Cherry Barb

Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya) is the wild-type form — males are a vivid, saturated cherry-red across the entire body with a dark lateral stripe. Females are pale amber-gold with the same lateral stripe. One of the most reliably beautiful and peaceful barbs available. The Cherry Barb is one of the most reliably beautiful, peaceful, and undemanding barbs in the hobby — a natural choice for planted community aquariums where its color and gentle nature can be appreciated without the fin-nipping concerns of larger barb species.

Feeding & Care Tip: Hikari Micro Pellets and Sera Vipan Tropical Flakes make excellent daily staples. Supplement 2–3× per week with Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Baby Brine Shrimp or Hikari Vibra Bites to enhance the vivid red male coloration. Feed small amounts 2–3 times daily.

Native to the slow-moving, heavily shaded forest streams of Sri Lanka — one of the most biodiverse and threatened freshwater environments in Asia. Wild populations are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to habitat destruction; virtually all aquarium specimens are captive-bred. The natural habitat is soft, slightly acidic, heavily vegetated water with dense leaf litter and very gentle flow.

Keep in groups of at least six, with a mix of males and females. Male Cherry Barbs are most impressive when competing for female attention — the vivid cherry-red intensifies dramatically during display and spawning. Unlike Tiger Barbs, Cherry Barbs are completely peaceful and suitable for planted community tanks with other small, non-aggressive species. They pair beautifully with small tetras, nano rasboras, and Corydoras.

Cherry Barbs are egg-scatterers that spawn readily in a planted aquarium. Males develop their most vivid coloration during spawning and pursue females energetically through the plants. Eggs are scattered among fine-leaved plants and receive no parental care. In a well-planted community tank some fry will survive to adulthood.

Care & Ideal Parameters