All fish / Badidae

Dario hysginon

Dario hysginon

Also known as scarlet badis, red dario, dario hysginon badis, hysginon, ダリオ・ヒスギノン, 猩红鲈

A tiny micropredator from Indian hill streams, males show deep red bodies with darker vertical bars and blue-edged fins, while females are plainer. It is kept for its strong colour and interesting display behaviour in small, densely planted nano tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

2 cm

Temperature

18 to 25 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

One male with several females, or a small group in a well planted tank

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen small foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp and grindal worms; rarely takes dry food

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Northeastern India (Chindwin drainage, Manipur) and possibly adjacent Myanmar

Breeding

Males claim small territories and court females, with eggs laid among plants or in small caves and not guarded for long. It breeds readily in a mature planted tank, but fry need infusoria and very small live foods and are easily eaten by adults.

Good to know

Males squabble, so give plenty of cover or keep one male per small tank. It is often confused with Dario dario and sometimes sold as a colour form of that species; avoid lively or large tankmates that outcompete it for food.