Yap's rasbora

Rasbora patrickyapi

Also known as Patrick Yap's rasbora, Patrick's rasbora

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 4.5–6.5
Adult size: 2.8 in (7 cm)
Minimum tank: 24 gal (90 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Katingan and Kahayan basins, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Family: Danionidae

Overview

Yap's rasbora is a peaceful blackwater schooling fish that suits a peat-swamp community with chocolate gouramis, kuhli loaches, and small Boraras. Keep at least eight in the middle water; it is hardy and adaptable, but the clean dark stripe on its gold body only really glows when the water is soft and acidic, turning grey and dull in hard water. Feed flake, small pellets, and frozen or live foods such as daphnia and bloodworm. A planted, shaded tank of around 90 liters with tannin-stained water keeps a group at its best.

In the wild

It comes from the Katingan and Kahayan basins of Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, lowland peat swamps and slow, tea-coloured water beside blackwater streams, under deep shade. Recreate that with a dim tank, dark substrate, leaf litter and botanicals, and soft, acidic water. Hold the temperature between 23 and 27 C and the pH well down on the acidic side, from 4.5 to 6.5.

Good to know

Rasbora patrickyapi, family Danionidae, was described by Tan in 2009 and reaches about 7 centimeters, marked by a clean dark stripe on a parchment-gold body. It is named after Patrick Yap, a Singaporean fish enthusiast and exporter who supplied specimens for the study. Its aquarium breeding is not documented, though it is an egg-scattering spawner like its relatives.

Did you know

The fish is named after a Singaporean aquarist and fish exporter who supplied material for its scientific description, a reminder of how often serious hobbyists and museum scientists end up working hand in hand.