All fish / Danionidae

Clown Rasbora

Rasbora kalochroma

Also known as clown rasbora, big spot rasbora, red rasbora, kalochroma rasbora, ラスボラ・カロクロマ, seluang, 小丑波鱼

A fairly large rasbora with a reddish orange body and two bold dark blotches, one behind the gill cover and a larger one on the flank. It comes from soft, acidic peat swamp and blackwater streams, and it is kept for its warm colour and calm shoaling behaviour in planted tanks with dim lighting.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

4.5 to 6.5

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, plus quality flakes and granules

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo

Breeding

It scatters eggs among plants and gives no parental care. Captive breeding is rarely reported and needs very soft, acidic water, so most fish in the trade are wild caught.

Good to know

Wild fish can be shy and delicate until settled, and colours stay poor in hard or alkaline water. Its peat swamp habitat is threatened by drainage and plantation clearing.