Can gold barbs live with arowanas?
Verdict
No
No. Gold barbs and arowanas should not share a tank. An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3 inches gold barbs do.
What to watch
- Deal breakerAn adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3 inches gold barbs do.
- Deal breakerArowanas are aggressive and will bully peaceful gold barbs.
- Watch outThey only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
- Watch outArowanas grow to 36 inches and need 250 gallons, far more than a tank set up for gold barbs.
What works
- pH 6–7 suits both.
- They use different parts of the tank: gold barbs the mid, arowanas the top.
Water side by side
Size to scale
Care at a glance
| Gold barb | Silver arowana | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 64–75 °F | 75–86 °F |
| pH | 6–8 | 6–7 |
| Adult size | 3.0 in | 36.0 in |
| Minimum tank | 20 gal | 250 gal |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Aggressive |
| Swims at | Middle | Top |
| Group | Groups of 6+ | One per tank |
| Diet | Omnivore | Carnivore |
Better tank mates for gold barbs
Questions
Can gold barbs live with arowanas?
No. Gold barbs and arowanas should not share a tank. An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3 inches gold barbs do.
What temperature suits both gold barbs and arowanas?
75–75 °F. Gold barbs need 64–75 °F, arowanas need 75–86 °F.
What size tank do gold barbs and arowanas need together?
At least 250 gal, set by the silver arowana. Add space for each extra fish.