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Brilliant rasbora

Rasbora einthovenii

Also known as Rasbora einthoveni

FreshwaterFish

Brilliant rasbora (Rasbora einthovenii)
Lerdsuwa · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
3.5 in
9 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg scatterer
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra

Overview

The brilliant rasbora is a calm shoaling fish for the middle of a quiet, dimly lit community tank. It is easy to care for.

Did you know

The brilliant rasbora takes its name from the way its dark lateral stripe catches the light. The stripe throws a blue to green metallic sheen along an otherwise plain silver body. In tea-colored blackwater, that flash of color stands out clearly against the dark background.

Caring for the brilliant rasbora

Keep brilliant rasboras in a group of at least eight. A tank of 29 gal (110 L) or larger suits a proper shoal. Numbers give them the confidence to come out and swim in the open. A dark substrate, plenty of driftwood and leaf litter, and patches of planting help them feel secure.

Keep the water warm, at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C), and the pH toward the lower end of 6.0 to 7.5. Botanicals such as dried leaves or alder cones stain the water with tannins. Use gentle filtration and subdued lighting to bring out their color. Feed small foods they can take in midwater, such as fine flake, micro pellets, and frozen or live daphnia and cyclops.

Brilliant rasboras are peaceful and sociable. They occupy the middle water and move as a loose, coordinated group along the length of the tank. Keep them in a quiet community with other small, gentle species, away from boisterous or fin-nipping tank mates.

They scatter eggs among fine-leaved plants and do not guard them. There is no well-documented account of them being bred at home.

Good to know

Rasbora einthovenii is a slender member of the family Cyprinidae. Its defining feature is a bold blue-black stripe running from the snout onto the central rays of the tail fin. A fine gold line edges the stripe from above and can gleam in good light. Most fish offered for sale are wild caught or farmed abroad.

In the wild

The brilliant rasbora lives in the peat-stained blackwater streams and forest pools of Malaysia, Thailand and Sumatra. The water there is soft, acidic and dimly lit beneath overhanging vegetation.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The brilliant rasbora is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a brilliant rasbora need?

A brilliant rasbora needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a brilliant rasbora need?

A brilliant rasbora is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a brilliant rasbora eat?

A brilliant rasbora eats small foods it can take in midwater, such as fine flake and micro pellets. It also takes frozen or live daphnia and cyclops.

How big does a brilliant rasbora get?

An adult brilliant rasbora reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).

Does a brilliant rasbora need a group?

Yes. A brilliant rasbora is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a brilliant rasbora breed?

Brilliant rasboras scatter their eggs among fine-leaved plants and do not guard them. There is no well-documented account of them being bred at home.

Related species