Merah Dwarf Barb

About

A tiny cyprinid from the blackwater peat swamps and slow forest streams of western and southern Borneo, Boraras merah is one of those fish that looks almost impossibly small in person. Adults rarely crack three-quarters of an inch. The body is pale with red pigmentation concentrated around a series of dark spots or blotches along the lateral line, rather than the more continuous stripe you'd see on its close relative B. brigittae. Males sharpen up noticeably when competing for female attention, which is one of the better reasons to keep a larger group. Ten or more individuals is the real target here. Fewer than that and these fish tend to fade into the background, staying timid and showing little of their potential color. Because of that small size and shy disposition, Boraras merah really does not suit a typical community tank. It works best in a species-only setup or alongside similarly scaled tankmates: pygmy danios, small rasboras, Otocinclus, or the sort of quiet anabantoids like Parosphromenus and chocolate gouramis. Freshwater shrimp from Caridina and Neocaridina are compatible too. Soft, acidic water that mimics their peat-swamp origins is important, and a well-planted tank with dim lighting will bring out the best in them. Intermediate care experience is recommended, mainly because of the water chemistry demands rather than any difficult behavior.