Harlequin Rasbora

The harlequin rasbora is a small cyprinid native to peat swamps and slow forest streams of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Thailand in Southeast Asia. It has a warm copper-pink body marked with a distinctive black triangular "pork chop" wedge over the rear half, one of the most recognizable patterns in the hobby. It is peaceful and strongly shoaling, best kept in groups of eight or more where it displays confident, coordinated swimming in the mid-water. Soft, slightly acidic, tannin-stained water with dense planting shows this fish at its best, though it tolerates a range of community conditions. It is an omnivore that readily takes flake, micro-pellets and small frozen foods. It is an egg-layer that deposits eggs on the underside of broad leaves, and breeding requires very soft, acidic water to succeed.