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Ricefish
Oryzias woworae
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Adrianichthyidae
Variety of Medaka · ricefish
📍 Japan, Korea & China
Also known as the Daisy Ricefish, this nano species features vivid orange-red colouration with iridescent blue highlights. Hardy and easy to breed, they lay eggs that hang from the female in a cluster. Perfect for planted nano tanks.
Care Guide
Diet
Japanese Ricefish 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 vegetable matter such as blanched spinach or algae-based foods occasionally to ensure balanced nutrition.
Behavior
These tiny, peaceful fish are active swimmers that prefer to stay in the upper water column, darting about in quick, jerky movements. They are highly social and should always be kept in groups of at least 6 to reduce stress and encourage natural schooling behavior. They are non-aggressive toward other peaceful species and make excellent community tank inhabitants.
Breeding
Japanese Ricefish are prolific egg-hangers and among the easiest fish to breed in captivity. Females will deposit sticky eggs on plants or spawning mops daily when well-fed and kept in groups. Fry are tiny but hardy and can be raised on infusoria or liquid fry food, making them ideal for beginner breeders.
Tank Mates
Similar size, peaceful temperament, and compatible water parameters make them ideal companions
Tiny, peaceful, and prefer similar warm water conditions; excellent community fish
Peaceful invertebrates that occupy different water zones; ricefish may occasionally eat shrimplets
Live plant that provides spawning substrate and natural habitat structure for ricefish
Larger shrimp less likely to be predated upon; helps maintain tank cleanliness
Tiny, peaceful, and thrive in similar conditions; excellent nano community option
Common Diseases
Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)
White spots on body and fins, rapid breathing, lethargy, rubbing against surfaces
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 water changes, remove any sharp decorations, treat with antibacterial medication if severe
Columnaris (Flexibacter columnaris)
Whitish film on body or mouth, loss of appetite, rapid gill movement, isolation
Increase aeration, perform daily 50% water changes, treat with antibacterial medication; this is highly contagious and requires isolation
Parasitic Infections
Excessive scratching, visible parasites, clamped fins, weight loss
Treat with anti-parasitic medication following label directions; maintain excellent water quality and quarantine infected fish
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Quick Facts
- diet
- Omnivore – micro pellets, crushed flake, baby brine shrimp
- lifespan
- 2–3 years
- max size
- 3 cm (1.2 in)
- tank size
- 5 gallons minimum
- school size
- 6+
- temperament
- Peaceful, schooling
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.5–7.5
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- hardness
- 4–15 dGH
- temperature
- 72–82°F (22–28°C)