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8 Great Tank Mates for Scarlet Badis: Compatibility Guide 2024

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By Lindsey Stanton

scarlet badis in a tank

The Scarlet badis is a small freshwater fish that doesn’t need a lot of space to thrive, but they do need company! We recommend that you only keep Scarlets with other badis, but our blog post will cover a variety of other peaceful fish with whom the Scarlet can live in harmony.

The 8 Tank Mates for Scarlet Badis

1. Gourami (Osphronemidae)

Kissing gourami
Photo Credit: Vladimir Wrangel, Shutterstock
Size: 5–6 inches
Diet: Herbivore
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Beginner
Temperament: Peaceful

Some fishkeepers have had success with keeping smaller gouramis with Scarlet badis. Gouramis have a peaceful temperament, and they require 2 inches of space per fish. They can grow to 6 inches long and enjoy living in groups of 6–8. You can also keep them with other peaceful fish species, but you should never mix them with aggressive predatory fish.

You should choose the types of gourami that have multi-colored bodies. This is because they are more peaceful than those with a single color pattern. However, make sure to avoid hybrid gouramis and their offspring as they can be aggressive towards smaller fish!


2. Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)

Neon tetra Paracheirodon
Photo Credit: Geza Farkas, Shutterstock
Size: 2.5 inches
Diet: Omnivore
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful

Neon tetras can be a great option for tank mates to live with Scarlet badis. Neon Tetra fish are small and peaceful and are the perfect size for a 10-gallon aquarium. They are omnivores that enjoy living in groups, and you should have no more than eight in a tank together.


3. Rasboras (Rasbora holtzi)

harlequin rasbora
Photo Credit: Joan Carles Juarez, Shutterstock
Size: 2.5 inches
Diet: Omnivore
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful

The Rasbora is another good choice for a tank mate to live with Scarlet badis fish. It has a peaceful temperament, and beautiful colors.

This Rasbora has an omnivorous diet, so it can eat everything from flakes to veggies. These fish are known to be a little bit more aggressive than the Scarlet badis, so you should keep them in groups of about six fish.


4. Pygmy Corydoras (Corydoras Pymaeus)

pygmy corydoras
Image Credit: Kasama Kanpittaya, Shutterstock
Size: 1 inch
Diet: Omnivorous
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful, sociable

This little corydoras is the perfect fish to live with Scarlet badis. It is a very popular species, and has a peaceful temperament. These creatures are actually very small, so you should never keep them with aggressive fish.

They may be eaten by larger predators, so it is best to avoid keeping them with any other types of corydoras than the Pymaeus version. You will probably need a tank no smaller than 10 gallons for this type of corydoras.


5. Chili Rasboras (Boararas brigittae)

Chili Rasbora
Image Credit: boban_nz, Shutterstock
Size: 1/2 inch
Diet: Omnivore
Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful

The Chili rasbora is another type of peaceful fish that could live with Scarlet Badis. Originally from Africa, these tiny fish are omnivores like the rasbora. They enjoy living in groups and you can have up to six of them together in one tank.


6. Ember Tetra (Hemigrammus erythrospilus)

Ember-Tetra
Image Credit: InsectWorld, Shutterstock
Size: 1 inch
Diet: Omnivore
Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful and active

The Ember tetra has the same space requirements as the Scarlet Badis. However, this type of tetra is a little bit more aggressive than the Scarlet Badis, so you might want to keep an eye out at first to make sure it is not picking on any other fish.

You can keep these fish in groups of up to six individuals in a 5-gallon tank. They enjoy living with Scarlet Badis and other species of tetra fish, so they are an excellent choice to consider when choosing your new friends.


7. Green Rasboras (Microdevario kubotai)

Green Neon Rasbora
Image Credit: chonlasub woravichan, Shutterstock
Size: 3/4 inch
Diet: Omnivore
Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful

Green Rasboras are small but very active fish. You will need a minimum of 5 gallons for this type of rasbora, and you should always keep more than 6 fish together in one tank. They are beautiful, but don’t have very strong color contrast.

While this type of rasbora is peaceful and won’t pick on scarlet badis, make sure that it doesn’t happen the other way around either. You will supervise your fish closely at first, so if you see

Scarlet badis attacking green rasbora, you can separate them quickly.


8. Bluefin Killi (Lucania goodei)

Size: 1.5 inches
Diet: Omnivore
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Docile and shy

The Bluefin killi is another peaceful fish that you can keep with Scarlet Badis. It is also an omnivore like the other fish we have talked about in this article. The Bluefin killi is a shy creature that enjoys peaceful environments, so it won’t pick on Scarlet Badis or any of your other housemates.

You should keep at least six bluefins together because they live better in groups than alone.

divider fish plants 2

What Makes a Good Tank Mate for Scarlet Badis?

Scarlet badis do best with schooling fish—preferably their own kind—but they can also live with other fish species in large aquariums. Think about the other fish’s size and temperament when choosing tank mates. You ideally want to choose a smaller fish than the Scarlet badis because bigger fish can potentially eat them. However, size doesn’t mean everything, so remember to consult with an expert at your local pet store before adding any fish into your tank.

You must also account for the other fish’s diet. Since Scarlet badis are omnivores, they will gladly eat meaty foods offered to them in your tank. However, some fish species only eat plants, so you should never give a plant-eating fish any meaty food and vice versa.

Finally, the water temperature should be maintained between 68 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If kept too cold, Scarlet badis will become sluggish and unhappy; if kept too warm, they can get sick or even die because Scarlet Badis prefer lukewarm temperatures.

Where Do Scarlet Badis Prefer to Live in the Aquarium?

Scarlet Badis prefer to live in the middle and bottom of the aquarium. This is good because it will provide them with safety from any other fish that could eat them. So you should do your best to keep a soft, lush plant cover along the sides and back of your tank.

Scarlet Badis can usually navigate through a 10-gallon tank without any problems, so you should have no problem including them in your aquarium.

scarlet badis up close
Image Credit: Ron Kuenitz, Shutterstock

Water Parameters

The Scarlet badis is originally from the freshwaters of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. They like water with a pH balance of 6.5 to 7.0. The Scarlet badis can tolerate the temperatures in your home better than other tropical fish because they prefer cooler lukewarm waters; however, they are less active if kept at lower temperatures.

Size

Scarlet badis fish can grow up to 2 inches long. They are a dwarf species of fish, and they prefer to swim in schools of 15 or more. Therefore, it is recommended that you only keep Scarlet badis with other smaller aquarium fish species, preferably those that live in schools of their own.

Your best bet for a tank is 10 gallons, as they will feel more comfortable in an environment of their size. However, if you keep your fish in a larger aquarium, you just need to make sure that there is plenty of space for the Scarlet Badis to swim freely and explore their surroundings.

Aggressive Behaviors

Scarlet badis are not generally considered aggressive unless kept with other fish that will pick on them. If they feel threatened, Scarlet badis will swim away and hide in a secluded spot within your aquarium until the threat is gone. It is possible, however, that your fish will fight. It would be best if you knew the behavior to look out for so you can stop any confrontation before it starts.

Scarlet badis will fight with other fish of the same species, which typically occurs while establishing a pecking order within their school. The bottom-feeding Scarlet badis will posture aggressively at the top-level Scarlet badis. Most fighting is minimal since they don’t inflict any real damage on one another.

However, if they are involved in a fight with a different fish species, Scarlet badis can get injured and may even die if the other fish is big enough to eat it. If you notice your Scarlet Badis fighting with another school of fish, you should separate them right away to avoid any damage being done.

aquarium plant dividerTop 3 Benefits of Having Tank Mates for Scarlet Badis in Your Aquarium

There are many reasons why a fish owner might want to find tank mates for their Scarlet Badis.

1. Socialization

A tank mate can make Scarlet badis less shy and more social with humans who watch it from time to time. This is not guaranteed, but many people have found that adding another school of fish in their aquarium has made their Scarlet badis more comfortable with them.


2. Variety in Aquarium Fish

Scarlet Badis live in schools, so it does not make sense to keep only one of them. Adding tank mates for Scarlet badis can help break up the monotony of a single school in your aquarium. If you choose tank mates that are also schooling fish, you can even try to mimic the behavior of Scarlet Badis within your aquarium.


3. Activity Level

Scarlet badis are passive members of the aquatic environment, and they have trouble keeping up with more active schooled fish. However, a tank mate will not feel threatened by Scarlet Badis if you choose a fish that requires less space to swim in. The fish you choose will be able to get most of its food from the bottom of your aquarium, while Scarlet badis can move freely throughout the top, middle and bottom levels.

Conclusion

If you own one or more of these beautiful fish, you may want to consider adding a tank mate for them. There are several factors you should consider when choosing your fish; however, if you keep these considerations in mind and choose wisely, you will be pleased with the outcome of your aquarium environment.

The best types of tank mates for Scarlet Badis should be small, peaceful, and friendly. If you have any other questions about keeping Scarlet badis or adding tank mates for them, please let us know!


Featured Image Credit: Karel Zahradka, Shutterstock

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