Strawberry Rasbora
Boraras naevus
Danionidae
About
Described as recently as 2011, the strawberry rasbora is a true nano cyprinid known only from the peat swamps, marshes and paddy margins of the lower Tapi drainage in peninsular Thailand, where the water is shallow, still, soft and stained brown with tannins. It barely reaches 2 cm: a warm pinkish-red fish carrying one bold round blotch in the middle of the flank, dramatically enlarged in males, with smaller marks near the anal fin and the tail base. Unlike the closely traded chili rasbora it has no red lateral line at all, and unlike the dwarf rasbora that front blotch differs sharply between the sexes. It is peaceful to the point of timidity, drifting in loose shoals through fine-leaved plants, and males only fire up their best colour when there are enough rivals around to compete with.
Care
Give a mature, densely planted, dimly lit tank of at least 40 litres with a 45 cm footprint, soft acidic tannin-stained water at 24-27 C and barely perceptible flow. Keep 10 or more together, add floating plants and leaf litter for shade, and choose only equally tiny, placid tankmates - anything that fits a 2 cm fish in its mouth will eventually try. Avoid mixing with other Boraras species, which can hybridise, and never add this fish to an immature tank as it reacts badly to swings in chemistry.
Diet
Feed micro-sized food only: crushed flake, micro-granules, cyclops, newly hatched brine shrimp, microworms and small daphnia. Daily live or frozen fare brings out the red and triggers spawning; dry food alone will not keep them in condition.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (32)
Possible with care (119)
Avoid (120)
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.
- Belly depthA hint only · only on well-fed adults, and only as a comparison
For most tetras, barbs and rasboras this is all there is: a conditioned female is deeper through the belly than a male of the same length.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Strawberry Rasbora need?
- A Strawberry Rasbora 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 Strawberry Rasbora need?
- Strawberry Rasbora does best at 20–28 °C (68–82.4 °F), pH 4–7 and a general hardness of 1–10 °dGH.
- What group size does a Strawberry Rasbora need?
- Strawberry Rasbora is a social species — keep a group of at least 10 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Strawberry Rasbora suitable for beginners?
- Strawberry Rasbora sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.