Cherry barb bites my Lotus?

**r4211z** · 19th May 2006, 00:16

This fish is given by a good froend, together i have almost 11 of them, some really red ones,
Wondering if they are cherry barbs?

I noticed some of them hang around my red tigher lotus and the next morning..
Check out the pic.

Questions, do they eat plants ?
i saw them nibbing at the stems of the lotus, and the leaves as well.

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 00:50

yes these are cherry barbs. they're probably going for the micro organisms and green algae on the leaves and stems of the tiger lotus.

btw barbs are cyprinids, not characins. these guys come from southern Sri Lanka.

* moved to the appropriate subforum.

**Justikanz** · 19th May 2006, 00:53

And the males are the red ones.

I never had problems with them with my plants... They are probably going after the dead plant parts and algae...

**r4211z** · 19th May 2006, 00:54

Thanks for the assistance.
Whatever they do.. now my red tiger lotus is in pieces.

Got to buy some more already.
they also take fish food as well, wonder why theu go for my plants.. haizz...

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 02:54

Originally Posted by Justikanz

And the males are the red ones.

actually not. there are 3 or 4 populations of cherry barbs from the various drainages in south-west Sri Lanka. the different coloured ones are from the different drainages. males are slimmer and more colourful (but not necessary redder) than females.

**grey_fox** · 19th May 2006, 08:40

Doesn't look like your lotus leaves were damaged by the cherry barbs. I have a small shaol of them and they never give any of my plants problem, even towards fine leaf plants like Eriocaulon sp.

Seems that in the first place, your lotus leaf(ves) is rotting away.

**r4211z** · 19th May 2006, 10:04

Lotus rotting?
it was fine after a few days ago before i introduced them into the tank.

Guess i've got to get new ones.

**grey_fox** · 19th May 2006, 10:10

Acclimatization I believe. Happens all the time. Don't need to get another one, let the new shoots grow. Patience will be the best of of your lotus.

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 10:51

actually the farms will recommend you trim off the leaves when you plant the rhizome. that's why places like Teo farm never bother to find "beautiful" plant for you because they expect the plant to put out new leaves after planting, and any leaves that came during planting wouldn't last.

**Justikanz** · 19th May 2006, 11:34

Originally Posted by hwchoy

actually not. there are 3 or 4 populations of cherry barbs from the various drainages in south-west Sri Lanka. the different coloured ones are from the different drainages. males are slimmer and more colourful (but not necessary redder) than females.

Choy, this is interesting... Thus far, I had only seen female cherries being very orange but never show any hint of red. It would be very nice if we can have red females on sale here. Then the females will not be left out in sale...

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 20:13

Yes it is in the Sri Lanka book. I will scan it when I find some time.

**mickthefish** · 19th May 2006, 20:58

i had some wild cherry barbs a few years ago that got to a very decent size,
the males had very little red on them but they had a blue flash along the main body stripe, not the prettiest of the cherry barbs but it did show the variation in location caught fish,
maybe choy can tell us where these come from.
mick

**hwchoy** · 19th May 2006, 21:04

I can, just can't recall the river names off hand.

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