Breeding Cherry Barb
How to breed Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya): sexing, conditioning, a dimly lit egg-trap spawning tank, scattered eggs and infusoria-based fry care.
Overview
Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya) is an egg-scattering free spawner of intermediate breeding difficulty that shows no parental care. Spawning is achievable in a dedicated tank but the adults readily consume their own eggs, so the setup is built around protecting the eggs from the parents.
Sexing
Adult males are noticeably smaller, slimmer and more colourful than females, taking on a deep red colour that intensifies in spawning condition. Females are fuller-bodied, fawn-coloured on top with a slight greenish sheen and two pinkish stripes along the sides that darken when ready to breed.
Conditioning the Breeders
Condition the adults together on good food until the females fill with eggs and males show their best colour. Because the male constantly harasses females to spawn, a ratio of at least two females to one male reduces pressure on individual fish.
Breeding Setup
- Dimly lit spawning tank with mature water
- A mesh base, plastic grass matting, glass marbles or fine-leaved plants such as Taxiphyllum or a spawning mop so eggs fall out of the adults' reach
- Temperature at the upper end of the 22-27 °C range
- Slightly acidic to neutral pH
- Gentle oxygenation from an air-powered sponge filter or air stone
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Introduce one or two pairs (or six of each sex) once conditioned; spawning usually takes place the following morning. The male swims just behind the female and chases away rival males. A female scatters about 200 to 300 eggs over plants and the substrate.
Egg & Fry Care
The adults will eat the eggs given the chance and should be removed as soon as eggs are noticed. Eggs hatch within one to two days (24-48 hours) and the fry become free-swimming roughly 24 hours later. Offer infusoria-grade food for the first few days, then microworm and Artemia nauplii once the fry are large enough. After about five weeks the young reach roughly 1 cm and are recognisable as cherry barbs.
Common Challenges
Egg predation by the parents is the main obstacle, addressed by the egg-trap base and prompt removal of adults. Soft, slightly acidic water and dim lighting improve spawning and egg viability, and the tiny first-feeding fry require infusoria-grade food before they can take larger live foods.