Cherry Barb vs Peacock Bass

Puntius titteya comparado con Cichla temensis

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Cherry Barb	Peacock Bass
Nombre Científico	Puntius titteya	Cichla temensis
Orden	Cypriniformes	Cichliformes
Familia	Cyprinidae	Cichlidae
Conservation Status	Vulnerable	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Cherry Barb	Peacock Bass
Longitud Máxima	5,0 cm	100,0 cm
Peso Máximo	0,002 kg	12,7 kg
Color	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.	Golden-yellow to olive-green body with three bold dark vertical bars on the flanks; a striking black ocellus edged in gold at the tail base; breeding males develop a prominent nuchal hump.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Cherry Barb	Peacock Bass
Tipo de Agua	Freshwater	Freshwater
Rango de Profundidad	—	—
Distribución Geográfica	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 …	Native to the Amazon River basin and Orinoco River system in South America, including Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil. Inhabits blackwater rivers, flooded forests, and large …
Hábitat	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.	Native to Southeast Asian rivers including the Mekong basin. Warm, slow-moving freshwater with soft substrates. Introduced to tropical aquaculture systems globally. Tolerates wide temperature range …

Aquarium Suitability

Atributo	Cherry Barb	Peacock Bass
Tamaño Mínimo del Acuario	60 L	—
Temperatura	23-27	—
Rango de pH	6.0-8.0	—
Nivel de Cuidado	Easy	—
Temperamento	Peaceful	—

Información de Pesca

Atributo	Cherry Barb	Peacock Bass
Pez de Pesca Deportiva	No	Sí
Clasificación de Pelea	—	9/10
Récord Mundial	—	—
Nivel de Mercurio	—	—

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.

Peacock Bass

Firm, white flesh with a clean, mild flavor and low fat content. Prized table fish throughout Amazonian cuisines; excellent grilled, pan-fried, or steamed with citrus.

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.

Peacock Bass

The peacock bass is the crown jewel of Amazon basin sport fishing. Despite its name, it is actually a large cichlid. Known for explosive topwater strikes and powerful, drag-screaming runs in tropical rivers and lagoons.