Kerala garra

Garra surendranathanii

Also known as Surendranathan's garra, Green neon garra

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–79°F (20–26°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 5.9 in (15 cm)
Minimum tank: 42 gal (160 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Periyar and Chalakudy rivers, Kerala, India
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

The Kerala garra is a large, hard-working bottom grazer that is happiest in a small group of three to five, given enough space that each fish can stake out grazing room. It is mostly peaceful but can jostle its own kind, so provide plenty of stone and open floor to spread that out. It suits a fast-water community with sturdy midwater fish such as hill barbs and loaches. Feed generously to match its constant rasping: algae wafers, sinking pellets, and frozen foods all reach the bottom well. A long tank of around 160 liters with a lot of stone surface keeps it occupied.

In the wild

This garra grazes fast, boulder-strewn rainforest rivers of the southern Western Ghats in Kerala, in the Periyar and Chalakudy systems. Recreate that with strong, oxygen-rich flow, a bed of sand, pebbles, and larger water-worn rocks, and smooth stone surfaces for it to work. Keep it on the cool side of tropical, 20 to 26 degrees Celsius, with a pH from 6.5 to 7.5. Bright light encourages the algae film it grazes.

Good to know

Garra surendranathanii is a member of the carp family, Cyprinidae, described in 1996 by Shaji, Arun, and Easa from Kerala's rainforest rivers. It reaches about 15 centimeters, making it one of the larger garras, and like others in the genus it grips stone in fast water with a sucker-like disc on the underside of its head. Its aquarium breeding is not documented. Habitat loss has left it threatened across its small range.

Did you know

Its home rivers run through the Periyar hills of Kerala, a landscape better known for its tiger reserve and wild elephants than for the algae-scraping fish sharing the same clear, tumbling streams.