Cherry Barb
2 Photo Gallery
1 Breed Profile
From its name we know the Cherry Barb is peach-red, deeper in mature males. Gentle, it is very suitable for planted tanks.
Chinese name: Cherry Barb
English name: Cherry Barb
Binomial: Puntius titteya (Barbus titteya)
Distribution: Sri Lanka
Water: temperature 23-26 C, pH 6.5-7.5
Breeding: easy
2 Appearance
Its appearance is striking; as its name suggests it is cherry-red all over, with males deeper red when mature. Gentle, it suits planted tanks.
The Cherry Barb, as the name implies, is peach-red all over, deeper in mature males. Gentle, it suits planted tanks. It is an egg-laying cyprinid about 4 cm long, with a soft cherry color over the body, beautiful among plants. Small body, small snout, gentle and easy – beloved by many. It likes the mid level.
3 Husbandry
Easy to keep and cheap, many keep a few for scenery. Recommended 24-29 C, pH 6.5-7.
In the tank it is a mid-lower level fish and, unlike other barbs, does not school. In a planted tank it colors up, reddening with age. Quick to feed, fast, active, with appealing color, good for community tanks.
4 Feeding
Its color is special and looks great with plants. Easy to keep, it likes the mid-lower levels. What food is best?
1. Live bloodworms (daphnia)
Acceptance: good;
Pros: fish love it, good absorption, fast growth, even feeding among the group
Cons: easily brings aquatic parasites
2. Live tubifex (water worms)
Acceptance: good
Pros: fish love it, good absorption, fast growth, easier to store than bloodworms
Cons: occasional individual heavy-metal contamination
3. Fast-frozen artemia
Acceptance: medium
Pros: higher, purer protein than synthetic feeds
Cons: cumbersome to feed
4. Brand-name feeds (including Tetra, color-enhancing brands, etc.)
Acceptance: medium
Pros: scientific formula, safe to feed
Cons: absorption and palatability less than live food
5. Off-brand feeds
Acceptance: poor
Pros: cheap, basically meets nutritional needs
Cons: eaten only when starving; no expected color or growth benefit