Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 212-214

Garra rufa

Common name. Red garra.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of Garra in Persian Gulf and endorheic basins in Iran by: ○ chest and belly covered by scales, scales embedded in skin, rarely absent / ○ mid-dorsal area in front of dorsal origin covered by scales / ○ usually 8½ branched dorsal rays / ○ 20−24 gill rakers / ○ 32–38 total scales along lateral line / ○ 11–13 circumpeduncular scale rows / ○ 9+8 branched caudal rays / ○ gular disc fully developed / ○ two pairs of normally developed barbels / ○ lateral and distal margin of labrum of gular disc free from skin of chin / ○ body brown or grey, usually mottled / ○ eye fully developed. Size up to 200 mm SL.

Distribution. Qweiq, Euphrates, and Tigris drainages. Also, in Iranian Persian Gulf basin from Zohreh south to Mond, including endorheic Kor basin. Absent from Karkheh drainage. In Karun, most Garra are hybrids of this species and G. gymnothorax .

Habitat. Moderately warm to very warm streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and artificial habitats of all types, provided there are at least small rock or gravel areas. Usually in moderately to rapidly flowing waters. Resistant to moderate pollution and may reach very high abundance in shallow, polluted streams.

Biology. Lives up to 7 years. Usually spawns after one or two years, depending on water temperature, hatching month, and food availability. Spawns in spring and summer, March− species are indistinguishable by external characters, July, depending on altitude and latitude. Fractional spawner. although they belong to different phylogenetic clades.

Spawns in groups over gravel substrate in open water column. Further reading. Patimar et al. 2010b (biology); Hamidan Eggs are not sticky and fall into crevices. Larvae pelagic and et al. 2014 (molecular data, restriction to Persian Gulf basin); increasingly lithophilic as they grow. Benthic grazer feeding Keivany et al. 2015 (morphological diversity); Esmaeili et al. on detritus, algae, cyanobacteria, and small invertebrates 2016c (molecular phylogeny, description); Hashemzadeh scraped from hard surfaces such as stones, roots, and plants. Segherloo et al. 2016a (molecular phylogeny, gular disc mor- Conservation status. LC; extirpated from Qweiq. phology); Coad 2021a (biology, morphology); Kaya et al. 2024 Remarks. This is the original Kangal doctor fish. Replaced (distribution in Türkiye).

by G. gymnothorax in Iranian Karkheh drainage. Both

Balıklı Kaplıca: from a remote spring to a city spa. The Anatolian village of Kangal in the upper Euphrates drainage is well known internationally, not for fish, but for the famous Kangal dogs, a large breed originally used to protect herds from wolves in the Anatolian plains. Less well known is the Balıklı Kaplıca bath and the Kangal fish, also known as the doctor fish, which became famous in the late 1990s. The Balıklı Kaplıca hot springs have been a popular bathing site for centuries. Additionally, the fish found in the springs are renowned for gently nibbling on and removing dead skin from bathers. These fish are believed to be beneficial for people who have psoriasis. There are two species of fish known for their scraping behaviour in Kangal: Garra rufa and Cyprinion macrostomum . Both are active in the spring. The therapeutic properties are attributed to the elevated levels of selenium in the water, which has been demonstrated to be beneficial in treating certain skin conditions. The fish facilitate the action of selenium by softening and cleaning the psoriatic plaque and scales, thereby exposing the lesions to the water. The treatment of psoriasis by G. rufa from Kangal has developed into a global health industry. In the 1950s, accommodation in Balıklı Kaplıca was provided in earthen buildings, with natural pools surrounded by timbers. The first concrete buildings, with summer opening hours, were constructed in the 1960s. Balıklı Kaplıca commenced operation under the modern system in the 1980s. Indoor pools serve the health industry both in winter and summer. Existing buildings were renovated, and the total bed capacity was increased to 270 after a new hotel with a 100-bed capacity was built. Today, it is a large and highly developed spa complex. Garra rufa from Kangal was taken illegally, most likely in the 1990s, and the species was eventually bred in Europe in large quantities. While initially perceived as a mere novelty, bathing with Kangal fish has become commercially profitable. Fish spas have increased globally, with numerous establishments operating in multiple cities, particularly holiday resorts. These spas offer a range of fish species, including G. rufa and other Garra species, and Oreochromis cichlids, which are frequently used. Recent molecular studies have shown that many hotels in southwest Türkiye are actually using Garra turcica instead of G. rufa . Concurrently, wild Garra species are distributed throughout their range and may be locally abundant. They come and nibble on you if you stand quietly in a stream.

Garra sahilia ; Wadi Maur, Yemen; 129 mm SL. © F. Krupp.