Fish Profile: Scarlet Badis

[Lucky_13]

Scientific Name: Dario Dario
Common Name(s): Bengal Dario, Scarlet Badis
Size: 1/2" (females) 1" (males)
Temperature: 76-80 degrees F
Family: Anibantidae
Distribution: West Bengal, India

Description:
Males are brilliant red with 7 white and red vertical stripes down their body extending into the dorsal and anal fins. The edges of the dorsal and anal fins, as well as the ventral fins are lined in irridecent powder blue. Females are smaller and much more dull, being white and sometimes with slight pink stripes.

Temperment:
Peaceful towards other fish and each other if given adequate space. Males require enough room to establish territory of their own and it is not recomended to have more than one per 5 gallons.

Habitat:
Found in densly planted, shallow river tributaries.

Availability:
Common in their native habitat, but only recently gaining popularity in the aquarium hobby. Males can be found here and there, but females are nearly impossible due to their drab coloration.

Feeding:
Most will accept small frozen food and all will accept live. Some rare, picky indeviduals will only accept live foods. Brine shrimp, black worms, blood worms, mosquito larvae, daphnea, mysis shrimp, and cyclops. A wide variety of food is best.

General Care:
Scarlet Badis are quite easy to keep. They seem to not be picky about water conditions, so long as they are healthy and stable. Standard tropical water perameters are fine (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, <20ppm nitrate, pH between 6.6-7.8) with regular weekly water changes being ideal. Because of their small size, they are ideal for smaller tanks and get along with any small, peaceful tank mates including shrimp. They enjoy being in groups, but are not schooling fish. Males can be territorial, so must be allowed adequate space to define territories. If you find females, there should be at least one female per male, but more is better. Each fish should be alotted 2-3 gallons to establish territory, even females.

Breeding:
These fish are difficult to breed, but only because of the lack of availability of females. If you do manage to find females they are very easy to breed. Specific water conditions are unimportant, so long as they are generally clean, healthy, and stable. The male will "embrase" the female, just like a betta, and squeeze the eggs from her. She will lay about 60 transparent eggs, then is chased away by the male. He does not guard or tend the eggs, but rather keeps other fish out of his territory. The eggs hatch in 2-3 days and the tiny fry dissapear into the plants to feed on micro-fauna. Liquid fry food and insofuria are not necessary, but can be added to supply an abundance of food. After about a week, the fry emerge as tiny copies of their parents. The adults don't seem overly eager to eat their fry, but at about 3 weeks, the older fry should be removed so they do not eat their new younger siblings, as adults will spawn every 3-4 weeks.