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Gold Medaka
Oryzias latipes
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Adrianichthyidae
Variety of Medaka · gold
📍 Japan (captive-developed)
Golden selective line of the Japanese ricefish. Suitable for ponds, outdoor tubs, and nano tanks. Extremely tough and easy to breed. Females carry egg clusters before releasing to plants.
Care Guide
Diet
Gold Medaka are omnivores that thrive on high-quality flake foods, micro pellets, and small frozen foods like brine shrimp and daphnia. Feed small amounts once daily, only what they can consume in 2-3 minutes. Supplement with blanched vegetables like spinach occasionally for balanced nutrition.
Behavior
Gold Medaka are peaceful, schooling fish that swim primarily in the upper water column and are most active during daylight hours. They are social and should be kept in groups of at least 6 to reduce stress and display natural schooling behavior. They are relatively hardy and can tolerate cool temperatures, making them suitable for outdoor pond environments.
Breeding
Gold Medaka are prolific and easy to breed in captivity, even for beginners. Females carry egg clusters externally before releasing them onto plants or spawning mops; provide fine-leaved plants like Java Moss for egg attachment. In warm conditions (24-26°C), eggs hatch in 7-10 days and fry are large enough to eat powdered food immediately.
Tank Mates
Same species, identical water requirements and peaceful temperament
Peaceful invertebrates; medaka may eat shrimplets but adults coexist well
Similar size, peaceful, and compatible water parameters
Peaceful surface-dwelling fish with overlapping temperature tolerance
Peaceful algae eaters that don't compete for food or space
Hardy, peaceful, and beneficial for algae control without competing
Common Diseases
Ich (White Spot Disease)
White spots on body and fins, rapid breathing, rubbing against objects
Raise temperature gradually to 28°C, perform daily 25% water changes, use aquarium salt (1 tsp per 5 gallons) or commercial ich treatment for 7-10 days
Fin Rot
Frayed or deteriorating fins, discoloration at fin edges, lethargy
Improve water quality with frequent changes, remove decaying plants, treat with antibacterial medication or salt baths if severe
Bacterial Infection
Cloudy eyes, sores on body, loss of appetite, color fading
Perform 50% water change immediately, maintain pristine water conditions, use broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment if condition worsens
Parasitic Infection
Excessive scratching, visible parasites, weight loss, clamped fins
Quarantine affected fish, treat with antiparasitic medication, maintain temperature at 26-28°C to speed parasite lifecycle
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Quick Facts
- pH
- 7.0–8.5
- diet
- omnivore
- maxSize
- 1.5 inches
- minTankSize
- 5 gallons
- temperature
- 39–82°F (4–28°C)
Temperature
39–82°F
4–28°C