Brilliant rasbora care
Rasbora einthovenii · The Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, Sumatra and Borneo
Brilliant rasboras are slim, silvery rasboras with a dark stripe from snout to tail that catches the light.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 79 °F (22 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- 8 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 2 in
- pH
- 5.5 to 7
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 10 dGH
- Lifespan
- 4 to 6 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep brilliant rasboras
Brilliant rasboras are slim, silvery rasboras with a dark stripe from snout to tail that catches the light. Keep eight or more in a planted 20 gallon or larger tank with soft water and open swimming room; they are calm, hardy schooling fish for a community tank.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, micro pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Brilliant rasbora tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Zebra danio
2 in · 10+ gal · 64–77 °F
Honey gourami
2 in · 10+ gal · 72–82 °F
Panda corydoras
2 in · 15+ gal · 68–77 °F
Otocinclus
2 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Amano shrimp
2 in · 10+ gal · 68–80 °F
GloFish danio
2 in · 10+ gal · 64–77 °F
Bandit corydoras
1.9 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Bloodfin tetra
2.2 in · 20+ gal · 65–82 °F
Keep apart
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as brilliant rasboras.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as brilliant rasboras.
Saulosi cichlid: Saulosi cichlids belong with other Lake Malawi cichlids, not with brilliant rasboras.
Red-tail dwarf puffer: Red-tail dwarf puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Everglades pygmy sunfish: Everglades pygmy sunfish belong in a tank of their own.
What a brilliant rasbora tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a tight lid (they jump), and the equipment below.
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Aquarium Co-Op Easy Flow Sponge Filter, Small
A sponge filter gives gentle flow and cannot pull in small fish. It runs from an air pump, with airline tubing and a check valve, all sold separately.
Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon brilliant rasbora tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon brilliant rasbora tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Brilliant rasboras need 72 to 79 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding brilliant rasboras.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 79 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank · Heaters for a 20 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common brilliant rasbora problems
- In too small a group they hide and stay pale.
- They jump when startled; use a lid.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Rasbora einthovenii. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Brilliant rasbora Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zebra danio Roundish, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Honey gourami Antoon Dommerholt (Dutch Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Otocinclus CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amano shrimp Stefanie Leuker, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- GloFish danio Karol Głąb (Karol007), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bandit corydoras Gonzalo Valenzuela, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bloodfin tetra VGW2006, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Saulosi cichlid Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red-tail dwarf puffer Neale Monks (English Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Everglades pygmy sunfish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Harlequin rasbora NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chili rasbora JoKrimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celestial pearl danio Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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