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Ornate garra

Garra ornata

Also known as Ornate log sucker

FreshwaterFish

Ornate garra (Garra ornata)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
4.3 in
11 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Lower Congo basin

Overview

The ornate garra is a bottom-dwelling grazer for a fast-flowing community tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The ornate garra's species name means ornate. Most garras are drab and plain, but this one carries a dark, scribbled pattern over a bronze body. The pattern camouflages it against the mottled bedrock of Congo rivers.

Caring for the ornate garra

Give the ornate garra at least 29 gal (110 L), with strong flow and plenty of stone surfaces. Use a substrate of sand, gravel and cobbles, with smooth stones and driftwood to graze. Bright light over hard surfaces encourages the algae film it feeds on.

Keep the water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It spends the day working stone and wood for biofilm. Feed algae wafers, sinking pellets and frozen foods, and make sure they sink to where it feeds.

An ornate garra does fine alone or in a group, and a group should be three or more. It is mostly peaceful but can be pushy with its own kind, so give it space and grazing surfaces. It pairs well with sturdy, current-loving midwater fish. Its aquarium breeding is not documented.

Good to know

Garra ornata is an African member of the carp family, Cyprinidae, described by Nichols and Griscom in 1917. It shares its rapids-dwelling habits with other African garras, anchoring to stone in the flow with the sucker disc below its head.

In the wild

The ornate garra lives over rock and wood in the rivers of the Congo basin in central Africa. The water there is warm, flowing and well oxygenated.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The ornate garra is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an ornate garra need?

An ornate garra needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an ornate garra need?

An ornate garra is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does an ornate garra eat?

An ornate garra eats algae wafers, sinking pellets and frozen foods, which need to sink to where it feeds. It also works stone and wood for biofilm.

How big does an ornate garra get?

An adult ornate garra reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

Related species