Dwarf scissortail rasbora

About

Found in the shallow margins of the Mekong basin, Rasbosoma spilocerca is a genuinely miniature fish that spends most of its time near the surface, hovering above beds of fine-leaved plants and submerged grasses in swamps, marshes, and seasonally flooded fields. At under an inch when fully grown, it bears a passing resemblance to the scissortail rasbora but with more understated patterning. Something that has likely kept it from ever becoming a common sight in the trade. In the aquarium it is completely peaceful, but its small size means tankmates need to be chosen with real care. It is far better suited to a species setup or a carefully assembled community of similarly tiny fish, and a biotope arrangement drawing from its native Thailand or Cambodia makes for a rewarding project. This is a shoaling fish at heart, and keeping a group of eight or more will make a noticeable difference to how confident and colorful the fish appear. Males especially brighten up and display more actively when competing for females. It accepts small live and frozen foods readily and, while it has a reputation for being somewhat delicate, a well-maintained planted aquarium with gentle filtration suits it well. Not a beginner's impulse buy, but a genuinely interesting fish for anyone prepared to do the groundwork.