Endemic to Sri Lanka, the Cherry Barb is found in slow-moving forest streams with thick vegetation and silt substrate. These fish exhibit the typical elongated Barb shape with a dark horizontal stripe running down the length of its body through the eye. Females of the species are light in color with yellowish fins while males are bright red, a characteristic which earned them the name Cherry Barb. Thought to be near extinction in the wild, this species typically grows to a maximum length around two inches and is widely propagated for the aquarium industry.