The Dwarf Emerald Rasbora (Celestichthys erythromicron) is a small, colourful species of rasbora indigenous to Myanmar. They are characterized by their bright colours as well as their fun personalities. These fish have orange-pink bodies with bold green-blue stripes along their sides, and transparent gill plates giving them a "blushing" appearance.
These small fish only grow up to 1.5" long, making them suitable for nano aquariums 10-gallons and up. As these are a shoaling species, they must be kept in groups of at least 3 (but 6+ is absolutely ideal). They require a water temperature between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, a pH between 7.0-8.0 (slightly alkaline water is preferred), and a water hardness between 2 and 10 dKH. These fish will live for 5 years on average when well cared for.
The Dwarf Emerald Rasbora can be skittish in aquariums that are too bare. For best results, keep these fish in aquariums that are densely planted and with a dark substrate. A well-planted take makes these fish feel more confident and out-going. Because these fish do not do well in acidic water, it is not recommended to keep them with any natural wood or leaf litter that could release tannins.
Feeding this species of fish is simple. They are omnivores that will eat most dry foods added to the aquarium. We recommend rotating between commercially-prepared dried foods (such as fish flake and micro-pellets) and supplementing their diet with frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms, tubifex worms, and blackworms.
This peaceful species can be kept with any small, peaceful community fish that tolerate the same water parameters. It is not recommended to keep this fish with much larger or more energetic species (such as most danio and some barb species).