The Golden Barb is an attractive addition to many community tanks.

The Golden Barb is a peaceful fish that is well suited for most community tanks. They seem to do very well on commercial fish foods; both standard and vegetable flakes are accepted. In addition, they may enjoy nibbling on live plants. Golden Barbs, like many other barbs, do well in schools. The average school size should be around six to eight individuals in the average sized tank.

Mature Golden Barbs will generally grow between four and seven centimeters (one and a half to almost three inches) in length, though some larger specimens have been documented. Adult Golden Barbs have a gold color throughout, hence their common name, and are marked with silver highlights, making them an attractive fish. In addition they have black markings throughout, with a more distinct black spot on the base of the tail. Generally, the Golden Barb is smaller than some other popular barbs, and its smaller size may be a way to distinguish it from some similarly colored barbs. Males and females can be distinguished by the appearance of their vertical stripe. The female's copper colored stripe is less pronounced than the male's stripe.

There seems to be some debate as to where the Golden Barb lives in nature. Also, much of its natural behavior has not been studied. Some research states that these fish are found in India, while other documentation maintains that they are found in Thailand and nearby Islands. Golden Barbs belong to the same family of fish as carps and minnows.

The Golden Barb does well in tropical temperatures ranging from 18 to 22 degrees Celsius (68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit). It has been reported that this fish will do well in higher temperatures up to 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). This fish also does well in pH levels that range between six and seven. Some sources state that they should not be kept below a pH of six and a half.

These fish do best when kept in small schools, as opposed to singly.

The Golden Barb has been bred in captivity. Breeders report that the best way to stimulate mating is to increase the temperature slightly. A pH of around six and a half also seems to help encourage breeding. Plants should be added to the tank as well, as this fish lays their eggs on fine leafed plants. Hobbyists generally recommend that the parents be removed from the breeding tank after the eggs are laid.