Eyespot rasbora

Brevibora dorsiocellata

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–77°F (20–25°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.4 in (3.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 9 gal (35 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: South East Asia
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Keep them in a school of at least six, more if you can, so they feel secure and stay out in the open. They are peaceful mid to upper water fish that suit a quiet community. Feed quality flake, micro pellets, and small frozen foods like daphnia or brine shrimp. Give them a planted tank with gentle current and soft, slightly acidic water. A school fits comfortably in about 35 liters.

In the wild

Eyespot rasboras come from slow rivers, streams, and peat swamps in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Much of that water is dark and tea-colored from tannins, soft and acidic, over sand or mud with heavy plant growth. Match it with a shaded, planted tank and gentle flow. Soft water from pH 6 to 7.5 suits them, and note they like it cooler than many tropicals, around 20 to 25 C.

Good to know

A small cyprinid in the family Cyprinidae, growing to about 3.5 cm. It is named for the dark spot on the dorsal fin that looks like an eye. They are egg scatterers, laying among plants with no parental care, and are considered hard to breed in the aquarium. The species is not regarded as threatened, though deforestation and pollution can hit local populations.

Did you know

The black spot sits on the dorsal fin rather than the tail, and on a moving school it flickers like a row of blinking eyes. In their shaded blackwater home this is thought to confuse predators about which way the fish will dart, buying the rasbora a moment to escape.