🐠 Scarlet Badis Care Guide

1. Tank Size

Minimum: 5 gallons for a single male.

Recommended: 10 gallons+ for a small group (with lots of hiding spots).

Important: They need space to establish little "territories," especially males.

2. Water Parameters

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)

pH: 6.5–7.5

Hardness: 5–15 dGH

Ammonia/Nitrites: 0 ppm (always!)

Nitrates: Below 20 ppm if possible.

3. Filtration & Flow

Filter: Yes, but very gentle flow — they don't like strong currents.

Water Changes: 25–40% weekly to keep it pristine.

4. Tank Setup

Substrate: Fine sand or smooth gravel.

Plants: Lots of live plants! (Java Moss, Cryptocoryne, Dwarf Sagittaria)

Hiding Places: Driftwood, rocks, caves, dense vegetation.

Lighting: Low to moderate — they look stunning under softer light.

5. Feeding

Diet: Carnivores — live and frozen foods are essential.

Foods:

Baby brine shrimp,  Microworms,  Daphnia,  Grindal worms,  Bloodworms (cut into small pieces)

Won't Eat: Flakes and most pellets — they are picky eaters.

How Often: Small amounts once or twice daily.

6. Behavior

Temperament: Peaceful but shy; males can be territorial toward other males.

Tankmates:

Peaceful, non-aggressive species.

Best companions: small shrimp, micro rasboras, pygmy corydoras.

Best: Species-only tanks or tanks with very calm friends.

7. Sexing

Males: Brilliant red-orange with blue accents, more colorful, slightly larger.

Females: Smaller, paler, sometimes a silvery-gray.

8. Health Notes

Common Issues:

Starvation if not given live/frozen foods.

Stress from aggressive or too-fast tankmates.

Signs of Good Health:

Bright color

Active foraging

Displaying flared fins (males showing off)

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