Garra rufa

The fish which provide pedicure services are called Garra rufa. They are warm water tropical fish belonging to the family of cyprinids. In their natural environment, they can grow to between 12 and 14 cm. In aquariums, they reach the size of several centimetres.

Garra rufa are widespread mainly in the Middle East and the Orient but Turkish Kangal is considered their birthplace. The little fish are very viable. They have been able to adjust to extreme living conditions in order to survive. This is not the only thing for which they deserve huge admiration. Their main virtue for which they are best known is their complex service to humans. The ability of the little fish to enhance the quality of skin was discovered by inhabitants taking a bath in natural thermal reservoirs. The little fish suffered from a lack of natural food because of the high temperature of the water. Therefore, dead human skin became the main source of their nutrition.

The therapeutic activity of the fish was firstly recognized by the Japanese and Chinese. Nowadays, the Kangal fish are spread across the whole world (including the USA, England and many other European countries) for their aesthetic use.