Cherry barb

Cherry Barb... Puntius titteya

The picture is awful.... Ask google for better ones, until I find the time to take more.

Unfortunately believed to be extinct in its original home of Sri Lanka, this wonderful little fish has at least managed to avoid the fates of some of its neighbours by being ridiculously easy to breed in captivity.

Mature adult males are pretty much scarlet red, especially when they are in the mood. Females are more of an orange colour, and still a very nice fish in their own right.

Very peaceful, these were living with pygmy corydoras until I sold out of pygmies, they're quiet and colourful. 

Buy 10 at least, give them plenty cover and other peaceful tankmates and you'll have some happy cherries.

Breeding wise, I've bred these myself. Either in pairs or maybe quads (at least 2 males seems to be effective. Provides an urgency due to competition). Just in a small tank rammed with plants or wool mops. Leave them somewhere dark and quiet for 3-4 days. Remove adults. Wait a week, maybe more. I find the fry move so slowly that you often don't see them for a few days after hatching. They feed fine on powdered fry food and grow fairly quickly, which is perhaps the only quick thing they do in their lives.