Sidestripe rasbora

Rasbora paviana

Also known as Pavie's rasbora, Rasbora paviei

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Minimum tank: 32 gal (120 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Origin: Widespread in streams, rivers, and pools across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and the northern Malay Peninsula.
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Keep sidestripe rasboras in a group of at least eight in a tank of 120 litres or more, since at around 8 cm they are active swimmers that want length. Water at 22 to 26 C with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5 and soft to medium hardness suits them well. Feed flakes, micropellets, and frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm. They are very peaceful and make a good dither fish for larger community and soft-water tanks.

In the wild

The sidestripe rasbora lives in both fast forest hill streams and slower lowland pools and rivers across mainland Southeast Asia. It shoals in open midwater and adapts to a fair range of conditions. A thin dark line runs along the flank, giving the fish its name. It is a hardy, undemanding shoaling rasbora for a roomy community tank.

Good to know

This fish is very often sold under the invalid spelling Rasbora paviei, which was corrected to Rasbora paviana by Kottelat in 2005. It reaches about 8 cm, larger than most of the popular nano rasboras. Its broad range and tolerance of different waters make it one of the easier larger rasboras.

Did you know

Because it is calm, hardy, and always on the move, it works well as a dither fish that helps shy tankmates such as gouramis or dwarf cichlids feel safe enough to come out.