# Scarlet Badis Care and Concerns?



## Seattle_Aquarist (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi EmeraldAlkaline,

I have kept Scarlet Badis (Dario dario / Badis badis) in the past. They tend to be shy and like cover to hide. Also, they can be picky eaters avoiding flakes and dry foods and sometimes only eating live foods like Grindal Worms, live adult brine shrimp, and smaller white worms. I would also be concerned that the platys might out-compete the Scarlet Dario for food.


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## jjposko (Feb 15, 2015)

I would suggest keeping them in their own tank. I currently have a heavily planted 10 gallon tank for my Scarlet Badis. As the other poster said they prefer live foods...Mine only eat live daphnia, grindal worms, and small blackworms. They can be territorial and chase. I currently have 2 females and 3 males in my tank. Average size is about 3/4 of an inch. Great little fish. Most suppliers usually don't have females so if you can get a ratio of more females to males then I think you would be fine....I would not have 7 males in the same tank.


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## Bloomer (Mar 22, 2014)

They're tough fish to keep, environment is a huge part of being successful. I agree completely that they should be in a species tank and not with platys. Platys can be very aggressive depending on the individual, males particularly. I'd expect they'd either kill the badis by definning or stress them to death with chasing. Platys seem to get nasty at night and have a definite hierarchy. 

AqAdvisor is usually pretty good, but the mix you mention they advised isn't something I'd do. I've come to see AqAdvisor recommendations as usually the most you can do and back off from there. They seem very accurate with bioload, but stocking in a tank with community fish can be far higher than with territorial fish. Mixing the two can work out poorly.

If tiny fish with interesting behavior is what you're seeking, consider shellies, too. They'll do OK in a 10 gal and are easier to keep.


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## D3monic (Jan 29, 2012)

had some in my 75gal, they can become extremely territorial when guarding eggs. they love white worms. Had them with CPD, chili rasbora, misc types of otos, coral red pencil fish and some others. 

They stuck to the bottom zone of the tank around the mosses and such hunting for food. Really cool fish and seemed to breed rather readily.

Correction. I had dario hysginon which are virtually the same thing just a little dif color pattern.


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## EmeraldAlkaline (Feb 24, 2017)

Bloomer said:


> They're tough fish to keep, environment is a huge part of being successful. I agree completely that they should be in a species tank and not with platys. Platys can be very aggressive depending on the individual, males particularly. I'd expect they'd either kill the badis by definning or stress them to death with chasing. Platys seem to get nasty at night and have a definite hierarchy.
> 
> AqAdvisor is usually pretty good, but the mix you mention they advised isn't something I'd do. I've come to see AqAdvisor recommendations as usually the most you can do and back off from there. They seem very accurate with bioload, but stocking in a tank with community fish can be far higher than with territorial fish. Mixing the two can work out poorly.
> 
> If tiny fish with interesting behavior is what you're seeking, consider shellies, too. They'll do OK in a 10 gal and are easier to keep.


Is there another name for Shell Dwellers? or a link to where I could order some? 

Also, I can always put the platys in my 20 gallon so I have flexibility. However, I havent heard of them being hard to keep aside form the food issues. Would Frozen or dried version of those not work? If so i have NO idea where I'd get live food. As well, if 7 is too many, how many would you say is "maximum" for a 10 gallon tank?

If I can't find 'shellies' I might just end up making it a Platy-only tank. Though I really would like to keep some Badis if I could.


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

I had some that would eat frozen bloodworms and some that wouldn't. I never had luck with freeze dried. I think that with some training you could get them all on frozen bloodworms. 

I have found that the food thing is the only real drawback. I didn't think they were a hard fish to keep. 

A couple other food ideas would be to keep snails in the tank, like pond snails or any small pest snail. Keeping Cherry Shrimp would be beneficial so the Badis can pick off a few young shrimp also. Keeping a worm culture is easy and would be beneficial. Any small bugs you can get living in the tank the better. It keeps the Badis fed and makes you do less work.

I'm starting a Pygmy Sunfish 2 tank setup right now. You might look into them. They are essentially the same as the Badis but black and blue. Plus they are native to Florida.


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## D3monic (Jan 29, 2012)

you can find white worm and micro worm cultures on ebay or aquabid. With white worms you want to keep them cool. I had some in my desk drawer and had to throw them out today. Must of gotten too warm in there. Stunk to high heaven. Thankfully I keep a back up culture in the basement.


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## EmeraldAlkaline (Feb 24, 2017)

Couesfanatic said:


> I had some that would eat frozen bloodworms and some that wouldn't. I never had luck with freeze dried. I think that with some training you could get them all on frozen bloodworms.
> 
> I have found that the food thing is the only real drawback. I didn't think they were a hard fish to keep.
> 
> ...


Oh they will eat pond snails? Lord knows I have a problem with them! 

I can look into getting a live culture of worms for them, but in the meantime, if I went and got them, I'd be safe attempting to feed them frozen along with having pest snails in the tank?

Also, what's the maximum number of them I could have in a 10 gallon? A few f you have acted like 7 is too many due to territorial issues.

And finally, the consensus on platys is that they would pick on the Badis? I've not had aggression problems with mine while keeping them with glowlight Tetras and guppies, but if it's a major concern I can let them live in the 20 gallon. As far as them out competing for food, they are used to flakes, so I'd probably feed flake food, then shortly after put in some frozen food for the Darios.


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

I would move the platies if I were you. 7 Badis would be fine if it were a mix of males and females. The problem is that the females are rare. 7 males in a 10 gallon is pushing it for room for each male to have territory. 

I think you would be fine with frozen bloodworms and snails. I would try other foods as well but they will survive on snails and bloodworms.


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## EmeraldAlkaline (Feb 24, 2017)

Couesfanatic said:


> I would move the platies if I were you. 7 Badis would be fine if it were a mix of males and females. The problem is that the females are rare. 7 males in a 10 gallon is pushing it for room for each male to have territory.
> 
> I think you would be fine with frozen bloodworms and snails. I would try other foods as well but they will survive on snails and bloodworms.


Alright. I will put the platys into the 20. I can see if Liveaquaria could give me males and females, but if not, what would be a safe number? 

Ill look into getting a culture but good to know they'd be fine on that.


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