TankBud

Somphongs's rasbora

Trigonostigma somphongsi

Also known as Siamese dwarf rasbora, Rasbora somphongsi, Somphong's Rasbora

FreshwaterFish

Somphongs's rasbora (Trigonostigma somphongsi)
Lerdsuwa · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.0–7.0
Adult size
1 in
2.5 cm
Minimum tank
12 gal
45 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Endemic to the Mae Klong basin in western Thailand.

Overview

Somphongs's rasbora is a small, peaceful schooling fish for the middle water of a quiet, soft-water tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish to keep.

Did you know

Somphongs's rasbora is one of the few aquarium species that hobbyist breeders have helped pull back from the edge of extinction. Buying captive-bred fish supports that work.

Caring for the Somphongs's rasbora

Keep Somphongs's rasboras in a group of at least eight to ten, and more if you can. They need 12 gal (45 L) or more. A dim, planted tank with leaf litter and a dark substrate helps them settle and color up.

Give them soft, slightly acidic water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Feed small foods such as micropellets, crushed flake and frozen or live daphnia and baby brine shrimp.

They are shy, so keep them alone or with other small, gentle species. Breeding them is moderately difficult.

Good to know

Somphongs's rasbora was once thought extinct in the wild and is listed as critically endangered. It is the smallest of the Trigonostigma rasboras, with a slim dark stripe on a warm orange body. Its shape is close to that of the harlequin rasboras. It was named after Somphongs Lekaree, a Thai fish exporter active in the mid twentieth century.

In the wild

Somphongs's rasbora is found only in the Mae Klong basin of western Thailand. It lives there in shaded, slow, soft-water streams and swamps. Dense forest canopy keeps the water dim, warm and slightly acidic. Its native habitat has been badly damaged, so nearly all tank fish are captive bred.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Somphongs's rasbora 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Somphongs's rasbora need?

A Somphongs's rasbora needs at least 12 gal (45 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Somphongs's rasbora need?

A Somphongs's rasbora is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.0.

What does a Somphongs's rasbora eat?

A Somphongs's rasbora eats small foods such as micropellets, crushed flake and frozen or live daphnia and baby brine shrimp.

How big does a Somphongs's rasbora get?

An adult Somphongs's rasbora reaches about 1 in (2.5 cm).

Does a Somphongs's rasbora need a group?

Yes. A Somphongs's rasbora is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

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