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Eyespot rasbora

Brevibora dorsiocellata

Also known as Emerald Eye Rasbora

FreshwaterFish

Eyespot rasbora (Brevibora dorsiocellata)
Pseudogastromyzon · Public domain

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
Egg scatterer · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
South East Asia

Overview

The eyespot rasbora is a small, peaceful schooling fish for a shaded, planted community tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

The eyespot rasbora carries its black spot on the dorsal fin rather than the tail. On a moving school, those spots flicker like a row of blinking eyes. In shaded blackwater, this is thought to confuse predators about which way the fish will dart, buying it a moment to escape.

Caring for the eyespot rasbora

Keep eyespot rasboras in a school of at least six, and more if you can, so they feel secure and stay out in the open. A school fits comfortably in 9 gal (35 L). Give them a shaded, planted tank with gentle flow.

Keep the water soft and slightly acidic, at 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. They like it cooler than many tropical fish. Feed quality flake and micro pellets, with small frozen foods such as daphnia or brine shrimp.

Eyespot rasboras are peaceful and swim in the middle and upper water of a quiet community. They are egg scatterers that lay among plants and give no parental care. Breeding them in the aquarium is hard.

Good to know

The eyespot rasbora is a small cyprinid, named for the dark spot on its dorsal fin that looks like an eye. The species is not regarded as threatened, though deforestation and pollution can hit local populations.

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.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The eyespot 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 an eyespot rasbora need?

An eyespot rasbora needs at least 9 gal (35 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an eyespot rasbora need?

An eyespot rasbora is comfortable at 68–77°F (20–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does an eyespot rasbora eat?

An eyespot rasbora eats quality flake and micro pellets, along with small frozen foods such as daphnia or brine shrimp.

How big does an eyespot rasbora get?

An adult eyespot rasbora reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).

Does an eyespot rasbora need a group?

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

How does an eyespot rasbora breed?

Eyespot rasboras are egg scatterers that lay among plants and give the eggs no parental care. They are considered hard to breed in the aquarium.

Related species