Pale chub

Zacco platypus

Also known as Freshwater minnow, Dragon minnow

FreshwaterFish

Pale chub (Zacco platypus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 54–75°F (12–24°C)
pH: 6.5–7.8
Adult size: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Minimum tank: 79 gal (300 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Rivers of China, Korea, and Japan
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

The pale chub is an active, coldwater schooling fish, so keep a group of at least six with a lot of open swimming room; it is a fast, restless river fish rather than a slow community animal. It is mostly peaceful but boisterous, and can be nippy toward slow or long-finned tankmates, so pair it with other hardy, active coldwater or subtropical species. It is an unfussy omnivore, taking flake, pellets, and frozen and live foods. A long tank of around 300 liters with strong flow and no heater suits a group; it wants cool, moving water, not tropical warmth.

In the wild

The pale chub lives in the fast, clear riffles of rivers across China, Korea, and Japan, in cool, highly oxygenated water. Recreate that with strong current, a bed of sand, gravel, and cobbles, and open swimming lanes. It is a subtropical to temperate fish, comfortable from 12 to 24 degrees Celsius, so it needs no heater in most homes, with a pH from 6.5 to 7.8. High oxygen and brisk flow matter more to it than warmth.

Good to know

Zacco platypus is a member of the carp family, Cyprinidae, reaching about 20 centimeters. It is one of East Asia's most widespread river fish and a popular quarry for anglers and fly fishers. In the breeding season, males develop long anal fins, breeding tubercles on the head, and vivid red and blue-green nuptial colors. Its aquarium breeding is not documented, but in the wild it is a seasonal river spawner.

Did you know

In a published study, female pale chub chose their mates by the intensity of the males' red breeding color, so a male's success in the spring riffles comes down to how bright a red he can show.