Cherry Barb Tank Mates

Cherry Barb is peaceful, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 139 freshwater species that pair well with a cherry barb — plus the 74 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 7, 2026 • Full Cherry Barb care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for a cherry barb

  • Ember Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Neon Green Rasbora ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Ramshorn Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Red Lip Nerite Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Dawn Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2.5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Nerite Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 2.5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Assassin Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Endler's Livebearer ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Glowlight Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Gold Ring Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Malaysian Trumpet Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 21–27 °C (70–81 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Neon Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Tail-spot Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Trinidad Guppy ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 19–24 °C (66–75 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Pygmy Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3.2 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Glowlight Rasbora ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3.5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Blue Danio ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 21–26 °C (70–79 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Emperor Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Flame Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Glowlight Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Golden Dwarf Barb ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Phoenix Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Red Phantom Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Rosy Tetra ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
With caution

Cherry Barb tank mates that can work with care

  • Afra Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • African Butterfly Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Expect African Butterfly Cichlid to harass Cherry Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid clearly outsizes Cherry Barb and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Cherry Barb may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
  • Amazon Puffer ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Angelfish ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Angelfish clearly outsizes Cherry Barb and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
  • Arrowhead Puffer ⚠️ With caution
    Hard care · Aggressive · 12 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Ash Lipped Apisto ⚠️ With caution
    Hard care · Semi-aggressive · 7 cm · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    Expect Ash Lipped Apisto to harass Cherry Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.

+ 119 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with a cherry barb

  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Size gap is too large (300 vs 5 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Cherry Barb as food.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Cherry Barb is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Cherry Barb whole.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Cherry Barb whole.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Size gap is too large (90 vs 5 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Cherry Barb as food.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Size gap is too large (90 vs 5 cm): Koi will treat Cherry Barb as food.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Cherry Barb whole.
  • Wolf Cichlid ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Wolf Cichlid (72 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Cherry Barb whole.

+ 66 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against a cherry barb

Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against a cherry barb, with the reasoning for each verdict.

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Cherry Barb?

We compare each fish against your cherry barb on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.

  • Adolf's Cory✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5.5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Adolf's Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Axelrod's Cory✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Axelrod's Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bandit Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Bandit Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Blue Turbo Snail✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 25–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Checkered Barb✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–25 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Checkered Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Chocolate Gourami✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Hard care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 25–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Chocolate Gourami in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Cochu's Blue Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Cochu's Blue Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Firehead Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Firehead Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Five-banded Barb✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Five-banded Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Forktail Blue-eye✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Forktail Blue-eye in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Half-striped Penguin Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Half-striped Penguin Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Harlequin Rasbora✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Harlequin Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Honey Gourami✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Horseman Cory✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Horseman Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Japanese Trapdoor Snail✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 10–28 °C (50–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Julii Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Julii Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Masked Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Masked Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Mystery Snail✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Panda Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Panda Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Rummy-nose Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–29 °C (73–84 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Rummy-nose Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Skunk Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Skunk Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Stoliczka's Barb✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Stoliczka's Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Xingu Black Neon Tetra✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Xingu Black Neon Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Zebra Danio✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
    • Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–25 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Zebra Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Amano Shrimp⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    • Cherry Barb may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Black Ruby Barb⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Black Ruby Barb and Cherry Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cherry barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~100 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Black Ruby Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Black Skirt Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Black Skirt Tetra and Cherry Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cherry barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Black Skirt Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Desert Goby⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    • Desert Goby and Cherry Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cherry barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Dwarf Chain Loach⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Eastern Betta⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Eastern Betta and Cherry Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cherry barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • GloFish Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
    • GloFish Tetra and Cherry Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cherry barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep GloFish Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Humpbacked Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Humpbacked Tetra and Cherry Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cherry barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Morse Code Corydoras⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Morse Code Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Odessa Barb⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Odessa Barb and Cherry Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add cherry barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Odessa Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Peaceful Betta⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Expect Peaceful Betta to harass Cherry Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Silvertip Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Expect Silvertip Tetra to harass Cherry Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
    • Keep Silvertip Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Smaragd Betta⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Smaragd Betta is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotfin Betta⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Spotfin Betta is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Striped Red-Eye Puffer⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Expect Striped Red-Eye Puffer to harass Cherry Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Wine Red Betta⚠️ With caution
    Aggressive · 5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Wine Red Betta is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Cherry Barb is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
    • Alligator Gar is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Size gap is too large (90 vs 5 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Cherry Barb as food.
    • Clown Knifefish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Cherry Barb whole.
    • Fire Eel is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Size gap is too large (90 vs 5 cm): Koi will treat Cherry Barb as food.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Cherry Barb whole.
    • Expect Redtail Catfish to harass Cherry Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Cherry Barb whole.
    • Spotted Gar is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Size gap is too large (300 vs 5 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Cherry Barb as food.
    • Wels Catfish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Cherry Barb — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Wolf Cichlid (72 cm) is big enough to swallow the 5 cm Cherry Barb whole.
    • Wolf Cichlid clearly outsizes Cherry Barb and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
    • Your 75 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Cherry Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.

Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.

Setting up a cherry barb community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 75 L+ tank with a gentle filter, a reliable heater and plenty of cover — broken sight lines and hiding spots let mid-water and bottom dwellers keep out of each other's way. Cycle it fully and stock gradually.

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How to choose

How to choose the right tank mates for a cherry barb

As a peaceful species, cherry barb is easily bullied — favour other calm, non-nippy fish and steer clear of boisterous or aggressive tank mates. It mostly occupies the middle of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Cherry Barb grows to about 5 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 3 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 23–27 °C (73–81 °F), pH 6–7.5 and 4–15 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Cherry Barb is a shoaling fish — stock a group of 6+ of its own kind first, then build compatible tank mates around them. Whatever you add, introduce new fish slowly, watch for bullying in the first days, and have a backup plan if temperaments clash.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can a cherry barb live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 139 compatible freshwater species for cherry barb. Pick calm, similarly-sized fish that share its water needs and add them to a mature, well-planted tank.

What is the best tank mate for a cherry barb?

Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Ember Tetra, Neon Green Rasbora, Ramshorn Snail. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.

What fish should you avoid keeping with a cherry barb?

Avoid Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar, Redtail Catfish and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.

How big a tank do cherry barb tank mates need?

Start from Cherry Barb's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 75 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

← Back to the full Cherry Barb care guide