TankBud

Burmese badis

Badis ruber

Also known as Burmese Red Neon Badis

FreshwaterFish

Burmese badis (Badis ruber)
BEDO (Thailand) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–77°F
18–25°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Badidae
Origin
Myanmar, Thailand, Laos

Overview

The Burmese badis is a quiet, retiring little fish for a calm, planted tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

The Burmese badis belongs to a genus full of look-alikes that get traded under mixed names. A fish sold as one Badis species is not always what the label says.

Caring for the Burmese badis

A Burmese badis needs a quiet, well-planted tank of at least 20 gal (75 L), with plenty of caves, hiding spots and leaf litter. Keep the flow gentle. It hangs in the lower and middle water near cover.

Burmese badis like it on the cooler side, at 64 to 77°F (18 to 25°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. They are micro-predators that mostly ignore dry food. Feed live or frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia.

Keep one alone or in a pair rather than crowded, with only one male per tank. Choose calm, slow tank mates that will not outcompete it at feeding.

Males show a deep red color, especially when breeding, while females stay plainer. A male defends a small cave and turns much redder to court a female. They are cave spawners, and the male guards the clutch alone until it hatches. Breeding them is hard.

Good to know

The Burmese badis is a small fish in the family Badidae, also sold as the Burmese red neon badis. Its name comes from the deep red of the males.

In the wild

Burmese badis come from slow, shallow streams and ponds in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. The water there is cooler, with dense plants and soft bottoms.

Common questions

What size tank does a Burmese badis need?

A Burmese badis needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Burmese badis need?

A Burmese badis is comfortable at 64–77°F (18–25°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a Burmese badis eat?

A Burmese badis eats live or frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia. It is a micro-predator that mostly ignores dry food.

How big does a Burmese badis get?

An adult Burmese badis reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How can you tell a male Burmese badis from a female?

Males show a deep red color, especially when breeding, and turn much redder to court a female. Females stay plainer.

How does a Burmese badis breed?

Burmese badis are cave spawners. The male defends a small cave and guards the clutch alone until it hatches, and breeding them is hard.

Related species