Kyar Badis

Badis kyar is found in the hilly drainages straddling northeastern India and the adjacent Myanmar border region, inhabiting clear, shaded streams with leaf-litter substrates and overhanging vegetation. It is a medium-to-large badis — reaching close to 7 cm — with a robust build and more assertive demeanour than the smaller members of the genus. Males in full breeding colour display rich ochre-orange flanks overlaid with dark vertical barring and iridescent blue-green scale centres.

In the aquarium, B. kyar benefits from a relatively large, cave-rich setup with strong plant coverage and a dark substrate. Its slightly larger size means it is less easily bullied than nano badis but also capable of consuming very small tankmates. A South Asian biotope with similarly sized peaceful species is the ideal environment.

Cave-spawning with vigorous paternal care is typical. Males defend large territories around their chosen cave and will display aggressively to rival males. Breeding in captivity is achievable with live-food conditioning and appropriately sized cave structures.

Water: 20–26 °C, pH 6.0–7.5, soft, well-oxygenated; slight tannin tint beneficial. Tank: 80 L minimum; heavily planted cave-rich setup; dark substrate. Feeding: Carnivore; live/frozen bloodworm, earthworms, brine shrimp; will rarely take pellets. Breeding: Cave-spawner; active paternal guarding; separate female after fry hatch. Compatibility: Peaceful with fish too large to eat; keep away from very small species.