Facts on Cherry Barb Fish

The cherry barb is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. It is one of the most common barb types found in the home aquarium. Because these barbs are usually hardy and easy to care for, they are known as good beginner barb fish for aquarium enthusiasts interested in learning more about barbs. They are also brightly colored, making them an attractive addition to the aquarium.

  1. Appearance

    • Cherry barbs are usually silvery in color, although their bodies can take on a muted red or rust color. During spawning time, males often become a bright red, giving the fish their name. Cherry barbs also have a metallic black stripe running the length of the sides of their bodies. The fins of the fish often appear red or pink. Cherry barbs grow to about 2 inches long. Male cherry barbs look slimmer than their round female counterparts.

    Temperament

    • Cherry barbs are known as peaceful fish that tend to leave other aquarium fish alone. Cherry barbs are energetic and like to swim freely about the aquarium. However, these fish can often become shy or may feel uncomfortable when they are placed in an aquarium with larger or more aggressive fish. Keep the cherry barbs in a small school of other cherry barbs, or introduce only peaceful fish about the same size as the cherry barbs to the aquarium.

    Care

    • Provide a large, clean freshwater aquarium for cherry barbs. A group of five cherry barbs will require an aquarium of 20 gallons. Larger aquariums often work even better, giving the fish more room to swim. Place many aquarium plants, real or fake, in the aquarium to give the cherry barbs a place to hide if they feel stressed. Keep the water temperature between 73 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and ensure that the pH level of the water remains between 6 and 8. Feed the fish a nutritious omnivorous flack food, and offer treats of live or frozen foods, such as bloodworms, occasionally.

    Breeding

    • Cherry barbs are easy to breed in the home aquarium. They are known as egg-scattering fish, which means that the female releases her eggs at the bottom of the habitat, usually on a soft or mossy plant. A male and female cherry barb can be introduced to a separate aquarium for breeding. After being fed nutritious live or frozen foods, the barbs spawn. The female cherry barb releases between 200 and 300 eggs. Remove the parent fish after spawning to prevent injury to the eggs. The eggs hatch within a couple of days.