Origin
Native to the Red River basin in Southeast Asia (Vietnam and southern China), though the gold variant is a selectively bred aquarium strain.

Visual & Behavioral Appeal
Displays a metallic gold body with greenish undertones and faint vertical bar patterns. Constantly active in the mid-to-bottom water column, often schooling in small groups. Males become even more colorful during spawning season.

Purpose
Adds brightness, motion, and schooling behavior to planted or community tanks. Excellent for encouraging shy fish to become more active through dither dynamics.

Importance
A beginner-friendly species that thrives in varied water conditions. Their coloration and peaceful temperament make them a staple for educational, display, and home tanks.

Included Resources
Requires moderate flow, quality filtration, and some open swimming space. Benefit from dense plants or driftwood for resting zones. Prefer slightly cooler tanks.

Best Use Cases
Ideal for planted community tanks, Asian biotopes, or mixed schooling displays. Works well in tanks with peaceful bottom dwellers or small tetras.

Conservation Context
Wild populations of Puntius semifasciolatus may be under threat from habitat loss, but the gold variant is fully captive-bred and helps reduce demand on native ecosystems.

Ideal Aquatic Species
• Harlequin rasboras
• Corydoras
• Pearl gouramis
• Snails and shrimp (in mature tanks)
• Danios and loaches

Region (A)
• Latitude: 21.0285° N
• Longitude: 105.8544° E
(Hanoi region, Vietnam — native range)

Region (B)
• Latitude: 24.4798° N
• Longitude: 118.0894° E
(Fujian Province, China — secondary native zone)