Scarlet Badis

Dario dario

Also known as: Scarlet gem, Badis badis bengalensis, Dario dario

Water Parameters

• Temperature: 22–26°C
• pH: 6.5–7.5
• Hardness: 89–268 ppm

Care Summary

Among the most spectacular nano-fish in the hobby: adult males develop vivid red-orange-blue striping that rivals any larger species, despite being barely 2cm long. The catch is dietary: scarlet badis genuinely will not eat dry food and require regular live or frozen feeding, which makes them more demanding than other nano species. Best in dedicated nano blackwater or planted tanks with subdued lighting and dense plant cover. Excellent shrimp tankmates because they're too small to threaten adult shrimp. Captive-bred specimens are increasingly available and significantly easier to keep than wild-caught individuals which arrive stressed and often starved.

Tankmates

A tiny, peaceful, slow-moving nano centrepiece: males are intensely red, females are subtle grey-tan. Best kept as a single male or one male with two or more females (males display intensely to females and may stress a lone female). Despite being a carnivore, scarlet badis are too small to threaten adult shrimp or larger nano fish. They are, however, very picky eaters: they often refuse flake food and require live or frozen meaty foods (frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia). Slow eaters that are outcompeted by faster tankmates.

Compatible with

• Pygmy Corydoras
• Ember Tetra
• Chili Rasbora
• Cherry Shrimp
• Amano Shrimp

Avoid keeping with

• Betta
• Angelfish
• Large Cichlids
• Fin Nippers
• Aggressive Tankmates

Common Problems

• starvation in tanks with faster feeders
• refusal to eat dry food
• stress from inappropriate tankmates
• high mortality from wild-caught stock

Sources: seriouslyfish.com, fishbase.org · Last updated: 2026-06-06