Mystery Tetra

[10 Tanks]

Hello TFF. Can someone identify this fish? It's a Tetra of some sort, I think.

10

 

[GaryE]

Rasbora borapetensis. It's a nice little fish that used to be extremely common in the hobby around here, but isn't seen as much these days.

 

[Magnum Man]

pretty fish

 

[10 Tanks]

Rasbora borapetensis. It's a nice little fish that used to be extremely common in the hobby around here, but isn't seen as much these days.

Good morning and thanks! Boy, was I off. But, I'm not familiar with Rasboras. So, other than the scientific name, what is it called? The local fish store had them for cheap, so I got some just to fill out a 55 gallon tank a little.

10

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello again. Okay, I've got it. Red Tail Rasbora. Guess I could have looked up the name prior to the last post. Oh well. Another "Senior Moment"!

10

 

[Back in the fold]

Nice looking little fish .

 

[GaryE]

I've seen them as red tails, and as green striped Rasbora. There was another English name for a while, but I can't recall it.

It's dead easy to breed, so they are often inexpensive. It's an under-rated fish.

 

[Mr Limpet]

They’re also known as the Brilliant Rasbora.

 

[GaryE]

They’re also known as the Brilliant Rasbora.

That was it! I think that was the trade name for decades. They're a nice looking fish, in a subdued, charming way. But "brilliant"? When I had them, I figured that had to be their brains, because the colours didn't support the name.
You can call them brilliants, red tails, greenlines... I'll go with borapetensis. It's easy to say and is just a new word, and it works in every language.

 

[anewbie]

Generally most rasbora are going to prefer cooler temps; tetra depending on species can range from 90 to 60 (green neon are a warm water species while neon are ok at 72; i'm sure there are folks who can name species of tetra that can go cooler. Brilliant rasbora are going to be happy around 76 give or take a little which is typical of a rasbora.

 

[GaryE]

I was really confused by this fish when I was a kid and first got them. I thought all Rasboras were like harlequins, so how could this fish be a Rasbora?

I had it backwards as harlequin types are in a different Genus (Trigonostigma) now. There are a few more Rasbora species we don't see often. In small groups, they are among the most peaceful fish you can keep. I doubt they'd nip a fin if their life depended on it.

Fishbase calls them the blackline Rasbora, which is great for all the people who want English names. We're up to 4 for this 1 species.

If anyone here ever sees Rasbora pauciperforata, buy it. There are two colour forms - a dull one with a coppery stripe, and a beauty with a stripe the same colour as a glowlight tetra, but with a very elegant body shape.

 

[Ichthys]

It's a Red Tailed Rasbora in the uk (although I've always known it as borapetensis). The Brilliant Rasbora over here is R. eindhoveni. R. pauciperforata is the Glowlight Rasbora.

There are some beautiful Rasboras out there that we never see. One of my holy grail fish was Rasbora vaterifloris (now Rasboroides, and probably a little species complex). The old pictures of this little purple fish with orange fins made it a must have. They didn't disappoint when I finally found them.

 

[GaryE]

I only found vaterifloris once, and had them for a few years before I was into attempting to breed fish like that. I have looked for them ever since, as they are a real favourite. That fish was pretty.

I haven't seen a sign of them, even on fish farm lists.

There are some great fish that for whatever reason vanish.

 

[10 Tanks]

Generally most rasbora are going to prefer cooler temps; tetra depending on species can range from 90 to 60 (green neon are a warm water species while neon are ok at 72; i'm sure there are folks who can name species of tetra that can go cooler. Brilliant rasbora are going to be happy around 76 give or take a little which is typical of a rasbora.

Hello. I don't use some tank equipment that most do. I don't heat my tanks. I keep the house at 72 degrees in the Winter and 77 in the Summer. I don't use filtration either. I do change at least half the tank water every six to seven days. I keep the number of fish and food to a minimum too. I feed a little three days a week. I find the fish a lot more active then when I used to feed more.

10

 

[GaryE]

borapetensis will be ideal for no filter or no flow tanks, because they come from close to stagnant, slow moving water.