Photo: Kennyannydenny (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Badis (Badis badis)
A slow-moving, jewel-coloured micro-predator that shifts colour with its mood — a hidden gem for the patient planted-tank keeper.
Will it live with a Badis?
We compare each fish against your badis on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Agassiz's Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Agassiz's Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Kuhli Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Blood Red Tiger Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Bolivian Ram✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Brilliant Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Brilliant Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Burmese Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Butterfly Hillstream Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Corydoras Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Corydoras Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Elegant Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Elegant Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- False Julii Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep False Julii Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- German Blue Ram✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 27–30 °C (81–86 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Hillstream Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 20–24 °C (68–75 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Kuhli Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Leopard Frog Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Molly✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Murray River Rainbowfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 11 cm · Easy care · 15–26 °C (59–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Murray River Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Panda Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 18–23 °C (64–73 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–23 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Peppered Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rio Negro Checkerboard Cichlid✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Slate Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotfin Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Sterbai Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Sterbai Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Thick-lipped Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- African Butterfly Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Badis and Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Amazon Puffer⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Badis and Amazon Puffer are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add amazon puffer in a group to spread the pressure.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Amazon Puffer in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bamboo Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Badis and Bamboo Shrimp are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add bamboo shrimp in a group to spread the pressure.
- Badis may eat Bamboo Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
- Bandit Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Bandit Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Brichardi Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Different pH ranges (6.5–7.5 vs 7.8–9); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Clown Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Congo Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Badis and Congo Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add congo tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Congo Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Gourami⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Glass Catfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Badis and Glass Catfish are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add glass catfish in a group to spread the pressure.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Glass Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Gold Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7.5 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Expect Badis to harass Gold Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Gold Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Badis and Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Pantanal Corydoras⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Pantanal Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Scissortail Rasbora⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Badis and Scissortail Rasbora are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add scissortail rasbora in a group to spread the pressure.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~90 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Splashing Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Badis is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Splashing Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Splashing Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Badis and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
- Size gap is too large (250 vs 8 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Badis as food.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Badis and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Badis is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory clown knifefish — it will be eaten.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (100 vs 8 cm): Fire Eel will treat Badis as food.
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Badis is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Badis and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Badis is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Badis and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 8 cm): Spotted Gar will treat Badis as food.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Badis and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Size gap is too large (300 vs 8 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Badis as food.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Badis and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Badis is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Badis care specs
- Care level
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Max size
- 8 cm (3.1 in)
- Min tank size
- 40 L (10.6 gal)
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Group size
- Best alone or in a pair
- Family
- Badidae
- Origin
- South Asia — India, Nepal, Bangladesh (slow, heavily vegetated streams and ponds)
What is a Badis?
The Badis (Badis badis), also called the Dwarf Chameleon Fish or Blue Perch, is a small freshwater carnivore from the family Badidae — a group of micro-predators distantly related to nandids. Adults reach up to 8 cm (3.1 in), but their appeal lies squarely in colour and behaviour: the body is covered in iridescent blue and teal scales overlaid with dark vertical barring, and the whole pattern shifts dramatically with the fish’s mood and reproductive state. A male in full breeding dress rivals many dwarf cichlids for sheer vibrancy.
Despite a long history in the hobby — it was among the first Indian species imported to Europe — Badis remains a niche fish. Its chief obstacles are a stubborn refusal of dry food and a demanding need for cover. Experienced keepers who accept those terms are rewarded with one of the most visually dynamic bottom-dwellers available for a soft-water planted setup. Care level is rated medium: not technically complicated, but the feeding commitment is real and must be planned for before purchase.
Where does Badis come from in the wild?
Badis badis is native to South Asia, distributed across northern and central India, Nepal and Bangladesh. It inhabits slow-moving, heavily vegetated lowland streams, ponds, irrigation ditches and seasonal backwaters — environments where dense aquatic macrophytes, submerged roots and leaf litter provide both shade and hunting cover. The water in these habitats is typically soft to moderately hard and ranges from slightly acidic to neutral.
Wild fish rarely venture into open water. They are ambush predators, waiting motionless among stems and debris for small invertebrates to pass within striking distance. This lifestyle translates directly to aquarium care: a heavily planted, well-structured tank is not optional decoration — it is the reason a Badis feels secure enough to show its full colour and behave naturally.
What tank size and setup does a Badis need?
The practical minimum is 40 litres (10 gal) for a single specimen. Because Badis occupy the bottom and are territorial toward conspecifics, extra footprint rather than extra height is what matters — a tank with a long base gives more distinct territories. A 60–75 L (16–20 gal) long-format tank is a comfortable starting point if you intend to keep a male with a few other species.
Setup priorities:
- Dense planting — low-growing carpeting plants, stem plants at the mid-ground, and floating plants to diffuse surface light. Badis badis feels exposed and stressed in brightly lit, sparsely decorated tanks.
- Hardscape — smooth stones, driftwood pieces and coconut-shell caves give bottom territories natural boundaries and provide the cave sites the species uses for spawning.
- Leaf litter — a handful of dried Indian almond or oak leaves on the substrate softens water slightly, adds tannins, and mimics the natural benthos.
- Gentle filtration — a sponge filter or spray-bar return set to a low flow rate. Strong current is not natural for this species and wastes the energy of a slow-moving predator.
- Substrate — fine sand or rounded gravel. Badis sift and inspect the substrate; sharp edges can damage barbels over time.
What water parameters does Badis need?
- Temperature: 22–28 °C (72–82 °F). A stable heater is necessary; cooler ends of the range are tolerated short-term but sustained cold suppresses immunity and appetite.
- pH: 6.5–7.5. Slightly acidic to neutral is ideal; hard alkaline water outside this range will stress fish over time.
- Hardness: 2–15 dGH. The species handles a wide band from soft to moderately hard, which makes it adaptable to most tap supplies that are not extremely hard.
As with almost all tropical fish, stability beats perfection. Cycle the tank fully before adding fish, perform weekly partial water changes of 20–30 %, and avoid rapid swings in temperature or chemistry. Because Badis are bottom-dwellers, substrate cleanliness matters — uneaten live food and detritus decomposing in the gravel deteriorate water quality quickly.
What does Badis eat and how should it be fed?
Badis badis is a committed carnivore with a strong preference for moving prey. In the wild it subsists on small insect larvae, worms, aquatic crustaceans and other micro-invertebrates. In the aquarium, the practical feeding hierarchy is:
- Live foods — live bloodworms, Tubifex, daphnia, small earthworms and blackworms are the gold standard and trigger the strongest feeding response. Live Artemia nauplii are taken readily.
- Frozen foods — frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia are accepted by most individuals and form a reliable staple for keepers who cannot source live food consistently.
- Dry foods — many individuals refuse flake and pellets indefinitely. Some fish can be slowly conditioned to accept small sinking pellets or micro-pellets by offering them alongside frozen food, but this transition cannot be guaranteed. Do not purchase Badis assuming dry food will suffice.
Feed once or twice daily in small amounts. Because Badis are slow, deliberate eaters, ensure live or frozen food reaches the bottom — faster, mid-water tank-mates will intercept it otherwise. A feeding tube or target-feeding with tweezers helps in a community setup.
How does Badis behave, and what fish can live with it?
Badis badis is rated semi-aggressive, with the aggression directed almost entirely at other Badis males and at any fish perceived as a competitor for bottom territory. Males spar and can injure each other in confined spaces; a single male per tank is the standard recommendation unless the tank is large, heavily planted and broken into clear visual barriers.
Toward unrelated species the Badis is more indifferent than hostile — but its predatory instinct means anything small enough to fit in its mouth is potential food. Dwarf shrimp (Neocaridina, Caridina) and tiny fry will be hunted. Good companions share the characteristic of being too large to eat and occupying the water column rather than competing for the bottom:
- Small, peaceful mid-water tetras and rasboras (e.g. Harlequin rasboras, Ember tetras)
- Otocinclus or similar algae-grazing catfish
- Peaceful surface-dwellers such as small pencilfish
Avoid fast, nippy species (tiger barbs, danios) that will harass a slow-moving Badis, and avoid other bottom-holding carnivores that will compete for territory.
For a fuller breakdown of compatible and incompatible pairings, see Badis tank mates.
How do you tell male and female Badis apart?
Sexual dimorphism in Badis badis is moderately clear in mature adults. Males are more intensely coloured — the blue and teal iridescence is brighter, the barring more defined, and in breeding condition the coloration deepens dramatically. The male’s belly profile is notably concave (scooped inward), which is the most reliable physical marker regardless of colour intensity. Females are duller overall, with softer, less saturated colouring, and show a distinctly rounder, plumper abdomen — especially noticeable when gravid.
Juveniles under about 3–4 cm are difficult to sex reliably. When purchasing fish, buy a small group of five or six from the same batch and let the sexes sort themselves out as they mature.
How do Badis breed?
Badis badis is a cave spawner with moderate breeding difficulty. Conditioning is the critical first step: feed both sexes heavily on live or high-quality frozen foods for two to four weeks before attempting a spawn. A slight temperature rise toward the warmer end of the range (26–28 °C / 79–82 °F) and a large water change with slightly cooler water can trigger spawning behaviour.
The male claims a cave — a coconut shell, clay pot, PVC elbow or dense plant thicket works — and displays intensely to entice a female inside. Spawning occurs within the cave; the female deposits eggs on the roof or walls, and the male fertilises them. After spawning, remove the female — the male guards the eggs and early fry aggressively and will attack the female in a confined space.
Eggs hatch in roughly two to three days depending on temperature. The male continues guarding the larvae until they are free-swimming, at which point he too can be removed to prevent predation. First foods for fry are infusoria, vinegar eels or freshly hatched Artemia nauplii. Fry growth is slow and mortality is higher than with many community fish; expect a moderate success rate rather than huge broods.
What diseases commonly affect Badis?
Badis badis is generally robust when kept in well-maintained water, but several conditions appear with regularity:
- Ich (white spot) — small white cysts on fins and body; typically triggered by sudden temperature drops or stress during transport and introduction.
- Velvet (Oodinium) — a fine golden or rust-coloured dusty sheen, usually first visible on dark-coloured fish under a torch; highly contagious and often introduced on live food.
- Internal parasites — wild-caught or live-food-fed fish can carry intestinal worms; emaciation despite a good appetite is a common sign.
- Bacterial infections — fin rot and body ulcers arise from poor water quality or injuries from territorial sparring; address the water quality issue first.
Prevention follows the same universal principles: a cycled, stable, clean tank; quarantine of new fish for three to four weeks before introduction; and careful sourcing or gut-loading of live foods to reduce parasite risk. Because Badis spend most of their time at the bottom among substrate and decor, regular siphoning of detritus is especially important.
Health note: medication dosing and disease diagnosis are beyond the scope of a care profile. For sick fish, confirm symptoms against a reputable veterinary or fish-health source before medicating.
How long do Badis live?
A well-maintained Badis badis lives 3–5 years in captivity. Reaching that upper end requires consistent water quality, a varied live or frozen diet, low stress from appropriate tank-mates, and a tank setup that meets the species’ need for cover and territory. Fish sold in the hobby are often already several months old, so buying from a reputable source that turns over stock regularly gives you the most time with each individual. With attentive care, the full range of colour and the most interesting behaviours — including courtship displays and cave-guarding — are most visible in fish that are healthy and settled over the long term.
Frequently asked questions
Can Badis badis be kept with other fish?
Yes, but choose tank-mates carefully. Badis are slow, deliberate predators that will eat any invertebrate small enough to swallow, and they can be harassed by faster, nippy species. Peaceful nano fish that occupy the water column — small tetras, rasboras, otocinclus — work well, but avoid shrimp or tiny fry tanks. Keep only one male per tank unless the tank is large and heavily planted.
Why won't my Badis eat dry food?
Badis are stubbornly carnivorous and many individuals refuse flake or pellets indefinitely. Start with live or frozen bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp as the staple diet. A small number of individuals can be slowly transitioned to frozen foods over time, but do not count on dry food as a reliable staple — be prepared to feed live or frozen long-term.
What you need to keep a badis
The baseline is a heated, filtered 40 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 22–28 °C (72–82 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a badis in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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