Panda Garra

Garra flavatra

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3.5 in (9 cm)
Minimum tank: 26 gal (100 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Myanmar
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Panda garras are busy, mostly peaceful bottom dwellers that do best in a group of five or more, where they forage together over rock and wood and any squabbling is spread out rather than aimed at one fish. Much of their day is spent grazing biofilm and algae from stone and driftwood along the bottom. They suit a community of other calm, current loving fish and rarely trouble tankmates, though they can be a little territorial with each other. Offer algae wafers, spirulina, blanched vegetables, and sinking foods, plus some frozen items. A tank around 100 liters or larger gives the group enough floor and grazing space.

In the wild

The panda garra comes from clear, fast flowing hill streams in the Rakhine region of western Myanmar, where it clings to rock in cool, oxygen rich, current swept water. It does well at about 22–27 C and a pH of 6.0–7.5. Recreate that with strong flow, a substrate of sand, gravel, and smooth stones, and plenty of water worn rock and driftwood to graze over and shelter beneath. High oxygen levels and clean, clear water matter more to this fish than dense planting, which the current would fight anyway.

Good to know

Garra flavatra is a member of the family Cyprinidae that reaches around 9 cm. Like other members of the genus it has a flattened belly and a sucker like mouth adapted for gripping rock and grazing in fast, tumbling water. Unusually for a Garra it is boldly patterned, with dark bands over a pale, yellowish body. It was described by science only in the mid 2000s, and there is little established success breeding it in home aquaria, so it is regarded as difficult to spawn.

Did you know

The panda garra gets its name from the bold black and cream banding along its body, a striking look that is unusual among the plainer members of its genus. That eye catching pattern, on a hardy algae grazer, is a big part of why this Myanmar stream fish became popular so quickly after it reached the hobby.