Golden Dwarf Barb Care Guide
Pethia gelius is a tiny golden barb from the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages. A very peaceful, cool-tolerant nano fish for soft-water tanks.
Overview
Pethia gelius, the golden dwarf barb, is a very small cyprinid from northern South Asia. It was formerly placed in the genus Puntius and was reclassified to Pethia in 2012. The fish has a golden body marked with subtle dark blotches and is well suited to peaceful, soft-water nano aquaria.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cyprinidae
- Genus: Pethia
- Scientific name: Pethia gelius
- Former name: Puntius gelius
Habitat
The species is native to the Ganges and Brahmaputra river drainages in northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh. It inhabits shallow, slow-moving streams passing through agricultural areas, over muddy substrates and with minimal water flow.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 60 L (about 16 gal)
- Temperature: 18-26 °C (64-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 5-15 °dGH
- School size: at least 6, ideally 8-10 individuals
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
Diet
In nature it is a micropredator feeding on small insects and crustaceans. In the aquarium it should receive small live and frozen foods such as Daphnia and Artemia, supplemented with good-quality flakes and granules.
Compatibility
The golden dwarf barb is very peaceful but timid, and is a schooling species that should be kept in a group to reduce nervousness and encourage natural behaviour. Its small size and shy nature make it best suited to quiet aquaria with other diminutive species and freshwater shrimp rather than boisterous community tanks.
Breeding
It is an egg-scattering spawner with no parental care. Eggs hatch in about 24 to 36 hours, the fry becoming free-swimming after three to four days and initially requiring very small infusoria-grade foods.