One of the smallest known percomorph fish, the scarlet badis is a stunning red-and-blue-striped nano predator from West Bengal and the Brahmaputra basin. Its tiny mouth demands live or frozen foods, making it a rewarding but slightly demanding choice for planted nano aquariums.
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Slow, vegetated streams of the Brahmaputra basin in West Bengal and Assam, India, and parts of Bhutan
Origin
Old World
Climate
⛅ Subtropical
Water type
💧 Freshwater
Family
Badidae
Genus
Dario
Part of the Badis
Badids are small, intelligent, often jewel-toned freshwater micropredators from South and Southeast Asia. Prized for their color-changing displays and compact size, they thrive in well-planted nano tanks and a diet of small live foods.
More badis coming soon.
Habitat & space requirements
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Heavily planted nano
10 gal / 38 L planted
Dario dario stays under 2 cm and needs a heavily planted nano with mature microfauna (live foods preferred). Soft warm water (24–28 °C), gentle filter, dense cover.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Species nano with shrimp
15–20 gal / 60–75 L
Pair or trio (1 male, 2 females) in a planted species tank with neocaridina shrimp and abundant moss. Males display jewel-blue colour to females.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Mature biotope
20–29 gal / 75–110 L biotope
Mature planted biotope with leaf litter, microfauna, and small harem. Natural breeding and fry survival possible with thick moss cover.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
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Egg
Fish eggs are small, translucent spheres, often laid in clutches on plants, substrate, or in a nest — or carried/brooded by a parent in livebearing and mouth-brooding species. A dark eye spot and the curled embryo become visible inside as development progresses.
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Fry
Newly hatched fry are tiny and semi-transparent, frequently still carrying a yolk sac that fuels them before they feed freely. They lack full fin structure and adult coloration, staying near cover until they can swim and forage on their own.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
Juveniles look like miniature adults but with developing fins and muted or different markings; many species shift pattern and color as they mature. Growth is rapid at this stage given clean water and steady feeding.
Adult
Adults show the species' full size, finnage, and mature coloration, and are sexually mature. Many fish develop sex-specific differences in size, color, or fin shape, which can intensify during breeding.
Habitat & enclosure
A heavily planted nano tank of 20-40 L (5-10 gal) is ideal, densely furnished with fine-leaved plants, mosses, driftwood, and broken lines of sight to let males establish small territories. They prefer calm, clear-to-tannin-stained water with gentle flow. Maintain 22-26 C (72-79 F), pH 6.5-7.5, soft to moderately hard water. Good plant cover and numerous hiding spots reduce aggression and stress.
Substrate
Fine dark sand or smooth fine gravel suits them and shows off their red coloration. A layer of leaf litter and botanicals encourages microfauna and supports the soft, slightly acidic conditions they prefer.
Equipment & setup
A gentle sponge filter prevents these tiny fish from being buffeted and provides a grazing surface. A small heater maintains stable warmth, and modest planted-tank lighting is sufficient. A lid is recommended. No strong current, UVB, or specialized gear is required.
Diet
A micropredator that almost universally refuses dry food. Feed a steady diet of small live and frozen foods: baby brine shrimp, microworms, Grindal worms, Daphnia, Cyclops, and finely chopped bloodworm. A reliable source of small live foods is the key to keeping them well-fed and breeding-ready. Underfeeding is the most common husbandry failure with this species.
Behavior & temperament
Males are colorful and territorial toward one another, sparring with flared fins and display rather than serious harm when given enough space and cover. Generally shy and easily outcompeted at feeding time, so they do poorly with boisterous tankmates. Best kept in a species tank or with very calm, slow nano companions. Do not house with shrimp fry, which they may eat. Observation-only fish.
Health
Hardy if well-fed in clean, stable water, but prone to slow starvation when only offered flake. Sensitive to poor water quality and parameter swings. Wild-collected stock should be quarantined and dewormed if needed, as internal parasites are not uncommon. Watch for thinning bodies and lethargy as early signs of inadequate diet.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Buy a group with more females than males, or a single male in a small nano, to manage territorial sparring. Provide dense cover and multiple sightline breaks so subordinate males and females can hide. They breed readily in mature, food-rich planted tanks; males guard small territories and fry can be raised on infusoria and microworms. Often sold as wild imports, so quarantine new stock.
