Talk to me about Puntius titteya Cherry barbs please

[Guppysnail]

I see these at my lfs all the time. I knew I wanted them but have not pulled the trigger. 
At the club auction today were 6 very young ones brought in by the gentleman who won C.A.R.E.S. Breeder of the year last year. So I knew these were very healthy and raised correctly so I could not resist. 

If you have first hand experience with these please share with me.  I have all the internet basic care guide info.  
 

Anything you found that you wish to share.  If you have bred them talk to me about how you did it what tank setup etc please 🙏 I am all ears 👂 

For any who do not know a C.A.R.E.S. species is is one that is endangered or extinct in the wild. Hobbyists who breed are encouraged to participate to keep these fish thriving at least in the hobby. 
 

More at this link 

https://caresforfish.org/?page_id=36

 

 

[Fish Folk]

So... I know that the conservation status of these are listed as VU (vulnerable), but I do not currently see them on the CARES List.

We have kept a few. They are hardy. Our tank temperatures were too warm to let them thrive, spawn, etc. I think they are egg-scatterers. The male will chase females around Java Moss to get her to release. A reasonably empty tank with a big, big clump of healthy Java moss is a great start. Some old breeders used to cover the bottom of a 10-gal with marbles. Then set a huge clump of java moss on top. Eggs fall through, get down into the marbles where they cannot be eaten.

Feed females separately from males until ready to spawn. Get them conditioned with live foods. They can release hundreds of eggs. Once they have spawned, remove the adults... and wait for it...

Some breeders lower the water level so that fry can more easily reach the surface to fill swim bladder.

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/20/2024 at 5:22 PM, Guppysnail said:

Anything you found that you wish to share.  If you have bred them talk to me about how you did it what tank setup etc please 🙏 I am all ears 👂

PrimeTime Aquatics has a tour / video of a barb breeder as well as Dan's fish with an expert (highly tuned/advanced) setup for breeding barbs, egg scattering fish.

I JUST got these as a rescue from a local and I'm in a bit of awe with them.  Females are less bright red, males are like tomatoes.  Cooler temps then tetras, but the main thing is always going to be oxygenation.  They don't mind flow, don't need a ton of it, but don't mind it at all. 

Excited to see what you do with them!

On 1/20/2024 at 5:22 PM, Guppysnail said:

6 very young ones brought in by the gentleman who won C.A.R.E.S. Breeder of the year last year.

If they have 6 more, I would snag em.  I think the way barbs are, the more the merrier and keeps things calmer with aggression.  I'll reiterate, I haven't bred them, but the females get pestered a lot with barbs. These guys are slightly more chill than others I've kept. 

[Guppysnail]

On 1/21/2024 at 12:34 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

PrimeTime Aquatics has a tour / video of a barb breeder as well as Dan's fish with an expert (highly tuned/advanced) setup for breeding barbs, egg scattering fish.

I JUST got these as a rescue from a local and I'm in a bit of awe with them.  Females are less bright red, males are like tomatoes.  Cooler temps then tetras, but the main thing is always going to be oxygenation.  They don't mind flow, don't need a ton of it, but don't mind it at all. 

Excited to see what you do with them!

If they have 6 more, I would snag em.  I think the way barbs are, the more the merrier and keeps things calmer with aggression.  I'll reiterate, I haven't bred them, but the females get pestered a lot with barbs. These guys are slightly more chill than others I've kept. 

These are very young.  Less than 1/2 inch. I’m hoping it’s a matter of they are too young/ stressed from only being in the tank 10 minutes  to express their color differences.  As babies many fish that are sexually color divergent do not show well until sexual maturity. 
 

I have the sellers contact information and do intend to get more as well as ask to confirm if these are all female or if the males do not show their true “tomato” color until sexual maturity.  
 

On 1/21/2024 at 12:34 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

I JUST got these as a rescue from a local and I'm in a bit of awe with them.

Take a moment and register your new C.A.R.E.S. friends. Same link as above this is the section of that link. https://caresforfish.org/?page_id=884 It is not just a club thing to register.  Because of the CARES fish being endangered or extinct in the wild registering helps protect them in the hobby. So if they fade out of the hobby folks and track them to get them going again. 

[Guppysnail]

On 1/20/2024 at 11:22 PM, Fish Folk said:

So... I know that the conservation status of these are listed as VU (vulnerable), but I do not currently see them on the CARES List.

I’m new to the CARES program. I’m not completely sure how it works yet.  These are listed from my club as CARES and came with the CARES website registration info. I included the info here on CARES to share my learning journey on what it’s all about. 

On 1/20/2024 at 11:22 PM, Fish Folk said:

Our tank temperatures were too warm to let them thrive, spawn, etc.

What temp did you keep yours at that you considered to warm? 

[Fish Folk]

On 1/21/2024 at 7:10 AM, Guppysnail said:

What temp did you keep yours at that you considered to warm?

It was ca. 83°-F