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Breeding / Egg scatterers
Egg scatterers · Moderate

Breeding the pearly rasbora

Egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care. Best spawned as 5-6 conditioned pairs in a tank with Java moss or other fine-leaved plants and an air-driven sponge filter; leave 4-5 days then remove adults. Fry are delicate and slow-growing.

Full species page

Step by step

Pairing

Keep a group of 8-10 and condition them on live and frozen foods; pairs form on their own in the group.

Breeding tank

10-20 L bare tank with soft, acidic water (pH 5.5-6.5), dense java moss or fine-leaved plants, dim light and a sponge filter on very gentle flow.

What starts it

Soft acidic water, small cool water changes and plenty of live food; a dim, planted tank with morning light.

Eggs and young

Eggs are laid in several small batches of about 20 among plants; they sink and hatch in about 24-48 hours (FishBase: about 36 hours). Fry free-swimming after 3-5 days.

Raising the fry

Infusoria then newly hatched brine shrimp.

Common mistakes
  • Using hard tap water
  • Keeping the tank too bright
  • Feeding only dry food during conditioning
Setup blueprint

Home setup

One breeding tank for the pearly rasbora, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.

30 cm long · 15 cm deep20 cm123456
  1. 1
    Breeding tank: 10 L · about 30 × 15 × 20 cm, 10–20 L from the breeding guide
  2. 2
    Sponge filter and air pump · named in the guide
  3. 3
    Heater, 23–27 °C · this species' normal range
  4. 4
    Java moss · named in the guide
  5. 5
    Plants for cover · named in the guide
  6. 6
    Dim light, covered sides · from the guide

Water: 23–27 °C · pH 5.5–6.5 · soft water · bare bottom

A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 4 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.

Setup blueprint

Business setup

A 120 cm rack for breeding the pearly rasbora in numbers.

12234120 cm rack, 3 shelves
  1. 1
    3 breeding tanks, 10 L each · about 30 × 15 × 20 cm, set up like the home tank
  2. 2
    4 grow-out tanks, 54 L each · about 55 × 30 × 35 cm; twice the breeding tank, never smaller than this species' smallest tank
  3. 3
    Shared air pump and air line · one line along each shelf feeds a sponge filter in every tank
  4. 4
    Heat the room or each tank · 23–27 °C

In total: 7 tanks, about 246 L of water. A litre of water weighs about 1 kg, so check that the floor and rack can take the weight.

Sizes are worked out from the breeding tank in the guide. Tanks fit a standard 120 cm rack when they can; bigger tanks go on their own stands.

Male or female

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

Can I breed it in my tank?

  • Use a separate small tank with a sponge filter and spawning mops, so the eggs aren't eaten.
  • Takes some experience.

Day-by-day plan

Typical for egg scatterers

  1. 14 days beforeCondition the parents

    Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.

  2. Day 0Spawning

    Eggs are scattered over mops or fine plants, often at first light. Remove the parents straight after.

  3. Day 1Eggs hatch

    Most eggs hatch in 1–2 days. Keep the tank dim and remove white (fungused) eggs.

  4. Day 4Free swimming, first food

    Fry use up the yolk and start swimming. Feed infusoria or liquid fry food several times a day.

  5. Day 8Baby brine shrimp

    Switch to newly hatched brine shrimp or microworms. Start small, daily water changes.

  6. Day 21Crushed flake

    Add finely crushed flake. Sort fry by size so the big ones don't eat the small ones.

  7. Day 60Ready to move

    Most small fish reach about 2 cm in 2–3 months and can join the main tank.

A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.

Simulator: guided

Stage 1 of 7Condition the parents

Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.

Simulator: try it yourself

Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.

No spawning
  • Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.

An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.