Gold barb Tank Mates
Short answer: the best gold barb tank mates are Dwarf gourami, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly, Neon tetra, Platy. Gold barbs need 61–75 °F (16–24 °C), pH 6–8 and at least 30 gallons. Keep them in a group of 6 or more.
Gold barb care at a glance
| Adult size | 3.0 in (7.5 cm) |
| Minimum tank | 30 US gallons |
| Temperature | 61–75 °F (16–24 °C) |
| pH | 6–8 |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims in | Middle |
| Group size | Groups of 6+ |
| Care level | Easy |
gallon tank
✅ Compatible tank mates (35)
- Dwarf gourami
- Bristlenose pleco
- Harlequin rasbora
- Molly
- Neon tetra
- Platy
- Nerite snail
- Amano shrimp
- Celestial pearl danio
- Chili rasbora
- Ember tetra
- Mystery snail
- Otocinclus
- Panda cory
- Bronze cory
- Cherry barb
- Honey gourami
- Kuhli loach
- White cloud mountain minnow
- Zebra danio
- Swordtail
- Rainbow shark
- Red tail shark
- Siamese algae eater
- Pygmy cory
- Sparkling gourami
- Black neon tetra
- Bloodfin tetra
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
- Glass catfish
- Lemon tetra
- Peppered cory
- X-ray tetra
- Odessa barb
- Rosy barb
⚠️ Possible with caution (15)
- Cherry shrimp — Gold barb will eat baby cherry shrimp (and some individuals hunt adults), so a shrimp colony may not grow. Dense plants and moss help.
- Betta fish — Gold barb sometimes nips long fins, so betta fish may get harassed.
- Guppy — Gold barb sometimes nips long fins, so guppy may get harassed.
- Fancy goldfish — An adult fancy goldfish (up to 20 cm) may try to eat smaller gold barb (7.5 cm), especially at night.
- Tiger barb — Tiger barb may nip at calmer tankmates like gold barb; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Black skirt tetra — Black skirt tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like gold barb; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Cardinal tetra — Very narrow shared temperature range: Cardinal tetra 23–29 °C (73–84 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Rummy nose tetra — Very narrow shared temperature range: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Rummy nose tetra 23–26 °C (73–79 °F).
- Serpae tetra — Serpae tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like gold barb; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Common pleco — Very narrow shared temperature range: Common pleco 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Dwarf neon rainbowfish — Very narrow shared temperature range: Dwarf neon rainbowfish 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Buenos Aires tetra — Buenos Aires tetra may nip at calmer tankmates like gold barb; keep it in a group of 6+ to spread the nipping within its own school.
- Congo tetra — Very narrow shared temperature range: Congo tetra 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Firemouth cichlid — Firemouth cichlid is a much larger territorial fish and may bully gold barb.
- Chinese algae eater — Adult Chinese algae eater can latch onto other fish and rasp their slime coat.
❌ Not recommended (21)
- Angelfish — No comfortable shared temperature: Angelfish 24–30 °C (75–86 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Oscar — An adult oscar (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat gold barb (7.5 cm).
- Pea puffer — Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful gold barb.
- Endler's livebearer — No comfortable shared temperature: Endler's livebearer 24–30 °C (75–86 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- German blue ram — No comfortable shared temperature: German blue ram 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Glowlight tetra — No comfortable shared temperature: Glowlight tetra 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Kribensis — No comfortable shared temperature: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Kribensis 24–27 °C (75–81 °F).
- Pearl gourami — No comfortable shared temperature: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Pearl gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- Three spot gourami — No comfortable shared temperature: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Three spot gourami 24–30 °C (75–86 °F).
- Electric yellow cichlid — No comfortable shared temperature: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Electric yellow cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Discus — No comfortable shared temperature: Discus 26–30 °C (79–86 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Clown loach — No comfortable shared temperature: Clown loach 24–30 °C (75–86 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Forktail blue-eye — No comfortable shared temperature: Forktail blue-eye 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Paradise fish — Paradise fish is aggressive and will bully peaceful gold barb.
- Sterbai cory — No comfortable shared temperature: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Sterbai cory 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Convict cichlid — No comfortable shared temperature: Convict cichlid 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Upside-down catfish — No comfortable shared temperature: Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F) vs Upside-down catfish 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
- Boesemani rainbowfish — No comfortable shared temperature: Boesemani rainbowfish 27–30 °C (81–86 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Bolivian ram — No comfortable shared temperature: Bolivian ram 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) vs Gold barb 16–24 °C (61–75 °F).
- Jack Dempsey — An adult Jack Dempsey (up to 25 cm) is big enough to eat gold barb (7.5 cm).
- Bala shark — An adult bala shark (up to 35 cm) is big enough to eat gold barb (7.5 cm).
How many gold barbs per tank?
40 gal 55 gal 75 gal — see what else fits with our stocking calculator.
FAQ
What fish can live with gold barbs?
Good matches include Dwarf gourami, Bristlenose pleco, Harlequin rasbora, Molly, Neon tetra, Platy. They share a temperature range with gold barbs (61–75 °F (16–24 °C)), are a similar temperament, and are not big enough to eat each other or nip fins.
What fish should not live with gold barbs?
Avoid Angelfish, Oscar, Pea puffer, Endler's livebearer, German blue ram, Glowlight tetra.
What size tank do gold barbs need?
We recommend at least 30 US gallons for a group of 6 gold barbs, more if you add tank mates.
Can gold barbs live alone?
No. Gold barbs are social and should be kept in groups of at least 6.
Note: Compatibility depends on individual temperament, tank size, decor and how fish are introduced. Our verdicts use conservative rules applied to published care data (see methodology). They are guidance, not a guarantee. Quarantine new fish and watch for chasing, torn fins or hiding.