Dario dario
Tiniest cichlid-relative in the trade, males are vermillion red with neon-blue vertical bars, females stay drab beige. A planted nano with mossy hardscape and copepod-rich water is paradise; a community tank with tetras will starve them. Feed live, dose patience.
Scarlet Badis (Dario dario) reaches 1.5–2 cm as an adult and needs a minimum tank of 30 L. Native to West Bengal and Assam, India, it lives in the mid to bottom water column with a peaceful (males spar) temperament. Aim for 20–26 °C, pH 6.5–7.5, and 5–15 dGH hardness. Lifespan is 3–4 years with good care. Keep scarlet badis in groups of 4+, harem (1 male, 3+ females) schoolers need numbers to display natural behaviour. Diet: micropredator, Almost exclusively live or frozen, daphnia, baby brine shrimp, copepods, microworms. Rarely touches dry food. Plant-safe: Yes. Shrimp-safe: No (eats shrimplets; risky with adult Neocaridina too).
Care at a glance
Tiniest cichlid-relative in the trade, males are vermillion red with neon-blue vertical bars, females stay drab beige. A planted nano with mossy hardscape and copepod-rich water is paradise; a community tank with tetras will starve them. Feed live, dose patience.
By Mike ElmiraUpdated 1 min read
Part of our complete guide to aquarium fish for the planted tank.
The parameters that decide whether scarlet badis fits in your tank.
Mid to Bottom
No
Harem · 1 male, 3+ females
Badidae
Micropredator
Almost exclusively live or frozen, daphnia, baby brine shrimp, copepods, microworms. Rarely touches dry food.
3–4 yrs
Medium
West Bengal and Assam, India
West Bengal and Assam, India
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
Scarlet Badis (Dario dario) needs a minimum tank of 30 L. They live in the mid to bottom water column and should be kept in groups of 4+, so a longer footprint matters more than depth.
Target 20–26 °C, pH 6.5–7.5, and 5–15 dGH hardness. Acclimate slowly when moving them between water sources.
Shrimp safety: No (eats shrimplets; risky with adult Neocaridina too). Plant safety: Yes.
Scarlet Badis are micropredator. Almost exclusively live or frozen, daphnia, baby brine shrimp, copepods, microworms. Rarely touches dry food.
On Fin & Stem's 1–5 difficulty scale this species rates 3/5. Intermediate, stable parameters and a mature tank matter. Breeding difficulty: medium.
Typical lifespan in a well-maintained tank is 3–4 years.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this fish with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
