Cherry barb care guide

Plan a tank with cherry barbsSee all tank mates

Cherry barb quick facts

Tank setup

A group of six needs at least a 15 gallon (57 L) tank about 24 in (60 cm) long. Plant it densely and add floating plants to soften the light. Cherry barbs feel safe with cover around them and show far better color than in a bare tank. A dark substrate and gentle filter flow suit them.

How many cherry barbs in a tank?

The smallest common tank that suits cherry barbs is a 15 gallon. Here is roughly how many fit in each size when they are the only fish, based on adult size and waste output. Leave room if you want tank mates.

Water parameters

Keep them at 23–27 °C (73–81 °F), pH 6.0–7.5 and roughly 4–15 dGH. Farm-bred fish cope with most tap water, but soft, slightly acidic water brings out the deepest red. Change part of the water every week and avoid sudden swings.

Best tank mates for cherry barbs

These popular species share cherry barbs' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 99 good matches.

• Betta fish

  6.5 cm (2.6 in) · 24–28°C (75–82°F)

• Cherry shrimp

  3 cm (1.2 in) · 20–27°C (68–81°F)

• Nerite snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Guppy

  5 cm (2 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Dwarf gourami

  7.5 cm (3 in) · 24–28°C (75–82°F)

• Neon tetra

  3.5 cm (1.4 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)

• Panda corydoras

  4.5 cm (1.8 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)

• Bristlenose pleco

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 22–26°C (72–79°F)

Avoid keeping cherry barbs with

• Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: Cherry barb 23–27°C (73–81°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).
• Oscar: Oscar can eat cherry barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Bala shark: Bala shark can eat cherry barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful cherry barbs.
• Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful cherry barbs.
• Discus: They need different temperatures: Cherry barb 23–27°C (73–81°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).

Feeding

In the wild they pick at algae, detritus and tiny invertebrates. Use a quality small flake or micro pellet with some plant content as the staple. Add frozen or live daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm a few times a week to boost color.

Behavior

Peaceful and a little shy, they spend most of their time in the middle and lower water among plants. Males chase each other and display to females, but this rarely leads to damage. Good tank mates are small tetras, rasboras, corydoras, otocinclus and peaceful livebearers. Avoid boisterous barbs and fish large enough to bully them.

Breeding

Males are slimmer and bright red; females are rounder and tan-brown with the same dark side stripe. They scatter eggs among fine plants or moss, give no care and will eat any eggs they find. Spawn a pair in a separate dim tank with mesh, marbles or java moss on the bottom at about 27 °C (80 °F), then remove the adults. Eggs hatch in 1–2 days; feed infusoria first, then baby brine shrimp.

Tips from experienced keepers

• Keep about two females for every male so no single female gets chased too much.
• Dense plants and floating cover make them bolder and much redder.
• They eat baby shrimp, and a few individuals pick at adult cherry shrimp. Amano shrimp are usually safe.
• They are one of the safest barbs for a calm community. Do not mix them with fin-nipping tiger barbs.

Sources

We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.

• seriouslyfish.com
• aquariumcoop.com
• fishbase.de
• theshrimpfarm.com