Are Cherry Barbs Endangered?

Among the most popular varieties of freshwater aquarium fish is the cherry barb, a small, active, skittish fish native to Sri Lanka. Cherry barbs are brightly colored and pleasant to watch which makes them popular in the aquarium trade. Owners of small aquaria tend to be particularly drawn to this pint-sized minnow because they can thrive in tanks as small as ten gallons, if the tank is not overcrowded.

Unfortunately, the aquarium trade's love of the cherry barb has threatened its security in the wild. Unlike some freshwater fish such as the cardinal tetra , which is quite prolific in the wild, the cherry barb does not breed eagerly enough in its native homeland to keep up with the demands of the aquarium trade, so its wild populations are now depleted.

Although the cherry barb can breed in captivity, many corporations involved in the trade of ornamental fish have found that it is cheaper to exploit foreign labor and wild populations of cherry barbs, often paying only fractions of pennies per individual fish. This tends to be less labor-intensive than breeding them in captivity.

The problem has become severe enough that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the cherry barb as a threatened species since 1996. It remains listed as vulnerable to this day, and does not seem to be recovering from its overharvesting. There are no international regulations preventing the import of cherry barbs to the U.S. or Europe.

Responsible aquarists should avoid purchasing cherry barbs from fish dealers or stores without first verifying that the cherry barb was bred and raised in captivity. Fish dealers are not required to be honest about their sources, so only purchase from dealers who can reliably be trusted. Compassion and a willingness to conserve wild animals will help to maintain this beautiful fish's foothold in its native habitat.

If you are interested in responsible fishkeeping, you may want to read about the galaxy rasbora , a not-so-distant relative of the cherry barb that has become critically endangered due to severe overfishing--all in a matter of just two years.