Edit Rasboroides vaterifloris

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Name

Scientific name

Rasboroides vaterifloris

Described by

Authority Deraniyagala, Year 1930, Bracketed

Family

Cyprinidae

Common names

Fire Rasbora

Photograph credits

All 3 credited

Summary

The fire rasbora, Rasboroides vaterifloris, is a small cyprinid endemic to the Kalu, Bentota, Gin and Nilwala river basins of southwestern …

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

40mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 60 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Water movement Low: still or sluggish water

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 23–27°C, pH 5.5–7

Hardness

1–8dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Not recorded

Community suitability

Community-safe

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Sri Lanka, Bentota, Gin, Kalu, Nilwala

Writing

Etymology

Not written yet

Distribution

Endemic to southwestern Sri Lanka where it is restricted to the Kalu, Bentota, Gin, and Nilwala river basins in the southwestern 'wet zone' of the island, with…

Habitat

The 'wet zone' of southwestern Sri Lanka is an area receiving annual rainfall of 2000 – 3000 mm, much of which arrives during the South-West monsoons between M…

Aquarium size

Base dimensions of at least 60 ∗ 30 cm or equivalent are required.

Maintenance

Choice of décor is not especially critical though it tends to show better colouration in a heavily-planted set-up with a dark substrate. The addition of some f…

Water conditions

Not written yet

Diet

Stomach analyses of wild specimens have revealed it to be primarily a micropredator feeding on invertebrates and organic detritus. In the aquarium it's easily-…

Behaviour and compatibility

Unsuitable for many community aquaria as it has a retiring nature and may be intimidated or outcompeted for food by larger or more boisterous tankmates. Small …

Sexual dimorphism

Adult males are noticeably smaller, slimmer, and more colourful than females, especially when in spawning condition.

Reproduction

A typical egg-scattering free spawner exhibiting no parental care. When in good condition adults spawn often and in a mature aquarium it's possible that small …

Notes

This species may also be seen on sale as 'pearly rasbora', 'vateria flower rasbora', 'orange-finned barb', or 'Singhalese fire barb' and is not a common specie…

This species may also be seen on sale as 'pearly rasbora', 'vateria flower rasbora', 'orange-finned barb', or 'Singhalese fire barb' and is not a common species in the trade. As far as we know it's not yet being produced commercially in any great numbers and its rather delicate nature means that problems often arise during shipping. Restrictions on exports of wild fish from its native Sri Lanka have also limited its availability.

The fish vary in colour depending on locality with red, orange and yellow-finned forms known to date, while the colour of the body can also differ from red or orange to bluish. There were four subspecies described in the 1950s (at which point they were considered members of the genus Rasbora) based on these variations; R. v. vaterifloris from the Kalu river, R. v. ruber from the Bentota river, R. v. pallida from the Gin river and R. v. rubriculis from the Nilwala river.

These are still regarded as valid by some authorities although it's widely accepted that they represent variants of R. vaterifloris due to a lack of type material hindering conclusive study. Rasboroides nigromarginata (Meinken, 1956) has also been used to refer to a reddish form in which males differ from other populations in possessing dark fin margins, but the name is currently considered synonymous with R. vaterifloris by most sources despite the fish being rediscovered in 2010.

Brittan erected the subgenus Rasboroides in 1954 but it was not until 1993 that Maurice Kottelat elevated it to full genus level. This change has not yet been recognised by all authorities and it is still widely referred to as Rasbora vaterifloris in the aquarium hobby. A 2007 phylogenetic study confirmed that it should be included in a separate genus as it shows a large enough degree of genetic divergence from other Sri Lankan rasboras such as R. caverii and R. wilpita to be considered as such, splitting away from the lineage around 8.6 million years ago whereas the other two shared a common ancestor up to 1.6 mya.

Several captive breeding initiatives have been set up in order that that R. vaterifloris can be produced commercially for the aquatic trade. Unfortunately reports suggest that the more highly-coloured fish are becoming scarcer and there is a distinct possibility that selective collections for the aquatic trade have altered the structure of the species' wild populations.

Juveniles also tend to be returned to the water with only the adults being collected and many of these die before even reaching an aquarium shop due to poor handling techniques. According to Pethiyagoda (1991) only around 10% of the fish collected end up in hobbyists' tanks.

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My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

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References

6 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References