Description
Scarlet Badis – A Tiny Jewel for Your Freshwater Tank
(Dario dario)
The Scarlet Badis (Dario dario) is a captivating, miniature fish native to the slow-moving streams of India and Bangladesh. Known for its vibrant red and orange coloration, this small but striking fish is perfect for aquarists looking to add a pop of color to their tanks without overwhelming their space. Despite its size, the Scarlet Badis packs a lot of personality and is highly prized for its beauty and peaceful nature.
Key Features:
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Vivid Colors: Males boast brilliant red, orange, and blue hues, while females are more subdued but equally charming
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Small Size: Grows only to about 3–4 cm (1–1.5 inches), making it ideal for nano tanks
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Peaceful Nature: A shy and non-aggressive species that does well in community tanks
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Active and Attractive: Enjoys hiding in plants or rocks, but comes out to show off its striking colors when comfortable
Tank Requirements:
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Minimum tank size: 40 liters (10 gallons)
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Temperature: 22°C–28°C (72°F–82°F)
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pH: 6.5–7.5
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Prefers a planted tank with plenty of hiding spots and gentle water flow
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Soft substrate and low lighting enhance its natural beauty
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Stable water conditions are key to keeping this species happy
Compatibility:
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Peaceful and shy—best kept with other small, non-aggressive species
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Ideal tankmates include small tetras, rasboras, shrimp, and peaceful livebearers
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Avoid large or aggressive fish that may intimidate or harm the Scarlet Badis
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A species-only tank can also work well if you want to highlight their beauty and behavior
Feeding Tips:
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Carnivorous—enjoys live or frozen foods like daphnia, brine shrimp, and small worms
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Can be trained to accept finely crushed flakes or pellets designed for small fish
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Feed 2–3 times a day in small portions, as their tiny size requires frequent feeding
Why Choose the Scarlet Badis?
The Scarlet Badis is a true gem for aquarists seeking a peaceful, colorful addition to their tank. Its stunning coloration, small size, and calm nature make it perfect for nano or planted tanks, and it’s a great option for hobbyists who appreciate subtle, beautiful fish that don’t need a lot of space to thrive.
Click & Collect
Livestock will only be bagged once you arrive, or if you contact us in advance to request it ready beforehand.
Local Delivery
Order anything from our in-store range and have it delivered right to you.
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Minimum spend: £50
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Delivery up to 10 miles: £10
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Delivery up to 25 miles: £20
Distances are measured “as the crow flies”, not by road.
Once your order is placed, we’ll be in touch to arrange a suitable delivery date and time.
Please note, delivery may take a little longer as we often group orders together to build an efficient delivery run.
Important: If you’re ordering a large aquarium, please ensure someone is available to help unload the van on arrival.
Dry Goods Delivery
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DPD Next Day: 1 working day (order before 12 noon)
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DX Next Day (Heavy Items & Small Aquariums): 1 working day (order before 12 noon)
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Express Pallet: 1–3 working days
If you'd like to add more items to an existing order that hasn't yet been dispatched, please place a Click & Collect order and leave a note asking us to combine the orders.
Please note: We currently only dispatch parcels Wednesday to Friday.
Pre-Order
Want the full details? Check out our Terms & Conditions.
Livestock Delivery
Thursday Delivery – £24
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Dispatched Wednesday afternoon
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Delivered Thursday before 1pm
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Order by Wednesday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
Friday Delivery – £24
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Dispatched Thursday afternoon
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Delivered Friday before 1pm
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Order by Thursday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
Saturday Delivery – £29
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Dispatched Friday afternoon
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Delivered Saturday before 1pm
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Order by Friday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
📦 Want to Add to an Existing Order?
No problem! Just place a Click & Collect order and leave a note asking us to link it with your original one (as long as it hasn’t been dispatched yet).
🛒 Dry Goods Now Included!
You can now include dry goods in your livestock delivery – perfect for topping up supplies in one go.
❄️ Please note: We can’t send frozen food with livestock – please order frozen items separately.
⚠️ Delivery Exclusions
Unfortunately, we’re unable to deliver livestock to the following postcodes:
Scotland & Isles:
AB30–AB56, DD8–DD10, DG3–DG9, DG12–DG14, FK17–FK21, KA18–KA19, KA26–KA30, PA20–PA38, PA80, PH3–PH40
Cornwall Isles: TR21–TR25
All of the following postcodes are excluded:
BT, HS, IM, IV, JE, KW
Plus Channel Islands and Shetland Islands
Payment & Security
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