Yes they are called the Chameleon fish; they can change color, to a host of different colors starting from black, blue, orange, yellow, and drab. If you are still not amazed then they can even make the bands on their body come and go, and can change them from a straight line band to plaited bands. They can also change the color of the bands and can also change the number of the bands on their body.
Earlier here in India Badis was a very common fish in the Aquarium Market. Those days when I was young and my hobby had to depend on my pocket money (though it still depends on the same – difference is that my wife has a control on it, now), we used to see a lot of Badis in the market. However, today say after 6 month I saw a pair of Badis in the store and it inspired me to write this post.
Badis used to be one of the neglected fish as lack color when at peace. But an adult male Badis can its change colors at will -- when angry, hungry, or horny, also when threatened or protecting their eggs, fry, or territory. Female Badis are somewhere between drab and plain most of the time. Badis can change its color from black, blue, orange, yellow, and drab and they can change it at their own will. My experience with the fish say that they can even make the bands on their body come and go, and can change them from a straight line band to plaited bands. They can also change the color of the bands and can also change the number of the bands.
Badis comes from the Gangetic and Brahmaputra basin of Eastern India. The color and band changes are due to the environment they come in from. Badis comes from the pools, lakes and rivers, which are heavily planted with underwater plants, like Vallisneria, Elodea, Bacopa, etc and with floating masses of milfoils, hyacinths, pistias, lemnas, duckweeds etc. The color changes and the band changes can be due for the protection and camouflaging, making them blend to the environment completely.
Badis prefers an aquarium that is well planted with dense vegetation and free areas. You should also provide them with roots and rocks among which they may hide. Provide a minimum of one hiding place for each Badis
Badis accepts most small foods including small flake food. Badis comes from the waters where live food can be found of all sizes. Daphnia, Cyclops etc are very common in the flood plains of Ganga and Brahmaputra. Badis have very small mouth and you will have to give them something which they can get hold of. Live Tubifex is a delicacy for them, though it carries with it the dangers of infection.
They say that Badis is relatively easy to breed, though I have not bred one myself. The males can be identified by the fact that they are much more colorful then the females. Young Badis males and females all look the same with the same drab coloration, The males guards the eggs and fry which are laid in a cave or other hiding place.
Species name: Badis Badis
Common name: Badis
Maximum size: 8 cm / 3 inches They say that it can grow that big, however I have not seen one more than 2 inches
Environment: freshwater
Temperament: Peaceful
No comments:
Post a Comment