The Panda Barb is endemic to the Western Ghats mountains in southern India, primarily in the Gao, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states. These fish inhabit hill streams and rivers as well as ponds, lakes, ditches and irrigation canals. During mating periods, the males of the species are known to exhibit a scarlet coloration. Generally, however, these fish have orange, purple or reddish bodies depending on their locality along with black or red coloration on their fins and large black markings behind the eye, below the dorsal fin and at the base of the caudal fin.