Barbs · Puntius
Cherry barb
Puntius titteya · Shaded forest streams, Sri Lanka
Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
23–27 °C 73–81 °F
pH
6–7.5 neutral water
Adult size
5 cm 2 in
Swims
Mid-water and bottom mostly in open water
Keep together
6 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food
Eats most foods
Temperament
Peaceful
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Where it comes from
Home water
Shaded forest streams, Sri Lanka
Lives in stream habitat.
Shaded: the countries it comes from. Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Leopard frog L134
Plecos · 11 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water -
Celestial pearl danio
Rasboras & danios · 2.5 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Need different temperatures and will eat the cherry barb
-
Will eat the cherry barb
-
Need a different pH and will eat the cherry barb
-
Aggressive and will eat the cherry barb
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Cherry barb get?
About 5 cm (2 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Cherry barb need?
23–27 °C (73–81 °F).
What pH does a Cherry barb need?
pH 6–7.5.
Does a Cherry barb need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 6.
Is the Cherry barb aggressive?
No. It is peaceful with fish that suit the same water.
What does a Cherry barb eat?
It eats most foods: flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
Where does the Cherry barb come from?
Shaded forest streams, Sri Lanka.
What fish can live with a Cherry barb?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Leopard frog (L134), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Amano shrimp, Bolivian ram.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 23 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 27 | Estimate |
| pH min | 6 | Estimate |
| pH max | 7.5 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 5 | Estimate |
| Flow | Low | Estimate |
| Habitat | stream | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 6 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Estimate |
| Diet | Omnivore | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 3 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 5 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.