Cherry Barbs

[ARXC08]

I pretty sure my cherry barbs are breeding which i find very unusual since i just got them at christimas. I'm not really sure. The male cherry barb follows the female around and sort of nips her. Then after awhile she slows down and he sort of gets on the side of her and looks like he's twitching or something. So are they breeding?

 

[sylvia]

Very likely. They are egg-scatterers like other danios/barbs and just as easy to breed. But you won't be able to raise any fry in a community. The eggs, and later fry, will become quick snacks.

 

[ARXC08]

Well when will they start scattering eggs? How long before they hatch? How big are fry? and what should i feed them?

 

[acetennis2002]

You wont have any fry. they are egg scattorers and they will eat the eggs as soon as they find them. It's hard to even to get eggs from them

 

[ARXC08]

Just wondering if they swell up with eggs before they drop. I noticed that the female looks sort of bloated. But if thats true counldn't i put it into like a bowl or something with marble substrate and let it drop the eggs there?

 

[sylvia]

Yes they do 'swell up' because they are full of eggs. However, putting her in a bowl is not an option - you need a male in with her to fertilise the eggs as she lays them. Also, the eggs/fry still need a heater, cycled tank and aeration. The fry, when they hatch, are very small. They need to be fed small live foods such as baby brine shrimp.