Dwarf rasbora care
Boraras maculatus · Fresh waters of Southeast Asia
Dwarf rasboras, also sold as spotted rasboras, are among the smallest fish in the hobby, under an inch, salmon red with dark spots on the side and fins.
- Tank size
- 5 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 82 °F (24 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 8 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 1 in
- pH
- 5 to 7
- Hardness (GH)
- 1 to 8 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Micropredator
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 5 gallon: Aqueon 5½
16 3/16 × 8⅜ × 10½ in outsideHow to keep dwarf rasboras
Dwarf rasboras, also sold as spotted rasboras, are among the smallest fish in the hobby, under an inch, salmon red with dark spots on the side and fins. A group of eight or more suits a mature, planted 5 to 10 gallon tank with soft, acidic water and gentle flow; they share a tank well with dwarf shrimp.
Diet: Micropredator: baby brine shrimp, crushed flakes, micro pellets. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Dwarf 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.
Salt-and-pepper corydoras
1 in · 10+ gal · 72–79 °F
Thai micro crab
1 in · 5+ gal · 70–82 °F
Spotted blue-eye
1 in · 10+ gal · 75–82 °F
DrawingRed neon blue-eye
1.2 in · 10+ gal · 74–82 °F
Scarlet badis
0.8 in · 10+ gal · 72–79 °F
Clown killifish
1.4 in · 5+ gal · 72–80 °F
Marbled hatchetfish
1.5 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Medaka
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 65–82 °F
Keep apart
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: dwarf rasboras need 75 to 82 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Everglades pygmy sunfish: Everglades pygmy sunfish belong in a tank of their own.
Angelfish: Adult angelfish eat fish under about 2 in; dwarf rasboras grow to 1 in.
Blood parrot cichlid: Adult blood parrot cichlids eat fish under about 2 in; dwarf rasboras grow to 1 in.
Oscar: Adult oscars eat fish under about 4 in; dwarf rasboras grow to 1 in.
What a dwarf rasbora tank needs
A tank of 5 US gallons or more (such as the 5 gallon: Aqueon 5½) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aquarium Co-Op Easy Flow Sponge Filter, Nano
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 QuietFlow Internal Power Filter up to 5 gal
Rated by the maker for up to 5 US gal, which covers a 5 gallon dwarf rasbora tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Hang-on-back Canister Filter 5W
Rated by the maker for up to 10 US gal, which covers a 5 gallon dwarf rasbora tank without being built for a far bigger one. Its surface skimmer can pull in small fish: cover it with sponge or mesh, as hygger advises.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 50W
Dwarf rasboras need 75 to 82 °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 dwarf 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 75 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 5 gallon tank · Heaters for a 5 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 dwarf rasbora problems
- Ordinary food is too large: feed powder-fine foods or baby brine shrimp.
- A strong filter outflow tires them; baffle it or use a sponge filter.
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: Boraras maculatus. 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.
- Dwarf rasbora R.workoran, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salt-and-pepper corydoras D.W., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Thai micro crab Sean Murray, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Spotted blue-eye Der Regenbogenfisch, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
- Scarlet badis ATuin-hek, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Clown killifish Dornenwolf, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Marbled hatchetfish Sven Kullander, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Medaka Seotaro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Everglades pygmy sunfish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blood parrot cichlid Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Oscar H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, 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
- Zebra danio Roundish, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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