Red-tailed danio - Rasbora borapetensis

The red-tailed danio is also called red-tailed rasbora. Rasbora borapetensis is native to Southeast Asia, where the nanofish is widely distributed.  Red-tailed danios are found in the wild in the Malay Archipelago. This small remaining schooling fish grows up to 5 cm in size. The red-tailed danio is transparent to yellowish and has a large red spot at the root of the tail. The black-neon yellow longitudinal line along the midline is striking. There is also a thin black line on the underside that extends from the pelvic fin to the base of the caudal fin. When the fish is comfortable, it can appear very colorful. Especially the males really show off their colors during courtship. The males can also be recognized by their slimmer body shape.

The red-tailed danio is a keen swimmer and should therefore be kept in rectangular aquariums. A tank from 60 cm length is sufficient for the fish, whereas larger shoals from 80 cm edge length are better. The minimum group size is 8-10 ornamental fish. A proper border planting serves as a retreat for the red-tailed rasboras to hide, and in the open space in the middle the shoal likes to swim and show itself. A blanket of floating plants that softens the light somewhat has been shown to be beneficial.

The red-tailed danio tolerates a wide range of water values - soft to medium-hard water is well tolerated, and a pH of 6-7.5 is not problematic. Humic substances help. In nature, Red-tailed Hawks live in slow currents and often also in stagnant water, therefore a rather only medium strong current is also advantageous in the aquarium  

A socialization with larger shrimps is possible without problems, but small young shrimps can be eaten. A socialization of Rasbora borapetensis with dwarf crayfishes or crayfishes is not advisable, the beardies are often caught and eaten.

The Red-tailed Hawkbill prefers animal food, but can also be fed with flake food or granulated food for omnivores in the aquarium. However, the food should be absolutely through Frozen food and Live food be spiced up. The red-tailed danio is not a picky eater.

Red-tailed danios are often bred in aquaristics. First, the breeding pair is conditioned with high quality live food and then separately set up in a dark colored breeding tank with slightly acidic to neutral water. Humic substances are helpful as a water additive, and the addition of cool water increases spawning readiness. Rasbora borapetensis are free spa wners and simply scatter their eggs on the substrate. Because they are also spawn predators, the parent fish should be released from the breeding tank immediately after spawning. The young fish larvae are still very small at first and need fine live foods such as slipperfish and other infusoria. Artemia euplii as follow-up food are a useful supplement.

Our feed recommendation: This NatureHolic main feed is a professional staple food for all aquarium fish. Main feed we supply in the form of soft granules, which thanks to its grain size of half a millimeter can be easily absorbed by small to medium-sized fish. The soft consistency resembles the texture of insect larvae in nature and protects the fish mouth from micro-injuries.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free from algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.