Torpedo badis

Badis autumnum

Also known as Autumn badis

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 61–77°F (16–25°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Streams of northern West Bengal, India
Family: Badidae

Overview

The torpedo badis is a slender, subtly coloured dwarf for a cooler, quiet setup. Keep it singly or as a pair rather than a group, since males hold territory, and give it a species tank or only small, gentle tankmates, because it is shy and slow to compete for food. It is a micropredator that wants small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, brine shrimp and mosquito larvae and tends to ignore dry food. Because it comes from cool foothill water it needs little or no heating; a well structured tank of at least 40 liters with stone cover and planting suits it.

In the wild

It comes from cool foothill streams in the Cooch Behar area of northern West Bengal, in the Singimari drainage of northeast India, where the water is clear and moderate flowing over gravel and stone. Recreate that with a gravel and pebble bottom, rounded rocks and roots for cover, and some hardy plants, with gentle to moderate current. Keep it close to neutral, around pH 6.0 to 7.5, and cool at 16 to 25 C, often needing no heater.

Good to know

Badis autumnum is a member of the family Badidae, reaching about 4 cm, described in 2015 by Valdesalici and van der Voort from a single stream system in West Bengal. It is a cave spawner of moderate breeding difficulty, following the usual badid routine of a guarded shelter and male care of the eggs.

Did you know

It is named for a season. The epithet autumnum comes from the Latin for autumn, given for the fish's palette of rust, amber and smoky brown, the colours of fallen leaves.