All fish / Adrianichthyidae

Indian Ricefish

Oryzias dancena

Also known as marine medaka, indian medaka, brackish medaka, estuarine ricefish, oryzias melastigma, ปลาข้าวสารน้ำกร่อย, インドメダカ, 印度青鳉, 海水青鳉

A small, slender, translucent silvery fish with upturned mouth and large eyes, found in mangroves, estuaries and tidal pools. It copes with anything from fresh to full sea water, which makes it a useful hardy schooling fish for brackish setups and a popular laboratory model.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3 cm

Temperature

22 to 30 °C

pH

7 to 8.5

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: small flakes, micro pellets, baby brine shrimp, daphnia and cyclops

Swims

Top of the tank

Lifespan

1 to 3 years

Water

Brackish

Wild range

Coastal South and Southeast Asia: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia

Breeding

Females carry a cluster of fertilised eggs at the vent for a while before brushing them onto plants or spawning mops. It breeds readily in captivity, and eggs hatch in about 10 days if moved away from the adults, which will eat them.

Good to know

Often confused with Oryzias melastigma, which some authors treat as the same species. Keep with other small peaceful brackish fish, as it is easily bullied or eaten by larger tankmates.