Cherry Barb
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Cherry
Barb
Puntius
titteya
Max.
size:
5 cm / 2 inches
pH
range:
6 – 8
dH
range:
5-19
Temperature
range: 23-27
°C 73-80.5°F
Care
Moderate
Common names-
Crimson Carplet
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Photo from
Wikipedia
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The Cherry Barb is popular
amongst new and experienced aquarium keepers
and is a great first fish as it is quite hardy
and can live up to seven years. The bright
colours and shoaling nature have also added to
its popularity.
The wild Cherry
Barb is comes from the tropical waters of Sri
Lanka but have also been introduced into Mexico
and Colombia.
Cherry Barb thrive in
streams that are usually well shaded by
vegetation and will appreciate a tank that is
set up with plants that will cover the surface
and create similar conditions to that
experienced in the wild.
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Although they appreciate a
well planted aquarium they will also happily
swim around in open areas of the tank.
The Cherry Barb will nibble on plants so choose
quite resilient species when
planting.
Minimum aquarium
size is 20 gallons with a good filtration
system and a strong current. Cherry Barbs
should always be kept in groups of at least
five or six fish, ideally more if tank size
allows. Any Cherry Barb that is kept
alone will become stressed.
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Photo from
Wikipedia
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Good filtration
and a quite a strong current are recommended. Cherry barbs live
in slow flowing waters in the
wild.
The Cherry barb is a
peaceful calm fish that will mix well with most small non
aggressive fish so is ideal for a community
aquarium.
Cherry Barbs
are really middle-tank species, but they will visit the bottom
and top of a tank especially if the surface is covered by
plants.
The average Cherry barb life span
is 4 years, but they can live up to at least 7
years. Wild Cherry
Barbs are omnivorous and feed on a wide range of food.
They can be kept quite happily on flakes or other forms of
prepared food suitable for tropical fish, but also appreciate
extras such as brine shrimp, daphnia, plankton and blood
worm.
During breeding
Cherry Barbs will produce around 200 eggs that are scattered
among plants. Around two days later the fry will hatch and will
soon start to swim around. Unless you want them all eaten
by their parents and other fish, make sure that there is plenty
of weed for them to hide in.
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