Red Garra Doctor Fish Loach Garra Rufa 5cm
Image for illustration purposes only. Exact colours, patterns, and size may vary between individuals.
Delivered alive, guaranteed
Live fish delivery is £20 per order, delivered Thursday, Friday or Saturday, arriving before 1:00pm on the day you choose at checkout. Packed by aquatic specialists and shipped overnight with a dedicated livestock courier, every fish is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee with automatic refunds. See How Live Fish Delivery Works for full details.
When will my fish arrive?
| Order placed | Delivery day |
|---|---|
| Up to Monday 11:00am | Thursday (that week) |
| Monday after 11:00am – Tuesday 11:00am | Friday (that week) |
| Tuesday after 11:00am – Wednesday 11:00am | Saturday (that week) |
| Wednesday after 11:00am – Sunday (any time) | Thursday (following week) |
Overview
The Red Garra, or Doctor Fish, is a streamlined, sucker-mouthed grazer from the clear, fast-flowing rivers of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Its olive-bronze body often flushes with red-orange, and it spends the day rasping algae and biofilm from rocks and glass. It suits keepers with a mature, well-oxygenated, unheated or cool-water tank rather than a warm tropical community.
- Adult Size: Around 12 cm (5 in)
- Lifespan: Around 5 years, sometimes longer
Origin
- Native to: Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Iraq and Iran
- Habitat: Swift, clear, oxygen-rich streams over rock and gravel
Feeding
- Diet: Omnivorous grazer, mostly algae and biofilm
- Preferred Foods: Algae wafers, spirulina pellets, bloodworm, brine shrimp, chopped prawn, blanched courgette
- Feeding Habits: Feed small amounts once or twice daily; include plenty of vegetable matter
Tank Mates
- Best with: Robust cool-water fish: danios, barbs, hillstream loaches, White Cloud minnows
- Avoid: Slow, warm-water species; keeping just one or two Garra together
Aggression & Behaviour
- Temperament: Generally peaceful with other species
- Territoriality: Squabbles with its own kind unless kept in groups of four or more
Experience Level
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Challenges: Needs a mature tank, strong turnover and cool water; climbs glass and escapes
Water Parameters
- Water Type: Freshwater, cool, clear and well oxygenated
- Temperature: 14–20°C (57–68°F); not tropical
- pH: 6.0–8.0
- Hardness: 1–15 dGH
- Flow: Strong; turnover ten times per hour
- Tank Size: Minimum 250 litres with a 120 cm footprint for a group
Final Notes
This is a river fish that thrives in unheated, high-flow tanks, not the heated community it is often sold for, and it needs a biologically mature aquarium before purchase. It can literally climb the glass, so fit a tight cover. Keep four or more so squabbling is spread across the group, and provide smooth rocks with strong current for grazing. Given cool, clean, moving water it is hardy, busy and endlessly watchable.
Please Note
The livestock that is sold on our online site is not held in store at our Birchwood Aquatic Centre shop. Species sold at the Birchwood Aquatic Centre physical store may differ from ones available to order to your door.
Frequently Asked Questions
In insulated boxes designed for live transport, packed by aquatic specialists,
overnight with a licensed live-animal courier, arriving before 1pm.
It is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Photograph it within 4 hours of delivery, email info@birchwoodaquaticcentre.co.uk with your order number, and the refund is processed automatically. The cover continues for 7 days after arrival.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You pick your day at checkout; please choose a day someone is home.
Yes. One basket, one checkout; the fish arrive with the specialist courier and the rest of your order ships as normal.
We can deliver to UK mainland only for live fish.
Follow the five-minute acclimatisation steps in our When Your Fish Arrive guide: float the bags, add tank water gradually, net the fish in, lights low, feed tomorrow.