Cherry barb Breeding Guide

Breeding Process

Cherry barbs are a moderately easy species to breed in captivity. To initiate breeding, it's advisable to set up a separate breeding tank to control the environment and protect the fry from being eaten by adult fish. Ensure the breeding tank has soft slightly acidic to neutral water with a pH range of 6.0 to 8.0 and maintain the temperature between 24-26°C (75-79°F). Introduce a pair of cherry barbs or a small group consisting of more females than males to encourage courtship behavior. Dense aquatic vegetation or breeding mops in the breeding tank provide ideal locations for the female to lay eggs. When ready to spawn, the male cherry barb will display vibrant coloring to attract the female. The female will scatter hundreds of eggs among the vegetation. Cherry barbs show slight aggression during breeding, so monitoring their behavior is essential to ensure none get overly stressed.

Care of Fry

Once spawning has occurred, it's crucial to remove the adults from the tank, as they may eat the eggs. The eggs will hatch within 24-48 hours. Upon hatching, the fry are tiny and remain near the bottom or attached to surfaces until they become free-swimming, which usually takes an additional few days. Starting from when they become free-swimming, feed the fry infusoria or commercially available liquid fry food. As they grow, transition them to larger foods such as brine shrimp nauplii or micro worms. Maintaining excellent water quality with regular, gentle water changes is vital for their health and growth.

Additional Information

Cherry barbs are known for their peaceful and social nature, making them an attractive choice for community tanks. Their breeding behavior results in slight aggression which is manageable with proper care and observation. Ensuring an abundant and varied diet for the breeding adults will promote successful spawning and vibrant fry.