Rice Fish orange

Description

• Size: Grows to about 2.5–4 cm.

• Color: The orange variety of Rice Fish has a solid bright orange body, making it a colorful and eye-catching choice for nano tanks or outdoor ponds.

• Behavior: Peaceful, active, and social. They do best in groups of 5 or more and are great for community tanks or tub-style setups.

Aquarium Care

Tank Size

• A minimum of 20 litres is suitable for a small group, but 40+ litres is better for long-term health and more space to swim.

Water Parameters

• Temperature: Can live comfortably in 18–26°C, so they’re great for unheated tanks or outdoor setups in mild climates.

• pH: Prefer slightly alkaline to neutral water — ideal range is 7.0–8.0.

• KH (Carbonate Hardness): Best between 4–8 dKH for stable water conditions.

• Hardness: Moderate to hard water, around 6–20 dGH.

• Water Quality: Rice Fish are hardy, but appreciate clean water. Do weekly 20–30% water changes and use a gentle filter to avoid strong currents.

Diet

• Orange Rice Fish are omnivores and undemanding:

  • Micro pellets or high-quality flakes

  • Live or frozen food like baby brine shrimp, daphnia, and microworms

  • They may also nibble on soft algae or accept occasional blanched veggies

Feed them once or twice daily, only as much as they can eat in a couple of minutes.

Tank Setup

• Substrate: Not picky — sand, fine gravel, or bare-bottom all work.

• Aquascaping: Use live plants (especially floating plants) and decor like rocks or driftwood to provide cover.

• Lighting: Moderate to bright — their color shows beautifully under natural or planted tank lighting.

• Water Movement: Prefer gentle to moderate flow. Avoid strong currents.

Tank Mates

• Peaceful and easy to pair with:

  • Shrimp (like Cherry or Amano)

  • Snails

  • Other small peaceful fish, such as White Cloud Mountain Minnows, Pygmy Corydoras, or Small Rasboras

• Avoid large or aggressive fish that may see them as food.

Breeding

• Very easy and often occurs naturally in good conditions:

  • Females carry eggs beneath the belly, then deposit them on plants or spawning mops.

  • Adults may eat the eggs — for better hatch rates, transfer eggs or adults to a separate container.

  • Fry hatch in 4–10 days, depending on temperature. Feed them infusoria, powdered fry food, or baby brine shrimp.

Summary

• Orange Rice Fish are colorful, hardy, and easy to care for.

• Keep in groups of 5 or more, in 20–40+ litre tanks.

• Thrive in 18–26°C, with pH 7.0–8.0 and KH 4–8 dKH.

• Peaceful, community-safe, and great for indoor tanks or outdoor tubs/ponds.

• Feed a mix of pellets, live/frozen food, and veggies.

• Easy to breed with minimal effort!