5 × Cherry Barbs (Barbus/Capoeta titteya)

Choose a calm shoal for a planted aquarium

The Cherry Barb (Capoeta titteya) is a small freshwater cyprinid from Sri Lanka that reaches 5 cm. It suits beginners prepared to maintain a proper shoal, a mature biological filter and stable water in a planted community aquarium. These fish have slim bodies, forked tails and bronze-to-red colouring. Adult males are typically smaller, slimmer and more colourful than adult females, particularly when displaying, but colour and body shape must not be used as a guarantee of the fish supplied.

FishBase records Cherry Barbs from heavily shaded streams and rivulets in Sri Lanka’s Kelani to Nilwala basins. They favour shallow, slow-flowing water with silt and leaf debris, while their natural food includes detritus, algae, diatoms, small insects and other animal matter. FishBase now lists the species as Puntius titteya and treats Capoeta titteya as a synonym.

That natural setting points towards a planted aquarium with shaded areas, visual cover and space to move between plants. A dark substrate, floating plants, driftwood branches and leaf litter can create this structure without filling every swimming route. Keep open water between planted areas so the group can forage and display without losing nearby cover.

This is a peaceful species for a carefully planned community rather than an isolated display fish. Its manageable adult length does not make it suitable for an unfiltered bowl or a cramped aquarium.

Understand what one purchase supplies

One purchase supplies five Cherry Barbs. This pack is best used to begin a planned shoal or to increase an established compatible group, because the species should be kept in a group of at least six and preferably six to ten. Count every Cherry Barb already in the aquarium when working out how many more are needed.

The adult planning length is up to 5 cm. Build the aquarium around that adult length, the complete group and any other residents rather than around the fish’s size on arrival.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This 5 × Cherry Barbs listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

The gallery images are representative of this type of animal rather than photographs of the exact animal supplied, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal.

The gallery shows several fish together because social behaviour and group appearance are useful to see. The number visible in an image does not change the offer: this product supplies five fish per purchase.

Plan around the adult group and aquarium footprint

Seriously Fish gives a maximum standard length of 5 cm and requires base dimensions of at least 60 × 30 cm or equivalent, with an approximate volume of 54 litres. The footprint matters because these active fish need horizontal room as well as planted cover. A taller aquarium with a much smaller base is not an equivalent substitute.

Check whether the species fits your plan

Five fish therefore form a pack, not the preferred complete group when kept alone. For a new Cherry Barb aquarium, plan to reach at least six without overcrowding the filter. In a community aquarium, include the adult size and activity of every species when assessing space.

The species is described as an approachable choice for beginners, but success still depends on completing the preparation before the fish arrive. The decisive tasks are maturing the filter, measuring the aquarium water, maintaining the shoal and selecting peaceful companions with overlapping requirements.

Build cover without closing the swimming routes

Start with an aquarium whose base is at least 60 × 30 cm or equivalent. Around 54 litres is the corresponding planning volume, but base dimensions remain the minimum test. Increase the space when the aquarium will hold a larger Cherry Barb group or additional species.

Arrange the lower level

Use aquarium sand or gravel across the base. A darker substrate can provide visual contrast, while leaf litter and driftwood roots or branches add structure associated with the shaded, debris-rich streams used by wild Cherry Barbs. All wood, stones and ornaments must be intended for aquarium use and positioned securely.

Create several areas of cover

Plant in groups rather than forming one solid wall. Dense stems, floating plants and low cover can produce shaded retreats, while gaps between them preserve horizontal swimming room. This arrangement gives less confident fish somewhere to withdraw without separating them permanently from the shoal.

Keep the flow usable

Filtration need not be especially strong, although a degree of water movement is suitable. Watch how the fish use the tank after introduction. They should be able to hold position, forage and move into open water without being pushed continually into one corner. If every fish shelters from the outlet, redirect or diffuse the flow while maintaining filtration.

Check the layout from the fish’s level

Look across the aquarium near the middle and lower swimming levels. There should be more than one route between cover and open water, with no single ornament dividing the shoal or trapping a fish beside the filter intake. If planting leaves only a narrow corridor, move one group of plants rather than removing all cover. The goal is a sequence of sheltered and open areas across the full footprint.

Lighting can be moderated with floating plants and planted shade. Do not rely on dimness alone: the aquarium still needs clean water, a functioning filter and enough visible open space for daily observation.

Set stable water within the supported range

Keep the aquarium at 20–27°C, pH 6.0–7.5 and 4–12 dGH. Seriously Fish gives species ranges of 20–27°C, pH 6.0–8.0 and 2–20 dGH. OATA’s barb sheet gives group guidance of 20–27°C, pH 6.0–7.5 and 4–12 dGH, so these narrower routine values remain inside the species ranges.

Measure the tap water and aquarium water rather than choosing a value from guesswork. Our water chemistry guide explains what each reading means, while the water matcher helps compare measured values with this routine range.

Compare readings before changing anything

Suppose the aquarium measures 24°C, pH 7.2 and 8 dGH. Every reading sits within the routine targets, so the correct action is to preserve that stability rather than adjust towards a chosen midpoint. If a reading changes between tests, check the test method, replacement water and recent maintenance before making a correction. Repeating a surprising test is safer than reacting to one isolated result.

Stability matters within the range. Do not chase an exact midpoint by making abrupt chemical changes. If the aquarium is already stable within the routine targets, maintain that consistency through regular testing and conditioned replacement water.

A heater may be needed to hold the chosen temperature in a cool room. Seriously Fish estimates about 50–75 W for an aquarium near 54 litres when the room is around 20°C, but heater selection must also account for the actual aquarium volume and room conditions.

Mature the biological filter before adding the group

A working biological filter is essential. RSPCA aquarium guidance explains that fish release toxic ammonia, which filter bacteria convert first to nitrite and then to the safer nitrate. The filter must be established and processing waste before the Cherry Barbs enter the aquarium.

Prepare a new system with the steps in our first tropical tank guide. Confirm with tests that ammonia and nitrite are both 0 mg/l. Clear-looking water is not enough because ammonia and nitrite cannot be judged by appearance.

Match filtration to the aquarium

For an aquarium of about 54 litres, Seriously Fish suggests turnover of four to five times the volume each hour. That corresponds to roughly 215–270 litres per hour. Treat the manufacturer’s rating as a starting point and arrange the outlet so the group has gentle movement without struggling against the current.

Add livestock gradually

Each added fish and each increase in feeding creates more waste. The bacterial population must grow to meet that load, so do not add several unrelated groups at the same time. Test after stocking and slow the plan if ammonia or nitrite appears.

Protect the filter bacteria

Check the filter for reduced flow or blockage. Do not run it under the tap. Any chlorine or chloramine present may kill the beneficial bacterial population that has established in the media. If the filter needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in aquarium water removed during a partial water change.

Use test results as the stocking checkpoint

Before adding the pack, record temperature, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Test again after introduction and after the feeding load has begun. If ammonia or nitrite remains at 0 mg/l and the fish behave normally, continue the planned routine. If either appears, stop further additions, reduce feeding and use conditioned partial water changes while the filter adjusts. This decision is based on measured waste processing, not simply on how long the aquarium has been running.

Feed one small varied meal each day

Cherry Barbs are omnivorous foragers. In nature they consume detritus, green algae, diatoms, small insects and other animal matter. In the aquarium, use a quality flake or small granule as the staple and include products with plant or algal content.

Offer one meal each day and give only what the group can finish within a few minutes. Watch the whole shoal rather than judging the portion by the fastest fish. Food should be small enough for each fish to take easily, and little or none should remain trapped among plants or on the substrate.

Add variety without increasing the total portion

Small live or frozen foods such as daphnia, small bloodworm and Artemia can supplement the dried staple. When using one of these foods, substitute it for part of the normal meal rather than adding an extra full feed. This provides variety while limiting waste.

Use the aquarium as feedback

• If food remains after a few minutes: remove what you can and reduce the next portion.
• If only the boldest fish feed: distribute a small amount across more than one point so quieter fish can approach.
• If interest in food suddenly falls: test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and temperature, then examine breathing, colour and swimming behaviour.
• If the fish gain or lose body condition: review both portion size and whether all members of the group are feeding.

Judge the meal across the whole shoal

Begin with a small amount and watch where it travels. If the first food is taken immediately by two fish, place the remainder at a second point rather than increasing the overall quantity. Check the substrate and plant bases after the meal. Repeated leftovers mean the daily portion is too large even when the fish still approach eagerly.

Overfeeding adds organic waste and can undermine water quality. A measured daily portion, varied across suitable foods, is more useful than frequent feeding that leaves residues for the filter to process.

Use a weekly routine to protect water quality

Change 25% of the aquarium water at least once each week. Use a siphon to remove visible waste from open areas of gravel or sand, while leaving enough planted and sheltered structure for the fish. Treat replacement tap water with a conditioner that removes chlorine or chloramine before adding it.

Test before problems become visible

Test ammonia and nitrite at least weekly and keep both at 0 mg/l. Record nitrate alongside them, aiming to keep it no more than 20 mg/l above the level already present in the tap water. A written log makes a rising pattern easier to spot than isolated test results.

Separate the weekly jobs into a clear order

1. Test the aquarium before disturbing the substrate.
2. Record the readings and compare them with the previous week.
3. Remove 25% of the water while siphoning visible waste.
4. Lightly rinse blocked filter media only when needed, using removed aquarium water.
5. Condition the replacement tap water before it enters the aquarium.
6. Restart and check the filter and heater, then observe the shoal.

This order preserves a useful pre-maintenance reading, prevents chlorine or chloramine from reaching the fish and keeps tap water away from filter media.

Keep the weekly routine consistent instead of waiting for cloudy water or unusual behaviour. Water can appear clear while toxic nitrogen compounds are present.

After maintenance, confirm that the heater and filter are operating and that the outlet has not been redirected into a forceful current. Observe the group after disturbed debris has settled; normal swimming and feeding provide a useful comparison for later checks.

Acclimatise slowly without pouring bag water into the aquarium

Arrange for someone to receive the parcel because live fish cannot be left unattended. Follow our current delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy as soon as it arrives.

Follow the arrival steps in order

1. Start filming before the parcel is opened. Show the parcel still sealed and the outer box, then film continuously as it is opened until the fish can be seen inside the sealed bag.
2. Open and inspect the parcel on the same day it arrives.
3. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish.
4. Release the fish without pouring the bag water into the aquarium.

Keep the continuous unboxing video and order number if a Live Arrival Guarantee claim is needed, then contact us on the day the fish arrive.

Use OATA’s settling-in checks

Confirm that ammonia and nitrite are 0 mg/l and that the aquarium remains inside the stated temperature, pH and hardness ranges. Give the shoal immediate access to planted cover and open swimming space. Transport can temporarily affect colour, confidence and position in the aquarium, so observe the fish without repeated netting or rearranging the layout.

Check the complete group

• Count the fish during calm periods rather than forcing hidden individuals into view.
• Look for steady swimming and normal use of both cover and open water.
• Compare breathing rates across the group.
• Check that no fish is continually isolated, pinned near the surface or pushed by the filter flow.

Use first-week checkpoints

On the first day, focus on breathing, position and whether the group can reach cover. At the first feeds, confirm that food reaches more than the boldest individuals. Through the first week, compare daily behaviour with the initial observations and record the regular water tests. A gradual increase in open-water use can be normal settling; a fish that becomes increasingly isolated or stops feeding needs an immediate water check.

If ammonia or nitrite rises above 0 mg/l, reduce feeding, make a conditioned partial water change and pause further stocking while the filter catches up. Do not change pH or hardness abruptly simply because the new fish are shy. First confirm that the readings are inside the stated range and stable.

Respond early when behaviour or appearance changes

Learn the group’s normal pattern when the fish are settled. Healthy observations include clear eyes, intact scales and fins, appropriate swimming and regular interest in food. Individual colour and confidence can vary, so compare each fish with its own recent behaviour as well as with the rest of the shoal.

Check water first

Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and temperature whenever several fish change behaviour together or one fish becomes unusually withdrawn. Ammonia and nitrite must remain at 0 mg/l. Also check that the filter is running and that no recent cleaning, stocking or feeding change has increased the load.

Watch for specific changes

• Hanging at the surface, sitting on the bottom or erratic swimming
• Breathing faster or slower than normal
• Becoming markedly darker or paler
• Hiding more or showing a sudden change in aggression
• White spots, fluffy growths, ulcers, bumps or loss of scales or fins
• Reduced feeding or a clear change in body condition

Record what changed and when

Note whether the change affects one fish or the whole group, when it began and whether it followed maintenance, feeding or new livestock. Record the measured water values rather than relying on descriptions such as clean or normal. This short timeline helps separate a group-wide environmental change from a problem affecting one individual and makes any later health discussion more precise.

These signs can have different causes, so do not choose a treatment from appearance alone. Correct measurable water-quality problems promptly and contact us about significant health changes before adding medication. Include the aquarium volume, temperature, recent ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH readings, the number of affected fish and when the change began.

Daily observation takes only a few minutes when it is built around feeding. It is most useful when combined with regular test results and a stable maintenance routine.

Screen every companion for temperament, water and space

Cherry Barbs are generally peaceful and can suit a well-researched community aquarium. Seriously Fish names other small cyprinids, tetras, livebearers, rainbowfishes, anabantoids, catfishes and loaches as possible companion groups. These categories are starting points rather than automatic approvals.

Apply four checks before mixing fish

1. Water: every resident must share a stable temperature, pH and hardness range with the Cherry Barbs.
2. Space: the aquarium must accommodate the adult size, activity and group requirement of every species.
3. Temperament: choose peaceful fish and examine whether either species is territorial, timid or likely to focus on fins.
4. Feeding: make sure quieter Cherry Barbs can receive suitable food without being displaced.

Barbs as a wider group can include fin-nipping species, although OATA identifies Cherry Barbs among the smaller barbs that can generally mix with peaceful fish. Individual communities and layouts still differ, so screen every proposed companion rather than relying on its broad group name.

Reject a pairing when one test fails

A shared temperature alone is not enough. For example, a candidate may tolerate 24°C yet still be unsuitable if it needs a much larger aquarium, is likely to dominate feeding or continually drives peaceful fish from cover. Work through all four checks using adult requirements. If one requirement cannot be met for both species at the same time, choose a different stocking plan.

No pairing is automatic. A heavily planted aquarium may create useful visual breaks, but plants cannot compensate for incompatible water requirements or inadequate space. For a stocking and compatibility assessment, contact us with the aquarium dimensions, volume, measured water values, filter, current residents and intended group sizes.

Introduce livestock gradually so the biological filter can respond to the added waste. Observe the established residents as well as the new group; compatibility means every fish can feed, rest and move normally.

Keep the shoal large enough to support natural behaviour

Cherry Barbs are schooling fish and should be maintained in a group of at least six, with six to ten preferred. A group helps reduce skittish behaviour and creates opportunities for normal social display. Males may also show stronger colour in the presence of other Cherry Barbs.

Because this offer supplies five fish, decide before purchase how the minimum group will be reached. Five can increase an established shoal, or they can form most of a new group when at least one additional Cherry Barb is included. Do not leave the group at five as the long-term plan when following the six-to-ten recommendation.

Read chasing in context

Brief social movement and display can occur within a shoal. Reassess the aquarium when one fish is persistently driven away, cannot feed, hides continuously or develops fin damage. Check the group size, planted cover, usable swimming area and behaviour of every other resident.

Increase numbers only when the aquarium can carry them

A larger shoal may improve confidence, but it also increases the biological load. Before adding fish, confirm that the aquarium has sufficient adult space and that ammonia and nitrite are 0 mg/l. Additions should be gradual enough for the filter bacteria to adjust.

Plan the final number before the first addition

Write down how many Cherry Barbs the aquarium will contain after every planned purchase. An aquarium holding two compatible Cherry Barbs would reach seven after this five-fish pack, while an empty aquarium would still need a route to at least six. In either case, reassess the adult stocking load before adding unrelated species. The group target and the filter’s capacity must be considered together.

Do not promise a particular male-to-female balance from colour or photographs. Adult sex differences can help describe the species, but the offer has no sex-guaranteed option. Build the group around space and social needs rather than an assumed sex ratio.

Answer the key questions before choosing the group

How big do Cherry Barbs get?

Cherry Barbs reach a maximum recorded adult length of 5 cm. Plan the aquarium around that adult length, the complete shoal and every other resident.

What size aquarium does this fish need?

Use an aquarium base measuring at least 60 × 30 cm or equivalent, corresponding to about 54 litres. Include planted cover, shaded areas and open horizontal swimming routes.

How many Cherry Barbs should be kept together?

Keep Cherry Barbs in a group of at least six, with six to ten preferred. This pack contains five fish, so plan how it will enlarge an established shoal or become part of a new group that reaches at least six.

Are Cherry Barbs suitable for beginners?

Cherry Barbs suit beginners who prepare a mature filtered aquarium, test the water, maintain a proper shoal and complete regular maintenance. Their routine range is 20–27°C, pH 6.0–7.5 and 4–12 dGH.

What do Cherry Barbs eat?

Feed Cherry Barbs quality flake or small granules with some plant or algal content once daily, giving only what is eaten within a few minutes. Add small live or frozen daphnia, bloodworm or Artemia for variety.

What temperature and pH does it need?

Keep it at 20–27°C and pH 6.0–7.5, with general hardness of 4–12 dGH. OATA’s barb guidance gives these routine values within the wider Seriously Fish species ranges.

Are Cherry Barbs aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Cherry Barbs are generally peaceful, and OATA identifies them among the smaller barbs that can generally mix with other peaceful species. Keep at least six and reassess the group, cover and space if one fish is persistently chased, excluded from food or develops fin damage.

Which kinds of fish can live with them?

Consider peaceful small cyprinids, tetras, livebearers, rainbowfishes, anabantoids, catfishes or loaches only where adult space, water requirements, temperament and feeding behaviour overlap.

How do these fish arrive alive in the UK?

Someone must be present to receive the parcel. Film every delivery continuously from the sealed parcel as it is opened until the fish are visible inside the sealed bag, inspect it the same day, float the bag for 20–30 minutes and never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

Check the care and identity references

• FishBase: scientific identity, distribution, wild habitat, natural diet, adult length and conservation assessment.
• Seriously Fish: aquarium footprint, species water range, décor, filtration, diet, social behaviour and compatibility.
• OATA: UK barb-group guidance for water quality, feeding, maintenance, introduction and health observation.
• RSPCA: general aquarium filtration and biological waste-processing guidance.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy: receiving, continuous unboxing video, floating time and bag-water instructions.