Endemic to Sri Lanka, these fish are found in the cool, still waters of forest streams, tributaries and ponds. Though juveniles of this species may be yellowish gray in coloration, adults have a dark red body with black vertical stripes. In males of the species, the dorsal fin is black and the pelvic fins have a reddish tint. Females of this species grow slightly larger than the males who undergo a dramatic color change during breeding seasons, developing a dark maroon coloration around the head while the rest of the body becomes almost black. Females of this species grow slightly larger than the males and both sexes grow to a maximum length between 2 and 3 inches.