C, so it suits many unheated indoor tanks.

Albert Günther described this barb in 1868. The golden aquarium form was developed in captivity and was once sold as 'Barbus schuberti', after breeder Thomas Schubert. Wild fish are greenish-gold.

First described by Albert Günther in 1868.

  • The bright gold form is a captive-bred colour variety.
  • It tolerates cooler water than many tropical barbs.
  • The trade name 'Schubert's barb' honours the breeder of the golden form.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources