Assam Badis

Badis assamensis is one of the larger members of the Badidae family, reaching around 7 cm. Found in the slow-flowing streams, rice paddies, and roadside ditches of Assam and neighbouring states, it is a cryptic ambush predator that sits motionless among plant stems before lunging at prey. Like all badis, it displays remarkable colour plasticity — resting fish are mottled grey-brown but displaying or alarmed individuals flash deep blue, green, and orange iridescence.

In the aquarium it requires a well-planted setup with plenty of caves and hiding spots created from driftwood, clay pots, and dense vegetation. It is not a fish for busy community tanks — it is slow-moving and shy, and can be outcompeted for food by faster species. A species or South Asian biotope tank is ideal. It strictly requires live or frozen food in most cases.

Males are territorial and cave-spawners, guarding the eggs and fry. A pair or trio (one male, two females) in a dedicated 60-litre planted tank will reliably reproduce when conditioned on live foods and provided with suitable cave spawning sites.

Water: 18–25 °C, pH 6.5–7.5, soft to moderately hard; cool temperatures preferred. Tank: 60 L minimum; heavily planted with caves; dark substrate to encourage display. Feeding: Carnivore; live/frozen bloodworm, Daphnia, brine shrimp; most refuse dry food. Breeding: Cave-spawner; male guards fry; provide clay pots or coconut shells as sites. Compatibility: Keep with small, peaceful species; do not mix with fast or boisterous tankmates.