Cherry Barb

Looks how to spot one

Small scaled cyprinid (barb)

A small, neatly built barb with a gently arched back. A dark line runs along each side from the snout to the base of the tail, and the scales above it are finely edged in darker tones, giving a net-like look. Males are slimmer and smaller, and turn a rich cherry red, especially when ready to spawn. Females are fuller-bodied and a softer tan with a reddish wash.234

Personality what they are like

Calm, gentle and a little shy when kept in small numbers. In a proper group it becomes much bolder and more active, and males put on colourful displays for the females. Unlike some of its barb relatives it is not a fin-nipper, so it fits well into a peaceful community tank.234

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderately active, cruising the middle and lower water in loose groups. It is happiest with open swimming room alongside thick planting where it can weave and hide.24

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Easy to keep. Regular partial water changes and a varied diet keep it lively and colourful. Colours look their best in a well-planted tank with a dark substrate and subdued lighting.23

Home where they are happiest

Aim for a tank with a base of at least 60 x 30 cm (about 54 litres); hobby guides range from about 40 litres for a group of six up to 100 litres or more for a larger school. Temperature roughly 20 to 27 C (23 to 27 C is the commonly quoted tropical range), pH 6.0 to 8.0 and hardness about 2 to 20 dGH. Recreate its shaded forest streams with plenty of plants, leaf litter, a sandy or fine substrate and gentle flow.2134

Food basics what goes in the bowl

An omnivore. Wild fish graze on algae, diatoms and organic debris and also pick off small insects, worms and crustaceans. In the aquarium offer good small flakes or granules, plus live or frozen treats such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, and some plant-based food like spirulina.123

Company who they like around

A schooling fish that should live in a group of at least 5 to 10, ideally with both sexes so males show their best colour. It mixes well with other peaceful fish such as small tetras, livebearers, rainbowfish, gouramis, catfish and loaches.213

The story where it all began

The cherry barb comes only from the rainforest streams of south-western Sri Lanka, where it lives in shallow, shaded, slow-moving water over silt and fallen leaves. It was scientifically described in 1929 by Deraniyagala, and its species name appears to come from a local Sri Lankan name for the fish. The genus name Puntius traces back to a Bengali word for small carp-like fishes. Its colour and easy-going nature made it a fixture of the aquarium hobby, and today it ranks among the most common small cyprinids sold. Sri Lanka no longer allows wild specimens to be exported, so almost all cherry barbs in shops are bred on fish farms, which has also produced ornamental forms such as albino, super red and long-fin. Outside its homeland, populations have also become established in parts of Colombia, Mexico and Panama after being introduced. In the wild it is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.1243

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Assessed as Vulnerable (VU), August 20191

Scientific description

Described by Deraniyagala in 19291

FishBase

Listed as highly commercial in the aquarium trade1