Tank mates for scarlet badis

We checked scarlet badis against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for scarlet badis include cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami, neon tetra and panda corydoras. Avoid angelfish, common goldfish and fancy goldfish: angelfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Scarlet badis: 22–26°C (72–79°F), pH 6.5–7.5, adult size 2 cm (0.8 in), minimum tank 10 gallons (38 L). Full scarlet badis care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (84)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (27)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Betta fish · 5+ gal
    • Betta fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
  • Bristlenose pleco · 20+ gal
    • Bristlenose pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Common pleco · 150+ gal
    • Common pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Tiger barb · 29+ gal
    • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like scarlet badis.
    • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
  • Boesemani rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–26°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Clown loach grows much larger than scarlet badis and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Dojo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Dojo loach grows much larger than scarlet badis and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kribensis · 29+ gal
    • Kribensis is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
    • Kribensis defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
    • Rainbow shark grows much larger than scarlet badis and may swallow them as it grows.
    • Rainbow shark defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Red-tail shark · 75+ gal
    • Red-tail shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
    • Red-tail shark defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Siamese algae eater · 55+ gal
    • Siamese algae eater grows much larger than scarlet badis and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Three spot gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
  • White cloud mountain minnow · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
    • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Bolivian ram · 29+ gal
    • Bolivian ram defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Buenos Aires tetra · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like scarlet badis.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
  • Cockatoo cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Cockatoo cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
    • Cockatoo cichlid defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Gardneri killifish · 10+ gal
    • Gardneri killifish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Kissing gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
    • Kissing gourami grows much larger than scarlet badis and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Rabbit snail · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
  • Rubber lip pleco · 29+ gal
    • Rubber lip pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.
  • Serpae tetra · 20+ gal
    • Serpae tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like scarlet badis.
    • Serpae tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.
  • Zebra pleco · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–26°C).
    • Zebra pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.

Avoid Bad tank mates (38)

  • Angelfish: Angelfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Common goldfish: Common goldfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Fancy goldfish: Fancy goldfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bala shark: Bala shark can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Blood parrot cichlid: Blood parrot cichlid can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful scarlet badis.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful scarlet badis.
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Scarlet badis 22–26°C (72–79°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • Electric blue acara: Electric blue acara can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Scarlet badis don't belong in that setup.
  • Firemouth cichlid: Firemouth cichlid can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • German blue ram: They need different temperatures: Scarlet badis 22–26°C (72–79°F), german blue ram 27–30°C (81–86°F).
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful scarlet badis.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful scarlet badis. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Scarlet badis don't belong in that setup.
  • Pictus catfish: Pictus catfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful scarlet badis. Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Scarlet badis don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Silver dollar: Silver dollar can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • African butterfly fish: African butterfly fish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bumblebee catfish: Bumblebee catfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful scarlet badis. Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Scarlet badis don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Scarlet badis don't belong in that setup.
  • Giant danio: Giant danio can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Golden wonder killifish: Golden wonder killifish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful scarlet badis.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful scarlet badis.
  • Paradise fish: Paradise fish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Ropefish: Ropefish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Scissortail rasbora: Scissortail rasbora can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Severum: Severum can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Scarlet badis don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Upside-down catfish: Upside-down catfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Keyhole cichlid: Keyhole cichlid can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Moonlight gourami: Moonlight gourami can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with scarlet badis?

Good tank mates for scarlet badis include cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami, neon tetra and panda corydoras. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat scarlet badis.

Can scarlet badis live with angelfish?

No. Angelfish can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.

Can scarlet badis live with bettas?

Sometimes, with care. Betta fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller scarlet badis.

Can scarlet badis live with bristlenose plecos?

Sometimes, with care. Bristlenose pleco defends its patch of the bottom and may chase scarlet badis, which use the same area.

Can scarlet badis live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.