Here, we will explain about 10 popular types of rasboras. Many aquarium hobbyists are fascinated by different types of fish. Some use the common types of fish, while others go toward the less ordinary ones.
If you are looking for something relatively inexpensive but has colorful and lively characteristics, then rasboras are great options to consider.
There are a lot of species in this family, so here is a look at 10 of the most popular types of rasboras you need to see.
Table of Contents
1. Least Rasbora
| Scientific Name | Boraras urophthalmoides |
| Common Name | Least Rasbora |
| Origin | South East Asia, Thailand |
| Maximum size | 2.4 inches |
| Minimum Tank Size | 10 gallons |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Temperament | Peaceful and active |
| Behavior | Active swimmers |
| Breeding | Easy |
| Nature | Peaceful, active swimmers |
| pH level | 6.5-7.0 |
| Temperature | 70°F- 82°F |
| Water Type | Freshwater |
This fish has an ideal size of 2.4 inches and likes to school in groups of five or more. It has a black body with yellowish fins and a tail, which is why its name, “Least” Rasbora, is the smallest Rasbora you can find that isn’t blind.
The coloration also makes them ideal for keeping in schools because they’re very colorful. The Least Rasbora can complete itself in a 10-gallon tank without any issues. It is best to keep the water level to the mid-point of their body so they have enough space to swim around.
Their playful nature should be accounted for when deciding what filter you will use since this fish loves currents but not strong waves.
The Least Rasbora can be kept in fresh or soft water since they are used to living in rivers back in their homeland. They like the ideal temperature of 70°F-82°F and thrive when maintained at pH levels 6.5-7.0.
Rasboras are torpedo-shaped fish with pointed snouts and long, thin fins. They are often found in shoals swimming in their natural habitat’s middle or top regions of the water column.
They have stocky and torpedo-shaped bodies with two large black spots on the bottom of their body.
The top of their body is usually yellow or gold and has four to six dark vertical stripes. The Least Rasbora is just one of the types of rasboras that can be found in Asia. It gets its name because it is the smallest of the Bala sharks.
They are mostly silver, with a few black spots on their body and fins, especially near their tails. They also have red eyes with dark slits. The males will grow to be a little bit larger than the females.
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2. Pygmy Rasbora
| Scientific Name | Boraras maculatus |
| Common Name | Pygmy Rasbora, dwarf rasbora |
| Origin | Southeast Asia and Indonesia |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Maximum size | 0.5–0.8 inches |
| Minimum Tank Size | 5 gallons |
| Temperament | Peaceful and very social |
| Behavior | An active swimmer |
| Breeding | Accessible in still water but needs soft water |
| Nature | Peaceful, active swimmers |
| pH level | 4.5-7.0 |
| Temperature | 70°F- 82°F |
| Water Type | Freshwater |
This colorful fish has a black body with red fins and tail, blue stripes on the lower half of the body, and a horizontal stripe across its eyes. It is tiny at only 1 inch and likes to school with other rasboras.
They are best kept in tanks at least 5 gallons big, and since they are very active swimmers, ensure you have a good filter for them. The ideal temperature for this fish is 70°F-82°F, and the pH level should be 4.5-7.0 to thrive.
The Pygmy Rasbora is best kept in slightly soft water but can also be kept in freshwater. They are used to living in rivers back in their homeland, so their ideal temperature is 70°F-82°F. They are very active swimmers, so ensure they have plenty of hiding places/rocks for burrowing.
The Pygmy Rasbora is one of the most popular types of Rasboras that you can find.
The Pygmy Rasbora is easy to breed since they will readily spawn in still water tanks, and the fry can grow well in soft water as long as it doesn’t fluctuate too much.
3. Clown Rasbora
| Scientific Name | Rasbora Kalochroma |
| Common Name | Clown rasbora |
| Origin | South East Asia |
| Maximum size | 4 inches |
| Minimum Tank Size | 2 1/2 gallons |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Behavior | Nocturnal |
| Breeding | Difficult and need high water quality |
| Active | An active swimmer |
| Nature | Peaceful, active swimmers |
| pH level | 5.0-7.5 |
| Temperature | 73°F- 82°F |
| Water Type | Freshwater |
The Clown rasbora is one of the more peaceful fishes you can find. They don’t grow much more significantly than 4 inches and, like other rasboras, have very bright colors.
The average lifespan A Clown rasbora has a slender, elongated body that is silver in color with black vertical bands. It looks very similar to another type of fish called a Harlequin rasbora.
They get their name because the black vertical band runs from the base to the tip of its tail, which resembles a clown nose. Clown rasboras have a round body, their mouth is upturned, and their tail is slightly forked.
They have stocky and torpedo-shaped bodies with two large black spots on the bottom of their body. The top of their body is usually yellow or gold and has four to six dark vertical stripes.
With its streamlined, beautiful shape and color pattern, the Clown rasbora is one of the most desirable fish species in the aquarium hobby.
They are relatively small, peaceful fish that can be kept in a planted community tank. They prefer a water temperature of about 73° to 82°F and a pH between 5.0-7.5.
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4. Scissortail Rasbora
| Scientific Name | Rasbora trilineata |
| Common Name | Scissortail rasbora, three-lined Rasbora |
| Origin | Borneo, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Sumatra, Thailand |
| Maximum size | 3.5 inches |
| Minimum Tank Size | 20 gallons |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Breeding | Challenging breeding needs high water quality |
| Behavior | An active swimmer |
| Nature | Peaceful, active swimmers |
| pH level | 6.5-7.0 |
| Temperature | 73°F- 79°F |
| Water Type | Freshwater |
Scissortail Rasboras, like Clown rasboras, have slender and torpedo-shaped bodies. The average size of the Scissortail rasbora is 2 inches, silver in color with a black tail. The top of their body is usually yellow or gold with four to six dark vertical stripes.
They have a slightly upturned mouth and are very peaceful fish that can be kept in a planted community tank.
The Scissortail Rasbora has long, thin fins extending beyond its tail but not growing much more significantly than 3.5 inches long. It is one of the most popular types of Rasbora that you can find.
Scissortail Rasboras are found in lowland streams and rivers with heavy currents and a pH of 6.5-7.0 in areas with dense vegetation. They eat algae, plant matter, worms, crustaceans, insects, and zooplankton in the wild.
They will eat all of this in an aquarium environment too. They usually prefer water temperatures between 73°F to 79°F.
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5. Phoenix Rasbora
| Scientific Name | Boraras Merah |
| Origin | Thailand, Malaysia, Southern Borneo |
| Size | 0.5-0.8 inches |
| Lifespan | 4 years |
| Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
| Tank Mates | Community fish |
| Nature | Lively, aggressive |
| Water Temperature | 68°-83°F |
| Water pH | 4.5-7.5 |
| Diet | Crickets, wax worms, feeder fish, small fish pellets |
| Breeding | Egg scatterer |
Boraras Merah is a small-sized rasbora that was first discovered in Thailand and Malaysia. Smaller than the size of your palm. It has a red body with black markings throughout its back area. With a little bit of luck, you can spot its baby version.
It grows up to 2 cm in size and has a lifespan of about four years. The Boraras Merah prefers a water temperature of 68°-83°F and a water pH between 4.5 to 7.5. A Boraras Merah has a metallic green body with three black lines from the head to the tail fin.
You can also find two red patches near its tail fin, plus it provides a nice contrast with the rest of the fish’s silver color. This type of Rasbora has a black stripe on its lower body that can be found near the red patches.
The Boraras Merah is one of the most popular types of fish among aquarium hobbyists because it is straightforward to maintain and take care of. It stays in schools, so you should purchase these fish in a group of five or more.
This is because they fight each other when there is not enough space for them to swim around. They also love hiding among plants and staying close to the bottom of the aquarium, where they feel most comfortable.
This type of red Rasbora is one of the smallest species in the genus. It is named after the Thai Boraras, ‘small fish.’
The red Rasbora has a bright silver body with two black lines on its back and one around its caudal fin. There are also some scales surrounding their tail fin that turn from blue to purple when they mature.
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6. Harlequin Rasbora
| Scientific name | Trigonostigma heteromorpha |
| Origin | Southern Thailand |
| Size | 2 inches or slightly smaller |
| Lifespan | Up to 5 years |
| Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
| Water Temperature | 74°F – 79°F |
| pH Level | 5.8 – 7.0 |
| Diet | Crickets, wax worms, freeze-dried blood worms, feeder fish, etc. |
| Breeding | Egg scatterer |
| Tank Mates | Any small fish |
| Nature | Peaceful, shy, slow swimmers |
The Harlequin Rasbora is a small fish initially found in the Mekong basin in Thailand. You can identify them by their thin red or orange banding across their body with thin black stripes above and below them.
Between the banding, thin gold lines go from the snout to the fish’s tail. The Harlequin Rasbora is a very popular rasbora, which you can find in many pet stores that sell aquarium supplies. It is one of the most peaceful species among the Rasboras family.
Their tank should have a dark bottom with plants to hide in when they are scared. They are sensitive to the chemicals in the water, so make sure you clean your tank regularly.
The Harlequin Rasbora is one of the easiest species of rasboras to breed, and it’s who will lay its eggs on the glass sides of the aquarium.
Harlequin Rasboras are a type of Rasbora with red and white patches on their body. They look like little fireballs while swimming in the aquarium, mainly because of their bright orange color. It can grow up to 2 inches long.
They are found in areas with slow-moving rivers and streams with heavy vegetation, a pH level of 5.8 – 7.0, and a water temperature between 74°F – 79°F.
They prefer to swim in the middle of plants or on top of smooth surfaces because they are known as surface feeders. When it comes to breeding, the Harlequin Rasbora is known for being an egg scatterer since there is no parental care for the young.
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7. Brilliant Rasbora
| Scientific name | Rasbora einthovenii |
| Origin | Southeast Asia |
| Size | 2 to 3.6 inches |
| Lifespan | 5 to 8 years |
| Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
| Water Temperature | 74°F – 79°F |
| pH Level | 5.0 -7.5 |
| Diet | Thinly sliced zucchini, spinach, cucumber, watercress, and parsley |
| Breeding | Egg scatterer |
| Tank Mates | Any small fish |
| Nature | Peaceful, shy |
The Brilliant Rasbora is a type of Rasbora with gold and black stripes on its body next to red patches along the side of the fish’s body. It has a black line right underneath its mouth and a black line along its caudal fin.
This Rasbora is also found in other places such as Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and Thailand. In the wild, this species lives near the banks of slow-moving rivers and streams with heavy vegetation, with a pH level between 5.0 -7.5 and a water temperature between 74°F – 79°F.
It likes to swim in the middle of plants or on top of smooth surfaces because it is known as a surface feeder. It has a lifespan of about 4 years and grows up to 3.6 inches in size.
The Brilliant Rasbora is known to be very shy, which is why it loves to stay in small groups since it will hide among plants or driftwood when it feels threatened.
This species is also known as an egg scatterer because there’s no parental care for the young.
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8. Mosquito Rasbora
| Scientific Name | Boraras Brigittae |
| Origin | Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore |
| Size | 0.6 to 0.8 inches |
| Lifespan | 4-8 years |
| Tank Mates | Any small peaceful fish |
| Nature | Peaceful, shy |
| Water Temperature | 68°-82°F |
| Water pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| Diet | Small fish pellets, brine shrimp, bloodworms |
| Breeding | Egg Scatterer |
The Mosquito Rasbora is also known as the Dwarf Rasbora or, by its scientific name Boraras Brigittae. It belongs to the minnow family, where most fish of this type prefer quiet waters with low currents. They are primarily found in rice paddies, ponds, and slow-moving streams.
The Boraras Brigittae is known for its unique features, which include more minor scales and an elongated body. Its body is also decorated with beautiful yellow spots, making it one of the most eye-catching fish species.
The Mosquito Rasbora sports a silver and red body with dark stripes, transparent fins, and scales that look like they’ve been sprinkled with glittering yellow dust. The female has a similar pattern but is more rounded than the male’s, which is triangular.
The Mosquito Rasbora is indigenous to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, where it thrives in rainforests near slow-moving streams or small rivers.
The fish prefers heavily planted tanks with lots of green vegetation. It lives best in a pH range of 6.5-7.5 and a temperature between 68°-82°F.
The Mosquito Rasbora is very peaceful, shy, and calm. They do not get along well with other rasbora species or any other fish that are not peaceful. They are also slow swimmers despite their elongated bodies, which makes them very easy to catch.
However, keeping them with other rasbora species is best since they tend to school together.
The Boraras Brigittae tends to breed during May and June when the female lays up to 300 eggs. These eggs will hatch within 48 hours, but the fry is small, so they need microscopic food until they are big enough to feed on adult brine shrimp or micro worms.
9. Galaxy Rasbora
| Scientific Name | Danio margaritatus |
| Origin | Myanmar |
| Size | 2-2.5cm |
| Lifespan | 3 to 5 years |
| Tank Mates | Any small peaceful fish |
| Nature | Docile, quiet, shy, slow-moving fish |
| Water Temperature | 24-28 Celsius |
| Water pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| Diet | Small fish pellets, brine shrimp, bloodworms |
| Breeding | Egg Scatterer |
| Common names: | Celestial pearl danio, galaxy rasbora, fireworks rasbora |
The Danio Margaritatus, also known as the Galaxy Rasbora, does a small fish that belongs to the minnow family. It has an elongated body with scales that cover only the upper half of its body. The scales on its belly are so small they look like dots along the Rasbora’s abdomen.
Galaxy Rasbora sports a silver and black body with transparent fins and scales that look like they’ve been sprinkled with tiny gems. The male has a triangular pattern on its body, while the female is rounded, whereas the male is triangular. It also has a yellow stripe on its dorsal.
The Galaxy Rasbora is not as popular as other types of Rasbora, but it can be just as beautiful and hardy once correctly acclimated to the home aquarium.
The Galaxy Rasbora hails from Southeast Asia, where it is widely distributed and inhabits slow-moving streams in peat swamps, black water rivers, and forested areas.
It prefers heavily planted tanks with lots of green vegetation to use as cover. They prefer a water temperature of about 71°-78°F and a pH between 6.5 to 7.5.
The Galaxy Rasbora is very peaceful, shy, and calm. They do not get along well with other rasbora species or any fish that are not peaceful. They are also slow swimmers despite their elongated bodies, which makes them very easy to catch.
However, keeping them with other rasbora species is best since they tend to school together.
The Danio Margaritatus is omnivorous and will eat most types of food, including flakes, brine shrimp, and bloodworms. They will eat smaller fish pellets, but it’s best to use a larger size since they are small.
When first introduced into the tank, the Rasbora will need time to adjust to its environment and get acclimated. During this time, please do not add any quick-moving fish or those that have long finnage as their swimming will scare the rasboras.
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10. Lambchop Rasbora
| Scientific Name | Trigonostigma espei |
| Origin | Southeast Asia |
| Size | 1 inch |
| Lifespan | 3 years |
| Tank Size | 5-8 gallons |
| Tank Mates | Any peaceful fish |
| Nature | Calm, friendly |
| Water Temperature | 24 Celsius |
| Water pH | 6.5-7.0 |
| Diet | Flake foods, brine shrimp, and bloodworms |
| Breeding | Egg Scatterer |
Lambchop Rasboras can be kept in any water with a ph level between 6.5 and 7.0, but they prefer soft and acidic water. They can survive in more challenging water types, but this is not recommended since it could cause the fish harm. They prefer a water temperature of around 24 degrees Celsius.
The Lambchop Rasbora has an orange tinge to its body that graduates into a greyish-green color. Blue lines across its body make it very hard to see when the Rasbora is in the shade. The tail has yellow patches, but they are usually not visible unless the Rasbora is agitated.
The Lambchop Rasbora prefers calm waters planted with plenty of hiding places. They do well with other rasbora species and small community fish that share similar water conditions.
This type of Rasbora does not need much food, but it prefers meat-based food sources such as brine shrimp and bloodworms instead of flake foods. Because its body is see-through, it is easy for the Rasbora to find food.
They are egg scatterers and do well in tanks with a fine substrate, which can help them lay their eggs. The male will make a bubble nest close to the gravel of the bottom on which he will deposit his eggs.
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Conclusion
Various types of rasboras are popular among fish keepers if you are interested in keeping any of the classes listed above, research common water conditions, tank mates, and food sources before purchasing them.
All 10 of these rasboras are great additions to any home aquarium. You can see them all in one tank or keep a few and divide the tetras and other fish among your tanks to have a variety.
Overall, this article has a lot of information about the ten popular rasboras you need to see. Most readers will benefit from knowing more about these fish due to their popularity in aquariums.
The details are thorough and not too specific.
The article is well-constructed and easy to read as well as understand so the audience can learn more about their potential pets. Plus, it’s an excellent resource for those who want to know more about rasboras or want something else to put in their aquariums.
