Red-striped rasbora

Care at a glance

Overview

Red striped rasboras are peaceful, shoaling fish that should be kept in a group of at least eight, as a good shoal keeps them confident and lights up the glowing red line that runs along their bodies. They swim in the middle water and suit a quiet community or a planted blackwater tank with other small, gentle species. Avoid boisterous or nippy tankmates that would keep them hiding. Feed small foods they can take mid water, such as fine flake, micro pellets, and frozen or live daphnia and cyclops. A tank around 85 liters or larger will hold a lively shoal.

In the wild

This rasbora comes from the soft, acidic blackwater streams and peat swamps of Southeast Asia, where the water is dark with tannins and dimly lit beneath forest cover. It shows its best in warm water of about 21–26 C and an acidic pH of 6.0–7.0. Recreate that with a dark substrate, driftwood, leaf litter, and gentle filtration, and let botanicals stain the water a soft tea color. Subdued lighting and generous planting complete the setting and make the red stripe stand out.

Good to know

Trigonopoma pauciperforata is a slender member of the family Cyprinidae that reaches around 7 cm. Its signature feature is a brilliant red to orange line that runs the length of the body above a darker band, a marking that seems to glow against dark water. It was once placed in the genus Rasbora before being moved to Trigonopoma. It is an egg scattering, non guarding spawner that can be bred in soft, acidic water with moderate effort.

Did you know

The red stripe that gives this fish its name is at its most vivid in soft, tannin stained blackwater, where it can look almost like a glowing neon line. In brighter, harder water the color fades, which is why keepers who want the full effect go to the trouble of recreating a dark, acidic tank.

Related species

• Graceful rasbora

  Trigonopoma gracile

  2 in (5 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Melon Barb

  Haludaria fasciata

  2.8 in (7 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Lake Inle danio

  Devario auropurpureus

  3.1 in (8 cm)24 gal (90 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)

• 

  Rainbow shiner

  Notropis chrosomus

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• Queen danio

  Devario regina

  3.1 in (8 cm)30 gal (115 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
• Sidestripe rasbora

  Rasbora paviana

  3.1 in (8 cm)32 gal (120 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)