Celebes ricefish

Oryzias celebensis

Also known as Celebes medaka, Celebes rice fish

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 7.0–8.2
Adult size: 1.8 in (4.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Southern Sulawesi streams
Family: Adrianichthyidae

Overview

The Celebes ricefish is a peaceful, active schooler that lives in the open midwater. Keep it in a group of at least six, and better more, since a shoal looks better and spreads out the mild squabbling that can flare between individuals. It is community safe with other small, gentle fish that share its liking for harder, alkaline water. Give it open swimming lanes plus fine-leaved plants to break up the space. Feed small foods: fine flakes and micro pellets along with frozen daphnia, cyclops, and baby brine shrimp. A planted tank of around 54 liters suits a starter group.

In the wild

Oryzias celebensis lives in streams, ditches, and standing waters of southern Sulawesi, often in well planted, sun-warmed shallows with a fair amount of dissolved minerals. Recreate that with a planted tank, open surface, and gentle flow. It prefers harder, alkaline water, which sets it apart from many small community fish, at roughly pH 7.0 to 8.2 and a warm 22 to 26 C. Steady conditions and regular maintenance keep a shoal in color.

Good to know

Oryzias celebensis is a ricefish, or medaka, in the family Adrianichthyidae, reaching about 4.5 centimeters. After spawning, the female trails a cluster of fertilized eggs from her vent for a time before brushing them off onto fine plants. It breeds readily, rated medium mainly because the adults eat their own eggs and fry, so a separate rearing space helps.

Did you know

A spawning female ricefish does not lay her eggs and leave. She carries the whole fertilized cluster hanging from her vent like a bunch of tiny grapes, sometimes for a day or more, until she wipes them off among the plants.