Moderate
Garra flavatra
22–27°C · pH 6–7.8 · 100L
£19.99
Redtail Garra (Garra panitvongi) is an active river-style algae grazer for mature community aquariums with clean, oxygen-rich water, rocks, wood and varied sinking foods.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Garra panitvongi
Redtail Garra are a shoaling species — they need 6+ to feel safe and show their full colour. Larger shoals stay calmer, eat better, and look stunning.
Redtail Garra (Garra panitvongi) is an active river-style algae grazer for mature community aquariums with clean, oxygen-rich water, rocks, wood and varied sinking foods.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Redtail Garra is an active river-style algae grazer for aquariums with clean, oxygen-rich water and plenty of hard surfaces to explore. The fish sold under the Redtail Garra trade name is now widely associated with Garra panitvongi, a species described from the Ataran / Salween basin region of Thailand and Myanmar after years in the aquarium hobby as Garra sp. "Red Tail". Because trade names can lag behind taxonomy, this listing keeps both names clear: Redtail Garra for shoppers, Garra panitvongi / Garra sp. Red Tail for identification.
This is not a lazy “clean-up fish” for a small tank. It is a lively, intelligent cyprinid that grazes biofilm, explores rocks and wood, and needs space, oxygen and structure. Kept well, it is a characterful centrepiece for the lower and middle levels of a flowing community aquarium. Kept in a cramped or under-filtered tank, it can become restless, pushy or stressed.
The gallery should help you judge the fish properly. The first image is the SKU-owned Petra/source photo for this product, showing the streamlined body and orange-red tail. The additional prepared visuals show planted, wood and river-style contexts so shoppers can understand the environment this fish suits. These images are being added to Shopify rather than replacing the existing source image.
| Care point | Recommendation | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Common name | Redtail Garra | Also traded as Garra sp. Red Tail or Burmese Red-tailed Garra. |
| Scientific name | Garra panitvongi / trade Garra sp. Red Tail | FishBase records G. panitvongi from western Thailand and southeastern Myanmar. |
| Adult size | Plan for about 10-12 cm | FishBase lists 11.7 cm SL, so do not plan around the juvenile sale size. |
| Current size | Usually supplied around 3-4 cm | Juveniles still need a tank planned for adult behaviour. |
| Temperament | Peaceful but active and territorial with similar fish | Use space, rockwork and visual barriers to reduce chasing. |
| Tank size | 120 cm length preferred; 100 litres is a practical minimum for juveniles | Flow, oxygen and territory are as important as volume. |
| Temperature | 20-27C, with 22-26C a useful everyday range | Stable, oxygen-rich water matters more than chasing a single number. |
| pH | About 6.0-7.8 | They adapt well when water is clean, mature and stable. |
| Diet | Omnivore with strong grazing behaviour | Algae and biofilm help, but wafers, vegetables and protein foods are still needed. |
Garra panitvongi is a freshwater, benthopelagic member of the carp and minnow family. FishBase places it in the Ataran River drainage of western Thailand and southeastern Myanmar, and notes specimens from swift rocky riffles. This matters for aquarium care: the fish is built for current, oxygen and grazing surfaces, not still dirty water.
In nature, Redtail Garras use a specialised mouth to hold position and scrape food from rocks, wood and other hard surfaces. The red-orange tail and rear body colour are a major visual feature. Aquarium Glaser also notes that the species is worth keeping for its own behaviour, not just as a “stone cleaner.” That is an important distinction. It will graze, but it still needs proper feeding and maintenance.
The best aquarium is a mature river-style or high-flow community layout. Use a filter that keeps the water clean, add extra aeration or flow where needed, and include smooth stones, cobbles, wood, and open grazing areas. Hardy plants such as Anubias, Java fern and mosses can work well because they attach to hardscape and tolerate current.
| Setup area | Best choice | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Filtration | Strong biological filtration with good surface movement | Small weak filters and stale low-oxygen corners |
| Flow | Moderate to strong, with calmer pockets behind wood or rocks | A completely still aquarium |
| Substrate | Sand, fine gravel, cobbles and smooth stones | Sharp rocks that can damage the belly or mouth |
| Decor | Wood, rocks, visual barriers and open grazing faces | Bare tanks with no territory breaks |
| Lighting | Moderate to bright if plants and algae growth are desired | Bright light without cover or shaded retreats |
| Lid | Secure lid with no gaps | Open tanks, especially during acclimation |
Redtail Garra will graze biofilm and soft algae, but it should never be expected to live on whatever grows in the tank. Treat grazing as enrichment and a useful behaviour, not a complete diet. Use sinking algae wafers, spirulina foods, quality bottom-feeder pellets, blanched courgette, cucumber, spinach and occasional frozen foods such as bloodworm or brine shrimp.
Feed small portions once or twice daily and remove uneaten vegetables before they foul the water. In a new aquarium, there may not be enough mature biofilm yet, so prepared foods are especially important. A fish that constantly grazes can still be underfed if the surfaces are too clean or the food is wrong.
| Food | Role | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Algae wafer or spirulina tablet | Staple grazing food | Most days, in small amounts |
| Sinking pellet | Protein and balanced nutrition | Rotate with algae foods |
| Blanched courgette or cucumber | Vegetable browsing and enrichment | Several times per week, remove leftovers |
| Frozen bloodworm or brine shrimp | Protein supplement | Occasionally, not as the only diet |
| Natural biofilm | Continuous grazing behaviour | Encourage with mature rocks and wood |
Redtail Garra is usually community-safe with the right companions, but it is energetic. Choose active, similarly robust fish that enjoy well-oxygenated water. Emerald Dwarf Danios, Devarios, peaceful barbs, Neon Green Rasboras, hillstream loaches, Corydoras in suitable flow zones and some rainbowfish can work in spacious tanks. Very timid, slow, long-finned or flat-sided fish may be stressed by the movement.
For comparison within the same grazing-fish niche, browse Panda Garra, Garra spilota and the wider loach / algae-grazer range, but choose by adult size, flow preference and temperament rather than by thumbnail alone.
With its own kind, space matters. Aquadiction recommends groups when enough room is available because single fish may become more pushy toward similar-shaped fish, while groups form a hierarchy. If the tank is small, do not add a group just because the fish is social; provide enough floor area, current breaks and sight barriers first.
| Good options | Use caution | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Danios, Devarios and active rasboras | Very small delicate nano fish | Slow long-finned bettas or fancy guppies |
| Sewellia lineolata or other hillstream loaches in suitable river setups | Other similar-shaped grazers such as Panda Garra or Garra spilota in cramped tanks | Aggressive cichlids or fin nippers |
| Corydoras where flow and substrate are suitable | Angelfish or discus in quiet warm setups | Still-water specialists needing very soft calm water |
| Peaceful barbs and rainbowfish in larger tanks | Shrimp colonies with tiny young | Overstocked nano aquariums |
A healthy Redtail Garra should graze, perch on hard surfaces, explore the current and interact with its surroundings. You may see brief chasing or display behaviour, especially between similar fish. Aquarium Glaser describes impressive male sparring in this species, with head structures opened during disputes. In the home aquarium this is a reason to provide space and sight breaks, not a reason to crowd the fish.
Warning signs include clamped fins, hiding continuously, gasping, refusing food, or repeatedly trying to escape. Check oxygen, flow, nitrate, temperature, lid gaps and tank-mate pressure before assuming the fish is simply shy.
When available, Redtail Garra are packed for live-fish courier transport with insulation and seasonal protection. Because this is an active river fish, acclimate calmly, keep the lid secure, and release it into a tank with flow, cover and grazing surfaces already prepared.
The Tropical Fish Co Live Arrival Guarantee applies under the published terms, and the first-order discount code WELCOME10 can be used where eligible. These trust details belong in the page, but they should support the care information rather than replace it.
The aquarium trade name Redtail Garra has long been used for Garra sp. Red Tail, which is now widely associated with the described species Garra panitvongi. We keep both names visible for clarity.
No. It grazes biofilm and soft algae, but it still needs proper feeding and the tank still needs maintenance.
A single fish can work, but groups show more natural behaviour in a large enough tank. In small spaces, conspecific chasing can become a problem.
It needs clean, oxygen-rich water and benefits from moderate to strong flow, with calmer resting areas behind rocks or wood.
For juveniles, 100 litres can work if the layout is mature and well filtered. For adults or groups, a 120 cm aquarium is the safer planning standard.
It is not a dedicated shrimp predator, but it is active and omnivorous. Adult shrimp may be fine in a large planted tank; tiny shrimplets are not guaranteed safe.
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