Looking for something colorful to liven up your tank? Perhaps something that works well in a group and schools for some entertaining observations in the tank setup?
Then look no further than the Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya). Vibrant good looks and schooling flair from the Cyprinidae family combined with hardy characteristics make it a perfect tropical freshwater fish for beginners and experienced hobbyists alike.
They come from slow-moving water and ponds in Sri Lanka and live in heavily planted, shaded water systems from the tropical overhang.
With a couple of types available commercially, you should be able to source one to suit you. They may also be called Red Cherry Barbs or Crimson Carplets in the trade.
Small in size but not in personality, these fish make a great addition that is both colorful and truly stands out in a well-planted tank. Their classic fish shaping, moderate fins, and straightforward physiology make them a well-admired species for aquariums.
While dwindling in the wild, these fish thrive in captivity and are being managed by commercial breeding setups for the trade.
Cherry Barb Behavior
With a schooling fish, you know you’re going to require a group to show them off to their full potential, not to mention to be considerate of their psychological needs.
Cherry Barbs love the midsection of the tank and will provide you with ample activity as they get into their schooling behaviors and open water swimming action.
If you fail to provide them with a group of their own kind, you can expect a stressed out lonely fish who isn’t likely to last long. Not only will it be stressed, but it will end up hiding the majority of the time. They tend to be quite shy, and they need the group mentality to gather their nerves and be brave!
As long as you keep your school alongside non-aggressive tank mates, you can expect to witness a lot of activity with safety in numbers.
Peaceful by nature, you may see one fish dart away from the school to check something out on the top or bottom layer of the tank, but you’ll soon see them zip back to their friends. The need to school is far too tempting to leave for long.
Males can often harass the females around the breeding season, so the conventional ratio to keep them in is 1 male for every 2 females.
In addition, they will show off much better in a group in your tank too. Males will develop more brilliant coloring as they compete for female attention within your gang.
Speaking of competition, this would be the only time you might witness any aggression within your school. Males can get a little rambunctious during mating season and will get territorial and sometimes get aggressive between themselves.
They are not known to be fin-nippers like some other barbs, so they are great to get along with others.
They dislike too much activity in the tank, though, so avoid keeping them with other busy schooling species or those who actively dart and have high-speed swimming actions as individuals as it can spook your Cherry Barbs.
Cherry Barb Lifespan
If you cater to the needs of your Cherry Barbs, you could expect them to live for, on average, around 4 years. They can live longer, though, so up to 7 years is possible.
We will discuss more on tank requirements a little later in this article.
Cherry Barb Appearance
As the name implies, you can expect these fish to have some red coloring. Males are by far the most vibrant, whereas females are generally duller but do have some red accents.
Males possess brownish-green backs and vibrant red midsections and bottoms, with a brownish-red lateral line. Fins range from yellowy to red.
Females have a yellowish-grey back, a whitish abdomen, and a brownish-red lateral line like the males.
Topping out at 2 inches at full maturity, these are not large fish. But they certainly aren’t nano-fish either!
You can source varieties in the trade for this species, such as:
- The Albino Cherry Barb
- The Veiltail Cherry Barb
- The Longfin Cherry Barb
Cherry Barb Habitat And Tank Requirements
As always, we want to achieve optimum health for fish we keep in captivity by closely mimicking their natural habitat. Their origins are the tropical slow-moving waters and ponds of Sri Lanka.
They love the shade as well as lots and lots (tons perhaps?) of plant life for a happy habitat.
Let’s look at some specifics that are needed to provide these fun-loving fish with a great quality of life that best suits them for optimum health.
Tank Conditions
These fish love their plants, so you should expect to do a lot of work with live plantings if you want a successful tank of Cherry Barbs. This may be why they aren’t always best suited to newcomers to the hobby.
Hornwort, Java Fern, Anubias, Coontail, Cryptos, Vallisneria, and Anachris are all great examples of plants that will suit these little fish.
While the plants will provide most of the hiding cover these fish crave for security, adding in things like caves and other hidey-holes will also suit them really well.
Filtration can be moderate, as they don’t come from fast-moving waters. Throw in an airstone or two if you wish to provide interest.
Consider a darker substrate in your setup, too, as it will help provide contrast to really show off their coloring. You can use coarse sand or gravel for these fish as they have plenty of scales and aren’t going to be dragging themselves over the bottom.
Water changes will need to be weekly and at least 25% changed over.
Water conditions should be noted and maintained as follows:
- pH of 6 – 7.5
- Water hardness between 4 – 15 dKH
- Temperature between 73 – 81ºF (22 – 27ºC)
- Lighting on low levels will make their coloring stand out
Tank Size
The minimum tank size for a group of six is about 25 – 30 gallons, and if you add more, then add another 5 gallons for each individual.
However, this is the minimum, so getting something larger is even better to keep them active, curious, and healthier.
In terms of shape, you’ll want something long and rectangular that will allow them plenty of active swimming areas and lengthy bursts of activity. Avoid anything rounded that will impede their schooling nature.
Choosing Tank Mates For Cherry Barbs
When it comes to finding friendly species for your peaceful Cherry Barbs, you have plenty of options.
It should be fairly obvious that your options need to be similarly sized fish for their own safety, as they will otherwise be viewed as food by anything with a large enough mouth.
We also want to avoid aggressive species, even if they are suitably sized, because these guys are happy-go-lucky and would not fare well in a bullying situation.
Some excellent tank mate pairings that really would work well include:
- Dwarf Gouramis
- White Cloud Mountain Minnows
- Otocinclus Catfish
- Clown Loaches
- Kuhli Loaches
- Plecos
- Asian Stone Cats
- Rainbow Sharks
- Celestial Pearl Danios
- Mollies
- Glass Catfish
- Platys
- Harlequin Rasboras
- Tetras
Feel free to add in invertebrates like Cherry Shrimp or Ghost Shrimp for tank cleaners, and things like Mystery Snails are a good match too.
Ones to avoid are anything highly aggressive which will stress them out. Avoid Bettas, Cichlids, Tiger Barbs, Angelfish, and Goldfish.
How To Feed Cherry Barbs
Cherry Barbs will eat just about anything they can get their mouths wrapped around.
They’re omnivores who like to be fed 2 – 3 times a day, but ensure they aren’t leaving food behind in any one feeding, or you risk overfeeding them. Aim for what they can finish in about a 2 minute period which should suffice.
Frozen or live food sources like bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia are all great sources of protein-rich meals that will keep these fish happy.
They will eat algae and other plant matter, insects, and other small worms or crustaceans too.
Add in some flaked and pellet foods as their main food source, but ensure that it’s low or no-grain! Supplement with blanched vegetables like zucchini, spinach, or cucumber to keep things interesting. Algae wafers work a treat too and help deepen their coloring.
Cherry Barb Common Health Issues
Most freshwater fish are susceptible to Ich (White Spot Disease), which, as the name implies, is easily distinguished by white spots on the body due to a parasitic infection.
Ich is treatable when caught early and suitably medicated. If left untreated, Ich is usually fatal. Raising the tank temperature for two weeks will usually get rid of this parasite and eradicate the issues.
Fin Rot is another bacterial infection that affects their fins, just as the name implies. They may appear to disintegrate, and it is highly contagious through physical contact. If you suspect your fish has it, it’s important to quarantine it.
Fin Rot is commonly associated with poor water conditions, overcrowding, and stress which is due to both of the aforementioned issues.
All of these issues can be minimized with a strict water cleaning and change schedule along with regular checking of your water parameters. Remember, your tank is a living biome, and it isn’t just fish that are living inside it.
How To Breed Cherry Barbs
If you wish to explore a breeding project, then Cherry Barbs are a great way to get yourself started!
Their sexual dimorphism makes it easily apparent which is which in any tank, so being able to separate pairs should be straightforward.
Start by increasing the tank temperature to between 78 – 82ºF. Males will usually turn more vibrant when spawning is apparent, so you can then separate out your pair into a breeding tank with lots of plantings. You can also feed them more than normal to condition them for the process.
A single spawning can yield 200 – 300 eggs. They will spawn and scatter their eggs, leaving them abandoned to fend for themselves.
Remove the adults after spawning to protect the eggs from being consumed. Keep the breeding tank shaded with no water movement, and you should expect to see the fry hatch in a few days.
Tiny food sources are what is required to keep your baby Cherries energized and growing, so microforms are good until they can eat baby brine shrimp and other types of fry foods.
After two months, they will reach full maturity when you can introduce them to their schooling mates.
Are Cherry Barbs A Good Idea For Your Aquarium?
Cherry Barbs are a great starter fish that require less intensive care than most tropical fish because of their hardy nature.
Their social nature and diminutive size make them ideal for people who want a fish tank but don’t have a ton of space either. You can enjoy watching their personalities and hierarchy in the tank without too much trouble or any really special decor needs.
Their ability to easily breed make them a great experiment for first-timers too. The beauty of them is that they can quite harmoniously be added to larger tanks of similar water parameter tropical fish to jazz up your community with some fun color and activity.
Expect plenty of interest in your Cherry Barbs when visitors come over as they school and dart around the tank.
If you think you’re interested in getting started with fish keeping, these might just be your perfect match.
Cherry Barbs make a satisfying cherry on top!
