Glowlight rasbora

Trigonostigma hengeli

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.0
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 12 gal (45 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Sumatra, Borneo
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Glowlight rasboras are tiny, peaceful shoaling fish that should be kept in a group of at least eight to ten, since a good sized shoal keeps them bold and shows off their glowing color. They occupy the middle water and drift together in gentle, open swimming areas among plants. Their small size and calm nature make them perfect for a planted nano or a quiet community, but they must not share a tank with anything large enough to eat them or boisterous enough to bully them. Feed small foods such as fine flake, crushed micro pellets, and tiny frozen or live items like cyclops and baby brine shrimp. A tank around 45 liters or larger will comfortably hold a shoal of these little fish.

In the wild

This rasbora comes from the soft, acidic blackwater streams and peat swamp forests of Sumatra and Borneo, where the water is warm, dark, and stained with tannins. It shows best in warm water of about 23–28 C and an acidic pH of 6.0–7.0. Set that up with a dark base, driftwood, and leaf litter, with dense planting around open swimming space. Soft, tannin stained water under gentle, subdued lighting brings out the bright copper band that gives the fish its name.

Good to know

Trigonostigma hengeli is a small member of the family Cyprinidae, reaching only about 4 cm. It is a slender relative of the harlequin rasbora, carrying a black wedge along the rear body that is topped by a striking, almost fluorescent orange stripe. It is an egg depositing spawner that lays its eggs on the underside of broad leaves rather than simply scattering them, and it can be bred in soft, warm water with moderate effort.

Did you know

The glowlight rasbora is easily confused with two close relatives, the lambchop rasbora and the larger harlequin rasbora. Hengel's fish is the slimmest of the three, with the narrowest black marking and the brightest band of orange sitting just above it.