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Panda Garra
Garra flavatra
Cyprinidae
📍 Myanmar (Rakhine State — Kaladan River system)
The Panda Garra is a strikingly patterned hillstream fish native to fast-flowing, oxygen-rich rivers in Myanmar. It uses a specialized adhesive disc to grip rocks in strong currents, making it an effective algae grazer and an eye-catching addition to well-maintained aquariums. Best kept in groups, it displays interesting social behavior and thrives in clean, highly oxygenated water with moderate to strong flow.
Care Guide
Diet
Panda Garras are primarily algae and biofilm grazers that should be fed sinking algae wafers 3-4 times weekly as a staple. Supplement with blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach) and occasional protein-rich foods like frozen bloodworms or daphnia 1-2 times per week. They will naturally consume aufwuchs and algae growth in the tank, reducing reliance on prepared foods.
Behavior
Panda Garras are peaceful bottom-dwellers that use their specialized adhesive disc to grip rocks in strong currents while grazing. They display mild territorial behavior toward conspecifics but remain non-aggressive; groups of 4+ diffuse tension effectively and exhibit interesting social hierarchies. Most active during dawn and dusk, they are relatively sedentary during midday but constantly forage along substrate and hardscape.
Breeding
Breeding Panda Garras in captivity is extremely rare and poorly documented; no reliable breeding protocols exist for home aquariums. They require very specific environmental triggers (seasonal temperature drops, high flow, pristine water quality) that are difficult to replicate. Hobbyists should not expect to breed this species and should source wild-caught or farm-raised specimens from reputable suppliers.
Tank Mates
Similar fast-water preference, peaceful temperament, and comparable size make them ideal companions
Shares preference for clean, oxygenated water and active mid-water behavior without competing for bottom space
Identical habitat requirements, peaceful nature, and specialized sucker-mouth adaptation create perfect compatibility
Both are algae grazers preferring clean water; may compete for biofilm but generally coexist peacefully
Small, peaceful rasbora that thrives in similar water parameters and does not compete for bottom resources
Excellent algae control partner; peaceful and prefers similar clean, well-oxygenated conditions
Common Diseases
Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)
White spots on body and fins, rapid gill movement, lethargy, rubbing against rocks
Raise temperature gradually to 28°C, perform daily 25% water changes, use aquarium salt (1 tsp per 5 gallons) or ich-specific medication; maintain high aeration
Bacterial Fin Rot
Frayed or disintegrating fins, white or cloudy fin edges, lethargy
Perform 50% water change immediately, improve water quality and flow, treat with broad-spectrum antibiotic medication if severe; ensure excellent filtration
Gill Parasites (Dactylogyrus)
Rapid gill movement, gasping at surface, loss of appetite, rubbing gills on rocks
Treat with anti-parasitic medication (formalin or praziquantel-based), increase aeration and water flow, perform daily partial water changes
Poor Water Quality Stress
Reduced grazing activity, loss of coloration, hiding behavior, weakened immune response
Perform immediate 50% water change, test water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate), increase filtration and flow rate, establish consistent maintenance schedule
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Quick Facts
- diet
- Omnivore — primarily biofilm, algae, and aufwuchs; supplement with sinking algae wafers, blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach), and occasional protein-rich foods such as frozen bloodworm or daphnia
- lifespan
- 5–8 years
- swimZone
- bottom
- temperament
- Peaceful; mildly territorial toward conspecifics but rarely causes injury — groups of 4+ diffuse aggression effectively
- compatibility
- Compatible with similarly sized peaceful fish that prefer clean, fast-flowing water (e.g., Devario, hillstream loaches, danios, smaller rasboras). Avoid large aggressive species or very slow-water fish. Can be kept with other Garra species in larger tanks.
- minSchoolSize
- 4
Water it likes
- ghMax
- 15
- ghMin
- 5
- khMax
- 8
- khMin
- 3
- phMax
- 7.5
- phMin
- 6.5
- tempCMax
- 26
- tempCMin
- 20