Twospot rasbora

Rasbora elegans

Also known as Elegant rasbora

FreshwaterFish

Twospot rasbora (Rasbora elegans) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Minimum tank: 53 gal (200 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Borneo and Sumatra
Family: Danionidae

Overview

The twospot rasbora is a heavyweight of its genus, a peaceful but energetic fish that needs a long tank and a group of at least six to feel secure. It stays gentle at any size and mixes well with barbs, loaches, and other robust community fish that can match its length. Feeding is easy, as it takes flake, sinking granules, and meaty frozen or live foods readily. Because it grows large and swims nervously in cramped quarters, give a shoal a tank of around 200 liters or more with long, open swimming lanes.

In the wild

It lives in forest streams and rivers across Sundaland, in the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Borneo and Sumatra, in flowing water with wood and plants. Give it a long tank with open water, some current, and soft to neutral chemistry. Keep the temperature between 22 and 27 C and the pH from 5.5 to 7.5. Sandy substrate with driftwood and hardy plants suits it well.

Good to know

Rasbora elegans, family Danionidae, is one of the largest rasboras, commonly reaching about 15 centimeters with records approaching 20. It is marked by a bold blotch at the middle of the body and a second near the tail base, the two spots of its common name. Its aquarium breeding is not documented, but it is an egg-scattering spawner without parental care.

Did you know

Most rasboras are finger-length little fish; a fully grown twospot can approach the width of a dinner plate, making it the quiet giant of a genus far better known for miniatures.