TankBud

Swamp badis

Badis laspiophilus

Also known as Mud badis

FreshwaterFish

Swamp badis (Badis laspiophilus)
Geosesarma · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–75°F
18–24°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
1 in
2.5 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Badidae
Origin
Lowland swamps of West Bengal, India

Overview

The swamp badis is a true nano predator and one of the smallest chameleonfishes. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

The swamp badis carries a habitat note in its scientific name. Laspiophilus means mud-lover in Greek, given for the soft, silty swamp bottoms where this thumbnail-sized predator lives and hunts.

Caring for the swamp badis

A gently filtered tank of 5 gal (20 L) is plenty for a pair of swamp badis. Give it a soft sand bottom, leaf litter, roots and some fine plants for security. The swamp badis keeps to the bottom, where it ambushes tiny prey.

Keep the water soft and close to neutral, at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, and cool at 64 to 75°F (18 to 24°C). It hunts live and frozen micro foods such as baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops and microworm. It rarely bothers with flake.

Keep it singly or as a pair, not a group, since males defend small territories. It is timid and easily outcompeted, so give it a species tank or only very small, peaceful companions.

The swamp badis is a cave spawner, and breeding is moderately difficult. The male guards a small shelter and tends the eggs a female leaves inside.

Good to know

The swamp badis is a miniature member of the family Badidae, also called the mud badis. It was described in 2015 from West Bengal.

In the wild

The swamp badis comes from still, silty swamp pools in the Torsa drainage of West Bengal in northeast India. The water there is fairly clear but slow, over a soft mud bottom with little plant growth.

Common questions

What size tank does a swamp badis need?

A swamp badis needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a swamp badis need?

A swamp badis is comfortable at 64–75°F (18–24°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a swamp badis eat?

A swamp badis eats live and frozen micro foods such as baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops and microworm. It rarely bothers with flake.

How big does a swamp badis get?

An adult swamp badis reaches about 1 in (2.5 cm).

How does a swamp badis breed?

A swamp badis spawns in a cave. The male guards a small shelter and tends the eggs the female leaves inside. Breeding it is moderately difficult.

Related species