Cherry Barb vs Whale Shark

Puntius titteya verglichen mit Rhincodon typus

Taxonomy & Classification

Eigenschaft	Cherry Barb	Whale Shark
Wissenschaftlicher Name	Puntius titteya	Rhincodon typus
Ordnung	Cypriniformes	Orectolobiformes
Familie	Cyprinidae	Rhincodontidae
Conservation Status	Vulnerable	Endangered

Physical Traits

Eigenschaft	Cherry Barb	Whale Shark
Maximale Länge	5,0 cm	1800,0 cm
Maximales Gewicht	0,002 kg	21500,0 kg
Färbung	Males are vivid cherry-red over the entire body with a dark mid-lateral stripe from snout to tail; females are pale golden-olive with the same dark stripe; fins reddish to clear.	Dark gray to blue-gray back covered with a distinctive checkerboard grid of pale white or cream spots and transverse stripes; belly white; the unique spot pattern is unique to each individual.

Habitat & Environment

Eigenschaft	Cherry Barb	Whale Shark
Wassertyp	Freshwater	Saltwater
Tiefenbereich	—	0-1928m
Verbreitungsgebiet	Endemic to the Kelani River basin in southwestern Sri Lanka. Restricted to shaded, slow-flowing forest streams and small tributaries with dense riparian vegetation; population has …	Pantropical in open oceanic and coastal waters between 30°N and 35°S. Aggregates seasonally at feeding sites including Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, the Gulf of …
Lebensraum	Clear, fast-flowing streams of Sri Lanka and southwestern India. Shallow, oxygen-rich, cool mountain streams (22-26°C) over gravel substrates. Dense riparian vegetation provides cover.	Neritic, coral reefs

Aquarium Suitability

Eigenschaft	Cherry Barb	Whale Shark
Mindest-Aquariengröße	60 L	—
Temperatur	23-27	—
pH-Bereich	6.0-8.0	—
Pflegeschwierigkeit	Easy	—
Temperament	Peaceful	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Cherry Barb

Not consumed — ornamental aquarium fish listed as Vulnerable in the wild; kept for its cherry-red coloration and peaceful schooling nature.

Whale Shark

Endangered species — consumption is strongly discouraged and illegal in many countries. Historically consumed in parts of Asia; now internationally protected under CITES Appendix II.

Species Overview

Cherry Barb

The cherry barb is a small, colorful fish native to Sri Lanka's shaded forest streams. Males develop an intense cherry-red coloration during breeding. Listed as Vulnerable due to habitat loss and over-collection for the aquarium trade.

Whale Shark

The whale shark is the largest living fish species, reaching lengths of up to 18 meters. Despite its enormous size, it is a gentle filter feeder that consumes plankton, fish eggs, and small fish by swimming with its wide mouth open.