All fish / Cyprinidae

Red-tailed garra

Garra dembeensis

Also known as cameroon logsucker, log sucker, red tail garra, dembea garra, garra, stone lapper

No free-to-use photo of this fish yet. Took one yourself? Send it to us and we will credit you.

This slim, greyish brown garra has a sucker-like mouth under its head, and many trade fish show a red or orange flush on the tail. It spends its time grazing algae and biofilm from rocks and wood. People keep it as a lively, hardy algae grazer for well-oxygenated, flowing tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

20 to 27 °C

pH

6.5 to 8

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

Omnivore: algae, biofilm, sinking pellets and wafers, blanched vegetables, bloodworm and other small live or frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Widespread in Africa and the Middle East: Nile and Ethiopian highland basins, East and West Africa including Cameroon, Arabian Peninsula

Breeding

It scatters eggs over gravel and rocks and gives no parental care. Captive spawning is rarely reported, so almost all fish in the trade are wild caught.

Good to know

Fish can squabble among themselves and harass slow, flat-bodied tankmates, and they grow bigger than many buyers expect. The tank needs a tight lid, strong flow and plenty of oxygen. Several look-alike Garra species are sold under the same names.