Clown Barb
Barbodes everetti
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 12 cm
- Minimum tank
- 243 litres
- Temperature
- 18–28 °C
Species profile
Cherry Barb
Puntius titteya
Common names: Cherry Barb
Recognized speciesBarbs
Adult size
Up to 5 cm
Typical adult length 4–5 cm.
Up to 5 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A 55 L tank with a group of 10, which gives the males the confidence to colour up
- A densely planted tank with dark substrate, subdued light and plenty of cover
- A peaceful community with small tetras, rasboras and corydoras
Think carefully if
- Your group is small: males become more aggressive and colour dulls
- You keep very big or boisterous fish that will pester it
- You keep shrimp you want to protect: shrimplets will be eaten
A small, peaceful barb from Sri Lanka whose males turn deep red in spawning colour. It is a calm alternative to the livelier barbs, and a good fit for planted community tanks.
Appearance and Identification
A slim body with a dark line from the snout to the tail. Males turn from reddish brown to deep cherry red in breeding condition, and females are tan with the same line.
A dark line along the flank plus a slim body separates this fish from other small red fish.
Males are smaller, slimmer, and more colourful than females, especially in spawning condition.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 220–280 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 50–75 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 55 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 60 cm
- Minimum group size
- 6
- Recommended group size
- 10
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Low to moderate
- Planting preference
- Heavily planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Low
Provide dense planting with soft light and a dark substrate. Males show more colour when the fish feel secure.
Behaviour and Tankmates
A peaceful fish that holds loose groups. Males display to females and to each other without causing damage.
Keep at least 6 to 10, with more females than males where possible.
Not territorial. Males display but rarely harm each other.
Good with small tetras, rasboras, corydoras, and small gouramis. Larger fish may eat it. Adult shrimp are usually fine, but shrimplets may be eaten.
Water Parameters
Adapts to a broad range of water. Keep nitrate low and change water regularly.
Parameter caveat
Acclimate slowly and avoid sudden changes.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Insectivore, Omnivore
- Feeding frequency
- Once or twice daily
- Preferred foods
- Quality flake or small granulesUse as the daily staple and scatter it so every fish in the group can reach food.
- Frozen or live bloodworm, daphnia, and brine shrimpOffer a few times a week to improve condition and colour.
- Spirulina flake or blanched vegetablesBarbs graze as well as hunt, so include some plant matter each week.
An omnivore that eats small invertebrates and plant matter.
Use small foods. Frozen or live foods help bring males into their best colour.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Egg Scatterer
- Breeding difficulty
- Easy
- Brood or egg count
- Typically dozens to a few hundred eggs
- Incubation
- 2 days
- Parental care
- None
- Baby foods
- Infusoria or parameciumNeeded for the first days after fry become free-swimming, because the fry are very small.
- Fine powdered fry foodUse sparingly as a supplement, and siphon out anything left uneaten.
- Newly hatched brine shrimpIntroduce once the fry are large enough to swallow it, usually after several days.
- MicrowormsA useful next step for fry that are still too small for brine shrimp.
An egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care. Adults may eat their eggs, so remove them once eggs are seen. Eggs hatch in about 24 to 48 hours, and fine-leaved plants or spawning mops help protect them.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- South Asia, Sri Lanka
- Natural habitat
- Freshwater Stream, Slow River, Vegetated Shoreline
- Aquarium contexts
- Breeding Aquarium, Planted Aquarium
- Audience level
- Beginner
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Puntius
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Species group
- Barbs, Fish
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Denison Barb
Dawkinsia denisonii
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 11 cm
- Minimum tank
- 243 litres
- Temperature
- 15–25 °C
Drape Fin Barb
Oreichthys crenuchoides
- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 4.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 54 litres
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C
Dwarf Ember Barb
Barboides gracilis
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 1.8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 18 litres
- Temperature
- 21–26 °C