Cherry Barb care guide
Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya) — minimum tank 50 L, temperature 22-27 °C, pH 6-7.5. Peaceful middle-water species.
Overview
The Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya) is a small cyprinid endemic to Sri Lanka. Mature males display brilliant cherry-red colouration that intensifies during courtship, while females remain pale tan with a brown lateral stripe. Unusually for the barb group, the species is calm and well suited to peaceful planted community tanks.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cyprinidae
- Genus: Puntius
- Scientific name: Puntius titteya
Habitat
Native to heavily shaded, shallow, calm freshwater bodies of Sri Lanka, where the substrate is typically silty and covered with leaf litter. Introduced populations are established in Mexico and Colombia.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 50 L (13.2 US gal)
- Adult size: 3-5 cm
- Temperature: 22-27 °C (72-81 °F)
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 2-15 °dGH
- Water flow: low
- Lifespan: 4-6 years
- School size: ≥6 individuals
Diet
An opportunistic omnivore. A varied diet of quality flake or micro-pellets supplemented with frozen and live foods such as daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworms maintains colour and condition.
Compatibility
A peaceful schooling species best kept in groups of at least six with a female-biased sex ratio of roughly 2:1. Suitable companions include Neon Tetra, Corydoras, Harlequin Rasbora and Guppy. Avoid keeping with Tiger Barb and other boisterous or aggressive species.
Breeding
An egg-scatterer. Males chase females to spawn; females scatter 200-300 eggs over plants and substrate. Eggs hatch in 1-2 days and fry become free-swimming after another two days, reaching about 1 cm in roughly five weeks.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable. Wild populations are threatened by overcollection and habitat loss, although the species is widely farmed for the aquarium trade.