Dwarf Rasbora (Boraras maculatus)

Remarks: Dwarf rasboras (Boraras maculatus) are one of the smallest freshwater fish in the hobby, but they are packed with color. They are a red-orange fish with three black spots - one on the middle of their side, one at the base of the anal fin, and one on the caudal peduncle. Because of their small size, it is best to keep a school of 8 or more in a tank, but if the tank is bigger than 10 gallons, we recommend at least 15 fish. At less than half an inch long, if you were to group all 15 fish into a small ball, it would be no larger an 2" in diameter. Add in the fact that their little bodies cannot produce much waste, and you will realize that more is always better and you will rarely risk overcrowding them.   The small size of dwarf rasboras can also cause trouble, however. You must ensure you cover any filtration openings with a fine mesh or sponge to avoid the fish being sucked into a filter. It is also highly recommended to keep a lid on their tank, as they are notorious for jumping while riding a current from a filter. Fish large enough to eat them or those with boisterous attitudes should also be avoided. Dwarf rasboras have extremely fast metabolisms and small mouths so they must be fed multiple times a day with small meaty foods such as baby brine shrimp or moina to maintain a healthy weight. This is best managed by only adding them to well-established tanks with plenty of infusoria and tiny crustaceans to feed on in-between feedings. You can train dwarf rasboras to eat crushed flake foods, but they should still be given tiny live foods regularly.