Javanese ricefish
Oryzias javanicus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–84°F
- 24–29°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 1.4 in
- 3.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 11 gal
- 40 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Egg layer · Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Adrianichthyidae
- Origin
- Thailand, Sunda Islands
Overview
The Javanese ricefish is a tiny, peaceful schooler for a quiet planted tank. It suits a keeper with some experience.
Did you know
The female Javanese ricefish does not lay her eggs and leave. She swims around with a bunch of fertilized eggs trailing from her belly, which is fun to watch in a quiet tank.
Caring for the Javanese ricefish
Keep Javanese ricefish in a small planted tank of at least 11 gal (40 L), with gentle filtration and flow. Floating or fine-leaved plants suit them.
Keep the water at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. A touch of salt is optional, not required. They pick at small foods, so offer fine flake, micro pellets and small live or frozen items like daphnia and baby brine shrimp.
Keep a group of at least six, since they are small and social. House them only with other tiny, peaceful fish, because anything bigger can outcompete or eat them.
Javanese ricefish are egg layers, and the female attaches her eggs to plants once they are ready. Breeding them is hard.
Good to know
Oryzias javanicus is in the family Adrianichthyidae, the ricefishes and medakas. Its body is near-transparent with a faint silvery or yellow cast. Habitat loss is the main pressure on it, though it is not formally listed as threatened.
In the wild
The Javanese ricefish lives in shallow, slow water across Thailand and the Sunda Islands, from rice paddies and ditches to estuaries. It tolerates fresh through slightly brackish conditions. These spots are warm, planted and soft-bottomed.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Javanese ricefish 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Blackstripe dwarf cichlid
Taeniacara candidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Honey blue-eye
Pseudomugil mellis
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
Wandering snail
Ampullaceana balthica
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)50–84°F (10–29°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Javanese ricefish need?
A Javanese ricefish needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Javanese ricefish need?
A Javanese ricefish is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a Javanese ricefish eat?
A Javanese ricefish picks at small foods, such as fine flake and micro pellets. It also takes small live or frozen items like daphnia and baby brine shrimp.
How big does a Javanese ricefish get?
An adult Javanese ricefish reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).
Does a Javanese ricefish need a group?
Yes. A Javanese ricefish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
How does a Javanese ricefish breed?
A Javanese ricefish is an egg layer, and the female attaches her eggs to plants once they are ready. Breeding it is hard.
Related species
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