Cherry Delight ( Cherry Barb )

[Marcus Russo]

Cherry Delight

By

Wilma Duncan



The first time I saw them, I thought "what a drab little fish." After a few minutes of observation, I decided to take them home. I picked out 3 and did not ask if I had females or males. After all, I had only begun this hobby, what did I know about spawning these beauties. I had four 10 gallon tank setups with a few livebearers, a few goldfish and my 4 corydorus cats. Home I went with these little drab fish.

The Internet had opened a whole New World of gaining knowledge in fishkeeping for me. I had recently discovered a great fish food used by breeders all over the world. Little did I know just how important this food would become for the fish and me? I started the drab little fishes on this food and within weeks I saw a great change. No longer were they drab. Their colors had brightened. I noticed one was a bright cherry red. Hmm, why the difference? Off I went! Cruising the net to find out what I could about my "little beauties."

Late in the night I read article after article, printing out several for future reference. Just in case I got up enough nerve to try spawning these beauties. Fish life continued as I added more tanks with new fish. I gave away the goldfish and started working with my livebearers and collecting a few more barbs and tetras.

One morning, in late April, I left home for the day. Turned out the fish tank lights and spent the day at the local Flea Market. I returned home in the late evening and discovered my corys had laid eggs in the 10 gallon tank which housed 7 Bloodfin tetras along with my corys. Little did I know that my Bloodfin tetras had also spawned. I removed all the fish from the tank, discontinued the undergravel filter and added just an airstone.

In four days I discovered tiny corys racing around on the bottom and tiny tetra fry hanging on the glass. The next day sent me off to a LFS to find brine shrimp eggs to hatch. After several bum attempts I finally had enough brine shrimp to hatch to feed the fry. I managed to raise around a 100 green corys and 11 bloodfin tetras. I felt good about my first attempt with egglayers.

A few months later, I decided to have a hand at spawning the "drab little fish." Except the cherry barbs were no longer drab. They had become my cherry delights. The female was full with eggs; with the male constantly displaying to the females. I started with a bare bottom 10-gallon tank. I filled this half full with established aquarium water and a mix of fresh water. I added a submergible heater, an air stone in the corner of the tank. I was now into live plants, after discovering how important they were to the fish: not to mention the beauty of them. It was only natural to place these in their tank. I placed java moss in a corner and ambulia in the other corner. Leaving the middle open for the fish. I set the temperature at 78 degrees. Added the female that evening, and the next evening, at dusk, I added the cherry red male.

I went to bed that night filled with anticipation. The next morning as I woke up, I could hardly wait to get to my fish room and see how the cherry barbs were. I carried my morning cup of coffee into the room, found my comfortable chair, turned the tank light on, and watched as the spawning dance began. The male was a bright red, with dark black edging on his fins; even the female was much brighter. He chased the female and then would suddenly stop as if he was in thought. Then he would race to the java moss. When he realized she had not followed, off he went to find her. He repeated this procedure several times before she became interested.

Finally, she dove into the java moss with him that is when I saw her turn side ways and it appeared he was nudging the area of her stomach. I watched in amazement as the eggs were sent spraying into the moss. Over and over, they repeated the act, each time I saw eggs falling into the moss, and finally some landed on the bottom of the tank. Then in shock, I saw her stop and begin to eat her eggs, gobbling as if she was eating ciavavair. The male would rush to repeat the spawning act; in return, she had no time to eat the eggs. Spawning had began at 9:00 A.M. and lasted until 1:00 P. M. The male began to tire and retreat, the female was searching for eggs, so I removed both and placed them into the community tank.

Do I or DO I not, was the question? Leave the light on or turn it off. I decided to leave the aquarium light on. I had read tetra eggs could not be exposed to light, but Barbs. I did not know. I was so excited, and scared. Would the eggs hatch or would the dreaded fungus rein. The next moring, the eggs were still clear, no fungus. I had added no chemicals to the set up. I am against using these as I am allergic to so many and wondered if chemicals can effect the unborn fry. As the day wore on, I would return to check the eggs, many were gone and no fry could be seen.

The next morning, I drank my coffee as I explored the tank for fry. Still no fry. Did they hatch and then die, or did they never hatch. This process continued for more than 48 hours, by now my nerves were frayed. Day four, found me again with my morning coffee in the fish room. I decided to take a magnifying glass to search for evidence of the spawn.

I couldn’t believe my discovery, there they were. Five small fry, so tiny they could not be seen by my naked eye, clinging to the right side of the tank glass. I was so proud. As they day wore on, more fry could be seen. Within the next few days I could see that I had a nice spawn. Then suddenly it apppeared the fry were gone, no where could I see them clinging on the tank glass. Where were they, had they died from starvation? The articles said they would not need food for a few days as they absorbed their egg sack.

I grabbed the magnifying glass and began the search. I sighed in relief as I discovered them free swimming near the bottom of the tank. I grabbed the Micro Egglayer food and sprinkled a tiny amount across the top of the water. I came back in an hour and checked to see if they were eating. Because of their tiny size I could not say they had eaten, I could only hope. I continued feeding the micro food for a week and decided to add a tiny amount of live brine shrimp. With the magnifying glass I could see the larger fry grab at the shrimp. This was an awesome sight to see. Two tiny animals, about the same size, and one was about to be eaten.

After the fry had consumed most of the live brineshrimp, they appeared much bigger. I had to laugh as I watched them swim jerking through the tank with bulging tummys. I added a little aquarium salt to their water as I changed a few cups. I was afriad to do a large water change. I continued feeding the micro food and live brine shrimp for three weeks, then I went to all brine shrimp. The fry grew and turned from a silvery color to a redish color.

When they reached the two month mark, their tank was filthy. I decided to remove them and place them in a larger tank with two thirds aquarium water and one third fresh. I was afraid to net them so I decided to use a clear plastic cup. This worked well as I dipped two thirds of the fry out. The last were the hardest to catch, by now they were afraid and was staying on the bototm of the tank. I decided to remove all the water, except a half inch. Then I could turn the tank and slowly pour the rest into the other tank. So far, I had counted 92 fry. Later I would count 175 fry. If I had lost any fry it was during their first few weeks of life. As the 175 grew and became my cherry delights. What did I do with them? Well, that is another story to be told. What happened to the parents. They continued to live in the community tank and their presence there would lead to a discovery. Something I would witness. An event occurred in which I had never seen, or read, or knew about in all my research on my "cherry delights".

The discovery unfolds. A few months after the parents were placed in the community tank, the pair spawned again. The female retreated as I watched the fading espisode, but not the male. The bright red male spent the day watching over the eggs in the java moss. Countless times, I watched him chase off the other fish as they darted in for a taste of the caviar. He would return to where the eggs were and with watchful eyes, see that no one tasted the delighful cavior. This happened on two other occassions during the time I have kept these delightful cherries.


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