Cherry Barb
The cherry barb is a small, peaceful freshwater fish from the rainforest streams of Sri Lanka, famous for the bright cherry-red color of breeding males. Long known as Puntius titteya (and now often placed in the genus Rohanella), it is one of the most popular beginner fish for planted community aquariums.
Scientific Classification & Quick Facts
| Common name | Cherry barb |
| Scientific name | Puntius titteya |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Order | Cypriniformes |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Genus | Puntius |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable |
| Type | Small freshwater barb |
| Diet | Omnivore: algae, detritus, small animals |
| Habitat | Shaded, shallow streams with leaf litter |
| Native range | Sri Lanka |
| Size | Up to 5 cm long |
| Colours | Males deep red; females paler |
| Special feature | Schooling and peaceful |
Where Cherry Barbs Live
In the wild, cherry barbs are found only in Sri Lanka, in the wet southwestern part of the island, mainly in the river basins between the Kelani and the Nilwala. They were first scientifically described in 1929 by the Sri Lankan zoologist P. E. P. Deraniyagala.
They live in shallow, slow-flowing streams and small rivers shaded by forest. The water is clear but often tea-tinted, and the bottom is covered with silt, sand and fallen leaves. Cherry barbs stay close to plants, roots and leaf litter, where they can hide from predators.
Aquarium cherry barbs have also been released or escaped in a few other countries, including Colombia and Mexico, where small populations have been reported.
What Cherry Barbs Look Like
Cherry barbs are small fish, growing to about 2 inches (5 cm) long. They have a slim, slightly torpedo-shaped body. A dark stripe runs along each side from the snout, through the eye and to the base of the tail.
Males and females are easy to tell apart. Males are reddish all over, and when they are ready to breed or showing off to rivals, they turn a deep cherry red. Females are paler, tan or brownish with a yellowish tint on the fins, and their side stripe is usually more distinct.
Cherry Barbs in the Wild Today
Collecting for the aquarium trade, together with the loss and pollution of forest streams, has reduced some wild populations. Sri Lanka now controls the export of its native fish. Luckily, cherry barbs breed easily in captivity, so the fish sold in pet stores today are almost always farm-raised rather than taken from the wild.
Keeping Cherry Barbs in an Aquarium
Tank Size and Setup
A tank of at least 20 US gallons (about 75 liters) is a good minimum for a small group. Cherry barbs are schooling fish and feel stressed if kept alone or in pairs, so keep at least 6 of them, ideally with more females than males so that no single female gets chased too much.
Try to copy their wild home. Use plenty of live plants, some floating plants to soften the light, and driftwood or leaf litter for hiding places, while leaving open space at the front for swimming. Dim or diffused lighting helps them feel safe and brings out the males’ best color.
Water Conditions
- Temperature: about 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C)
- pH: about 6.0 to 7.5, slightly acidic to neutral
- Hardness: soft to medium
- A gentle filter and regular partial water changes
Like most fish, cherry barbs cope badly with sudden changes in temperature or water chemistry. Make any changes slowly and acclimate new fish carefully.
Tank Mates
Cherry barbs are calm and rarely nip fins, unlike some of their barb cousins. Good companions include other small, peaceful fish such as rasboras, small tetras, corydoras catfish and dwarf gouramis. Avoid large or aggressive fish that might see them as food.
What Cherry Barbs Eat
In the wild, cherry barbs are omnivores. They nibble on green algae, diatoms and bits of decaying plant matter, and they also eat tiny worms, insect larvae and other small animals.
In an aquarium they are easy to feed. A good-quality flake or micro-pellet food can be the main diet, with treats a few times a week such as daphnia, brine shrimp or blood worms (frozen or live), plus a little blanched vegetable like spinach or zucchini. Feed small amounts that they can finish in a couple of minutes.
Breeding Cherry Barbs
Cherry barbs are among the easiest egg-laying fish to breed. When ready to spawn, the male colors up and follows the female closely, chasing other males away. The female scatters her eggs among fine-leaved plants or moss, laying a few at a time over several days. One female can produce a couple of hundred eggs in a spawning season.
The parents do not look after their eggs and will eat them, so breeders often move the eggs or the adults to a separate tank. The eggs hatch in about one to two days, and the fry start swimming freely a few days later. They need very tiny foods such as infusoria or powdered fry food at first. With good care, the young reach about half an inch (1 cm) in around five weeks and slowly develop their adult colors.
Healthy cherry barbs often live around 4 to 6 years, making them a long-lasting and colorful addition to a peaceful tank.
Cherry barb FAQs
Why is it called a cherry barb?
The male turns a deep cherry red, especially when breeding and when he is the dominant male. Females are paler with yellow fins.
Where do cherry barbs come from?
Cherry barbs come from Sri Lanka, where they live in shaded, shallow streams with plants and fallen leaves. They have also been introduced to places like Colombia and Mexico.
How big do cherry barbs get?
They grow to about 5 cm (2 inches) long.
What do cherry barbs eat?
They are omnivores. In the wild they eat algae, diatoms, detritus and small animals, and in a tank they enjoy flakes, vegetables, daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworms.
How many cherry barbs should be kept together?
Keep at least five or six, since they are schooling fish. A single cherry barb gets stressed.
Randi Jones is the owner and founder of the Nature Gift Store, an online retailer specializing in nature-themed gifts, educational science projects, live animal nature kits and real butterfly artwork. A biology graduate who fell in love with insects, she founded the company in 2001 to make active learning about nature fun, accessible and engaging for children and adults. Her store offers real butterfly frames, home and garden decor and educational live animal kits, including ant farms, worm farms, tadpoles, ladybugs and hermit crabs, and she runs a bug museum in Washington featuring live animals like Eddie the Iguana alongside other reptiles and insects.
