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Volcano rasbora

Rasbora vulcanus

FreshwaterFish

Volcano rasbora (Rasbora vulcanus)
Andrewbogott · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–79°F
23–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
1.8 in
4.5 cm
Minimum tank
15 gal
55 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Sumatra

Overview

The volcano rasbora is a small, active schooling fish for the middle of a peaceful community tank. Its care calls for a little experience.

Did you know

Despite its name, the volcano rasbora has nothing to do with volcanic landscapes. Its epithet, vulcanus, points to the fiery red color of breeding males, after Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.

Caring for the volcano rasbora

Keep volcano rasboras in a school of at least six, and more is better, to bring out their color and natural behavior. A tank of 15 gal (55 L) or more suits them, with some current and good cover. They stay active in the middle of the tank, picking at the water column.

They want clean, soft water with steady parameters, so regular water changes matter. Keep it slightly acidic to neutral, at 73 to 79°F (23 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed small foods such as quality flake, micro pellets, and frozen daphnia and baby brine shrimp.

Volcano rasboras are peaceful and suit a community tank. Males turn fiery red when they are ready to spawn. Like most small rasboras, the volcano rasbora is an egg scatterer with no parental care. Breeding takes some effort to pull off in a home tank.

Good to know

The volcano rasbora is a small cyprinid in the family Cyprinidae. It was only described fairly recently, so it is still uncommon in the hobby. Fish like this often have small, specific ranges, so their wild populations can be hit hard by changes to a single stream system. Its lifespan is typical for a small cyprinid, a few years.

In the wild

The volcano rasbora comes from clear, flowing highland forest streams in Sumatra. These streams run over rocky bottoms with patches of plants.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The volcano 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 volcano rasbora need?

A volcano rasbora needs at least 15 gal (55 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a volcano rasbora need?

A volcano rasbora is comfortable at 73–79°F (23–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a volcano rasbora eat?

A volcano rasbora eats small foods. Offer quality flake, micro pellets, and frozen daphnia and baby brine shrimp.

How big does a volcano rasbora get?

An adult volcano rasbora reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

Does a volcano rasbora need a group?

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

How can you tell a male volcano rasbora from a female?

Males turn fiery red when they are ready to spawn.

How does a volcano rasbora breed?

The volcano rasbora is an egg scatterer with no parental care, like most small rasboras. Breeding it takes some effort in a home tank.

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