Cherry Barb – Puntius titteya

Scientific Name: Puntius titteya
Common Name: Cherry Barb

The Cherry Barb is a beautiful, peaceful freshwater schooling fish known for its deep red coloration, active personality, and easygoing nature. Mature males typically develop the richest cherry-red coloration, particularly when comfortable and in breeding condition, while females generally display more subdued reddish-brown tones with a fuller body shape.

Native to Sri Lanka, Cherry Barbs naturally inhabit shaded, slow-moving waters with dense vegetation and abundant cover. Their manageable size and peaceful temperament make them an excellent choice for planted aquariums and community setups.

Cherry Barbs are social fish and should be maintained in a group of at least 6, with larger groups providing a more natural social environment. When kept in a proper group, they are active without being overly aggressive and can create an impressive display of red coloration throughout the aquarium.

Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Adult Size: Approximately 2 inches
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Temperature: Approximately 73–81°F
pH: Approximately 6.0–7.5
Diet: Omnivore
Recommended Group Size: 6 or more

Recommended Setup: A well-filtered aquarium with live plants, driftwood, shaded areas, and plenty of open swimming space. A darker substrate and planted environment can help create a natural-looking display and allow the Cherry Barb's coloration to stand out.

Feed a varied diet of high-quality flakes, micro pellets, or other appropriately sized prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp and daphnia.

Behavior & Tankmates: Cherry Barbs are among the more peaceful barb species and are well suited to community aquariums. Good tankmates include other peaceful schooling fish, rasboras, tetras, Corydoras, and similarly sized community species. Avoid keeping them with highly aggressive or significantly larger predatory fish.

Please Note: Coloration, size, pattern, and sex naturally vary between individual fish. Males typically develop stronger red coloration as they mature. The fish you receive may differ slightly from the individual pictured.

Available Quantities: Individual fish and discounted group options are available. For their long-term well-being, we recommend keeping Cherry Barbs in groups of 6 or more.

All livestock from Felipe’s Fish is carefully selected and prepared for safe transport. Please review our shipping and Live Arrival Guarantee policies before ordering.