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Aquarium fish Latin cherry cherry barbus called Barbus titteya. It is small in size and very beautiful in appearance. This species is one of the most popular barbs. Fish have a dark red color, for which they got their name. During spawning, representatives of this species are especially beautiful, since the color of the males becomes much brighter and more expressive. Individuals living in the wild have a brighter and more beautiful color than those fish found in home aquariums. This is due to the fact that in nature, fish eat better, are in their natural habitat. In addition, they are very unlikely to have intrauterine crosses, which cannot be said about the aquarium breeding of barbs.
Such a fish can be brought by any aquarist. Regardless of experience. Cherry barbs do not show aggression to their neighbors in the aquarium, so you can keep them with many species. In leaving, these fish are unpretentious, and it is easy to breed them.
Like other types of barbs, representatives of this species are very active and lively. In the general aquarium, these red fish look very beautiful, complementing the look with their beautiful color. It is desirable that in one aquarium there are several such fish that can be collected in a flock. Representatives of similar size can become neighbors for them. It is advisable that they be as active.
Representatives of the cherry barbus species are somewhat timid in nature, so they like to swim in the shade of aquatic plants. When arranging the aquarium, this must be taken into account, and provide several places for shelter for them.
Living in nature
The species is listed in the Red Book, as it requires observation. This is due to the fact that, since 1988, these barbs have been threatened with extinction. This kind of crisis lasted about 6 years. But today the situation has improved, so the fish are only watched.
These beautiful fish live in flat rivers and streams. They like stagnant water or a weak current. The bottom of the reservoirs where these fish live is covered with branches and foliage. Food for them are larvae and insects.
Description
The body of the cherry barbus has a torpedo shape. Their fins are small, and the tail is bifurcated. The length is less than 5 cm. Usually they live about 4 years, but if they are well looked after, they can live for several years longer.
In a calm state, this barbus has a cherry or brownish color, which in males changes during the spawning period. At this time, they become brighter, almost scarlet. An intermittent strip in the form of dark spots passes along the body.
Content Issues
This species belongs to peaceful fish, which can be adjacent to almost all non-aggressive species. It’s easy to care for them. It is only important that the water is clean and the necessary parameters are maintained. If the aquarist complies with these conditions, then there should be no problems in keeping these fish.
Feeding
Feeding cherry barbs is also easy. He can eat both artificial and live food. The main rule is not to constantly give the same food, but to change it periodically. It is best to give these fish a little food several times a day. The portion should be such that the fish eat it for several minutes.If you feed them regularly and with different feeds, the fish will remain active and vibrant.
When choosing food, it is important to remember that the mouth of the barbus is small. Therefore, the feed size must be consistent. The favorite live food of these fish is the pipe maker and bloodworm.
Content
Cherry barbs are very active, they move almost constantly. An ideal aquarium for them would be a large aquarium, in which several places for shelter will be equipped. Since the fish are small in size, for a flock of 10 individuals, you can equip an aquarium with a volume of 50 liters or more. It is important that the water is constantly changed and well filtered. In addition, filtration creates a current, which reminds these fish of their favorite habitat. Such a course will stimulate them to activity.
In nature, cherry barbs live in packs, which means that they must be kept at least 7-10 individuals in the aquarium. If there are less than 5 of them in the aquarium, then this will affect their well-being. They will experience stress, the color will become paler. In addition, life expectancy will be reduced.
To make the fish feel comfortable, it is necessary that there are more plants in the aquarium. To create a habitat that will remind their barbs of their natural, you need to equip dark soil and ensure the abundance of living plants.
In order for the barbs to remain healthy and bright, it is necessary to maintain the following water parameters: pH level - 6.4-7, temperature - 25-26 degrees.
Compatibility
The cherry barbus is a peaceful fish by nature. This distinguishes this species from many others. They can be kept even with fish that have veil fins. Cherry barbus gets along with many. But the neighbors should be fish of about the same size. These small fish can easily become prey for predators. Therefore, it is impossible to settle them together in any case.
Good neighbors for them will be tetras, debriefings. But scalars as neighbors will not work for them. They are too big and show aggression.
Gender differences
Young cherry barbs are hard to distinguish. Gender of adults can be determined. The male cherry barbus is brighter and slimmer, the female is somewhat larger and has a rounded abdomen. Males compete among themselves in a peculiar way. They do not fight, but show their bright color.
Breeding
At the bottom, you need to put a net that will protect the eggs from adults. Lighting should be dim. Instead of mesh, Javanese moss is allowed.
The best temperature for spawning a barbus is 26 degrees. The pH level is neutral or slightly acidic. To mix the water and provide a small flow, put an aerator or filter. When the spawning grounds are equipped, one pair or several individuals are planted, so that there are more males. Before that, they should be given live food.
Spawning begins at dawn. After this, individuals are immediately planted so that they do not eat eggs. After a day or two, the larvae hatch. And in a day the fry will already be swimming. In the early days, they need to be given ciliates, and then naupilii and a microworm.
Video: how to spawn a cherry barbus
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