The dazzling Gold Barb has been a treasured member of community aquariums for decades. The Gold Barb has a mostly gold-colored body with small, dark or black patches running down the lateral line. As the Gold Barb matures, the fin coloration develops into a striking red/orange. In addition to its gorgeous coloration, the Gold Barb boasts numerous desirable characteristics sure to please any beginning hobbyist.
The hardy Gold Barb tolerates a wide range of water parameters, maintains a relatively small size, and gets along with most tankmates. The Gold Barb is not as aggressive as other barbs and will fare well in community aquariums along with other peaceful, similarly sized, short-fin fish. The Gold Barb is a social fish best kept in groups of 6 or more. As with other barb species, the female Gold Barb is fuller bodied than the male. Classified as an omnivore, the Gold Barb benefits from a varied diet of flake, pellet, and small frozen foods, such as mosquito larvae, daphnia, and brine shrimp.