Home / Fishes / Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches / Cyprinidae / Red garra
No federal permit to keepRed garra
Garra rufa
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Cyprinidae (Carps and barbs)
The red garra (Garra rufa), also known as the doctor fish or nibble fish, is a species of cyprinid native to a wide range of freshwater habitats in subtropical parts of Western Asia.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 30 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 5.6 in / 14.1 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 59–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A grazer on plants and algae: base the diet on vegetable foods (algae wafers, blanched vegetables, spirulina). FishBase classes it as a herbivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 57–68 °F, pH 6–8, 1–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Not difficult to keep in a well-maintained set-up, but a display arranged to resemble a flowing stream or river, with a substrate of variably-sized, water-worn rocks, sand, fine gravel and perhaps some small boulders, is highly recommended.”
- Diet: “Although it will graze algae if available this species is not an exclusive herbivore.”
- Tankmates: “Relatively peaceful and can be maintained alongside other species which require similar environmental conditions.”
- Breeding: “Large numbers of fish traded as Garra rufa are produced in several countries, but it is unclear exactly which populations, and therefore species, are involved (see 'Notes').”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Carps and barbs
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: The listed barbs and freshwater sharks occupy Asian streams, rivers and floodplain waters, with bala sharks also using natural lakes. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Tiger barbs need a base at least 80 × 30 cm (about 31 × 12 inches), with vegetation and driftwood cover.
- Adult bala shark groups need a base at least 240 × 60 cm (about 96 × 24 inches), ample open swimming space and a heavy, tight lid.
- Red-tailed black sharks need a base at least 120 × 45 cm (about 48 × 18 inches), with rocky refuges.
- Use efficient filtration, water movement and high oxygenation for riverine bala and red-tailed sharks.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 68–78.8°F |
Diet
- Quality flakes or granules containing plant material.
- Live or frozen Daphnia, Artemia and bloodworms.
- For larger bala sharks: chopped earthworms, prawns or mussels.
- For bala sharks: shelled peas, blanched courgette or spinach.
Social life
- Keep tiger barbs in at least 8–10 and bala sharks in at least five. Avoid timid or long-finned companions for tiger barbs. Red-tailed black sharks become territorial toward similar-looking fishes.
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity.
- Nutritional deficiencies.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This small fish typically is up to about 14 cm (5.5 in) in total length, but some individuals can reach as much as 24 cm (9.5 in). In the wild, G. rufa feeds on detritus, algae, and tiny animals (arthropods and other zooplankton).
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Red garra” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams, lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Found in different habitats such as rivers, lakes, small ponds, and small muddy streams. Hides under and among stones and vegetation. Bottom dweller, feeding on aufwuchs. Said to also occur in hot ponds where they feed on the skin scales of bathers, reducing illnesses such as neurodermitis. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 59–82 °F (15–28 °C). |
| Climate | Subtropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Grazing on aquatic plants. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 59–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 98°F (up to 112°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 36°F (down to 24°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 56–75°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 38–54% on average (driest month about 24%) |
| Rainfall | about 396 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
| Winters | Cool to cold winters (lows around 36°F) in much of its native range. Seasonal slowdown may be relevant, but species-specific biology determines whether brumation or hibernation occurs. |
Measured at 132 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The red garra (Garra rufa), also known as the doctor fish or nibble fish, is a species of cyprinid native to a wide range of freshwater habitats in subtropical parts of Western Asia. This small fish typically is up to about 14 cm in total length, but some individuals can reach as much as 24 cm. In the wild, G. rufa feeds on detritus, algae, and tiny animals (arthropods and other zooplankton). — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Found in different habitats such as rivers, lakes, small ponds, and small muddy streams. Hides under and among stones and vegetation. Bottom dweller, feeding on aufwuchs. — FishBase |
| History and naming | As traditionally defined, G. rufa is native to Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel-Palestine, Iraq and Iran. Some of the main systems where it is found are the Kızıl, Seyhan, Ceyhan, Orontes, Queiq, Jordan, Tigris–Euphrates, Kor, and Mond River Basins, but the species also inhabits other coastal river basins in the Levant and Iran, as well as the endorheic Lake Maharlu system. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Periungual Mycobacterium marinum Infection following a Fish Manicure Vanhooteghem O et al., Skin appendage disorders 2021
- Potential of Garra rufa as a novel high-temperature resistant model fish: a review on current and future approaches Shimada Y et al., Zoological letters 2025
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish — Puntigrus tetrazona Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Balantiocheilos melanopterus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Epalzeorhynchos bicolor Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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