Scarlet Badis
Dario dario
The Scarlet Badis (Dario dario) is a peaceful fish that's a good step up once you have a little experience. Give it a tank of at least 20 litres (5 US gallons), water held at 72-82°F, and a pH of 6.5-7.5.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
Clear Brahmaputra tributaries of West Bengal and Assam, India.
- East & Southeast Asia
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Scarlet Badis Tank Setup
A tank of at least 20 litres (5 US gallons) works well. Keep the water at 72-82°F with a pH around 6.5-7.5, and set up both cover and open swimming space where they spend most of their time (Mid/Bottom).
What Do Scarlet Badis Eat?
They have small mouths, so stick to small foods: crushed flake, fine granules, and now and then a treat of frozen or live foods such as daphnia or baby brine shrimp. Anything too large simply gets ignored.
Scarlet Badis Tank Mates
Males territorial with conspecifics; keep 1 male with 2+ females or species-only. Live food strongly preferred. Nano specialist. The Scarlet Badis is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's predatory, so anything small enough to fit in its mouth will be treated as food rather than a companion. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Scarlet Badis Good for Beginners?
Doable once you test water regularly and catch problems before fish look sick. If this is your first tank, pick something more forgiving and come back later.
Scarlet Badis - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Scarlet Badis need?
Scarlet Badis need a tank of at least 20 litres (5 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
What water parameters do Scarlet Badis need?
Keep them at 72-82°F with a pH of 6.5-7.5, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Scarlet Badis eat?
Scarlet Badis have small mouths, so they need small foods. Crushed flake and fine granules form the staple, with the occasional treat of frozen or live foods such as daphnia or baby brine shrimp. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Scarlet Badis good for beginners?
Scarlet Badis are best for keepers with a little experience. They are manageable once you test water regularly and catch problems early; a complete beginner may prefer something more forgiving first.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Fish to avoid mixing with Scarlet Badis
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- OscarPredator - Oscar will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Serpae TetraFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
- Pygmy CoryIncompatible temperament or care requirements
