Daisy's Ricefish
Oryzias woworae
Adrianichthyidae
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About
Daisy's ricefish is a 3-3.5 cm nano fish from a single stream, Mata air Fotuno on the island of Muna in South East Sulawesi: males are scaled in steel blue with the belly and fin edges burning red. On the shop shelf it looks like a livebearer and it is often racked next to the guppies, but it is not one - ricefishes (Adrianichthyidae) lay eggs. The confusion comes from how they lay them. Seriously Fish describes adhesive eggs "expelled as a single mass and fertilised simultaneously, after which they continue to hang from the genital pore of the female for a period before eventually being deposited singly or in small clumps", and Aquarium Glaser puts it plainly for the whole genus: "In all Oryzias species, the female carries the eggs some time along with it after spawning and strips them then on dainty waterplants." That dangling cluster at the vent is what buyers read as pregnancy. The practical difference matters: no batch of free-swimming fry appears overnight. The eggs hang on plants for two to three weeks; Aquarium Glaser reports that the adults show no interest in them, and AquaInfo that the parents then leave the hatched fry alone. The species was described by Parenti and Hadiaty in 2010 and named for Daisy Wowor, the carcinologist who collected the type series and first photographed the fish alive. Its wild range is tiny and FishBase lists it as Endangered, but the fish on sale are almost always commercially bred.
Care
Eight or more in 40 L with a base of at least 45 x 30 cm, 24-27 °C, gentle flow, planted around the edges with open water in the middle. Undemanding about chemistry: Aquarium Glaser notes ricefishes can be kept in moderately hard water with no need to mix anything special - which makes ordinary Lithuanian tap water a good match, a rare thing in a nano fish. Seriously Fish adds that it is adaptable with no special requirements in terms of décor, though it is less colourful in a sparsely decorated set-up. Keep a lid on. Choose tankmates of its own size; at 3 cm and endlessly curious it either becomes food or stops showing itself. Males spar harmlessly for display, but keep several females so no one female is chased all day.
Diet
Omnivore taking anything small enough for its mouth. Crushed flake and micro-granules daily, with live or frozen microworm, Artemia nauplii and daphnia for colour and spawning condition.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (174)
Possible with care (175)
Avoid (69)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Colour and patternA hint only · from about 6 months, and only on a settled fish
In rainbowfish, killifish and several barbs the male carries the colour — deeper and more saturated, intensifying further when he displays.
Also in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Daisy's Ricefish need?
- A Daisy's Ricefish needs an aquarium of at least 40 litres (10.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 45 cm (17.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Daisy's Ricefish need?
- Daisy's Ricefish does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 6–7.5 and a general hardness of 5–15 °dGH.
- What group size does a Daisy's Ricefish need?
- Daisy's Ricefish is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Daisy's Ricefish suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Daisy's Ricefish is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.