Fish – Boraras urophthalmoides – Least Rasbora

Description

Inhabits shallow bodies of water such as swamps, marshes, floodplains and rice paddies where it’s typically associated with submerged vegetation in predominantly clear water. It’s also known to move into temporarily inundated areas during the wet season.

Best kept in a densely-planted aquarium and is an excellent choice for the carefully-aquascaped set-up. The addition of some floating plants and driftwood roots or branches to diffuse the light entering the tank also seems to be appreciated and adds a more natural feel.

Stomach analyses of wild specimens have revealed it to be a micropredator feeding on small insects, worms, crustaceans and other zooplankton.

In the aquarium it will accept dried foods of a suitable size but should not be fed these exclusively. Daily meals of small live and frozen fare such as Daphnia, Artemia and suchlike will result in the best colouration and encourage the fish to come into breeding condition.

This species is very peaceful but does not make an ideal community fish due to its small size and rather timid nature. It will do best when maintained alone or with other diminutive species such as Microdevario, Sundadanio, Danionella, Eirmotus, Trigonostigma, pygmy Corydoras and small Loricariids such as Otocinclus.

It also makes an ideal companion for shy anabantoids such as Sphaerichthys, Parosphromenus or the more diminutive Betta species and in a planted set-up can be housed alongside freshwater shrimp of the genera Caridina and Neocaridina. We don’t recommend keeping it with other Boraras as hybridisation might occur.

It’s a shoaling species by nature and really should be kept in a group of at least 8-10 specimens. Maintaining it in decent numbers will not only make the fish less nervous but will result in a more effective, natural-looking display. Males will also display their best colours and some interesting behaviour as they compete with one other for female attention.

Mature females are noticeably rounder-bellied and often a little larger than the slightly more colourful males.