Badis and Dario Care Guide: Blue Badis, Scarlet Badis and Black Tiger Dario

Badis and darios are some of the most fascinating little fish I keep. They are tiny micro predators with real personality. The males change colour, flare at each other and guard their own patch of the tank, and they hunt live food like little lions. I breed Blue Badis and Black Tiger Darios here in QLD, and this guide covers how to set up for them, what to feed them and how to breed them.

What are badis and darios?

Badis and darios belong to a small family of fish called Badidae, from slow, plant-filled streams in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. They are related to each other but come in two sizes. Badis grow to around 5 to 6cm, while darios are true nano fish at only 1.5 to 3cm.

They are not schooling fish. Instead, each male claims a small territory around a plant, a piece of wood or a cave, and spends his day displaying to females and seeing off rival males. They move slowly and deliberately, hovering and then darting forward to snap up food. Females are much plainer than males, but they are what bring out the best colour in the boys.

Badis and dario species

Blue Badis (Badis badis)

Sometimes called the chameleon fish, because males can shift from deep blue to brown to almost black within minutes, depending on their mood. They are the largest of the group at 5 to 6cm, and in a well-planted tank they become confident and very colourful. Keep them in pairs or small groups in 40 litres or more. Shop Blue Badis

Black Tiger Dario (Dario sp. 'Myanmar')

A lesser-known relative of the Scarlet Badis, with bold dark vertical bars on a lighter body. Males develop stronger patterning and colour as they mature. They reach 2 to 3cm and have all the territorial character of a Scarlet Badis. A rare find in the hobby. Shop Black Tiger Darios

Scarlet Badis (Dario dario)

One of the smallest and most colourful fish in the hobby, at only 1.5 to 2cm. Males show bright red and blue bars that light up when they are displaying. I have bred them, but they are not listed at the moment.

Tank setup

• Tank size: 20 litres or more for darios, and 40 litres or more for Blue Badis. Floor space matters more than height, because each male needs his own patch.
• Males and females: Keep more females than males. In a small tank, one male with two or three females is ideal. You can keep several males in a bigger tank if there are enough plants and decor to break up their line of sight.
• Plants: A heavily planted tank is a must. Plants give them territories, hiding places and somewhere to spawn. Java moss and floating plants like red root floaters are perfect.
• Caves and cover: Small caves, wood and leaf litter make them feel safe. Blue Badis in particular love a coconut cave.
• Temperature: 22 to 26 degrees Celsius. In most of Australia you will need a heater over winter.
• Filtration: Gentle flow only. A sponge filter is ideal and is also safe for fry.
• Lighting: Soft lighting and some shade from floating plants help them settle and show their best colour.

Feeding

This is the most important part of keeping badis and darios. They are micro predators and many will not recognise dry food as food, especially when they first arrive. Plan to feed live or frozen food.

• Daphnia is a brilliant staple, and they love hunting it.
• Microworms and banana worms are the perfect size for darios.
• Ostracods and baby brine shrimp are great too.
• Frozen bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp work well for Blue Badis.

All of my badis and darios are raised on live food, so they arrive knowing what to eat. Some will learn to take small frozen or dry foods over time, but do not count on it. Feed small amounts once or twice a day.

If you would like to grow your own live food, my guides on culturing daphnia and microworms and banana worms are a good place to start.

Breeding

In a well-planted tank with good live food, badis and darios will often breed on their own. You will notice a male colour up strongly and start leading a female back to his chosen spot.

Blue Badis spawn in caves. The male guards the eggs and stays with them until the fry are free swimming, then the fry need to be moved or given plenty of cover, as the adults will eat them.

Darios scatter a few eggs at a time among moss and fine plants. The adults do not look after the eggs, and will eat the fry they find, so a thick mat of moss gives some fry a chance in the main tank. To raise more, move the moss with eggs into a separate container.

The fry are very small. Start them on paramecium or vinegar eels, then move on to microworms and baby brine shrimp as they grow.

Tankmates

Badis and darios are slow, careful feeders, so they lose out to fast, greedy fish at feeding time. They are at their best in a species-only tank, or with a few very small and gentle tankmates such as:

• Cherry shrimp (adult shrimp are safe, but badis and darios will eat shrimplets)
• Snails
• Small, peaceful nano fish that are not fast or greedy eaters

Avoid keeping different species of dario together, and avoid boisterous fish that will stress them or steal all the food.

Why I keep badis and darios

These fish are a little more work than most nano fish because of the live food, but they repay it many times over. Watching a male dario light up and display to a female, or a Blue Badis change colour in front of you, is something special. If you enjoy watching behaviour as much as colour, they are a brilliant choice.

If you have any questions about badis or darios, email me at elyza@handpickedaquatics.com. Happy to help.

Cheers,
Elyza
Hand Picked Aquatics