INDIAN RICE FISH

INTRODUCTION :

Indian rice fish or Oryzias dancena isn't a very common sight in the Indian aquarium industry. I personally have had the luck to see it in a fellow aquarist's tank just last year. On enquiry it is discovered that she had purchased it with around Rs.80 a pair which I think is quite high, probably due to its rarely being available in the trade in India itself. I jostle over the idea of summarizing the idea into my article to create an empathy over such beautiful but unattended fishes . In my past articles I have presented fishes which are a bit more famous than this guy. Not as fancy as the other dwarf species they look pretty amazing in a dark coloured substrate or a heavily planted aquarium.

ORIGIN :

Indian rice fish aka O.dancena or also famously called Indian killifish is said to be native in Indian subcontinent, more specifically in the Ganges delta region of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Studies and findings have pointed towards the availability of this species in an around the countries of Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka too. Extensive data suggest it found as far as in mainland China, although some researchers debate the species in China classified as a different subspecies. The fish is found in the paddy fields and its habitat is extended to the estuaries as it is well adapted to brackish water environments.

SIZE :

Generally considered a dwarf species of fish its common to size them up to around 40mm in length with optimum care and proper living conditions. In the aquarium they can easily live in a school of 8-10 in a heavily planted medium sized tank .In general both the genders do not vary much in size.

FEEDING HABIT :

Being predatory by nature it survives over a wide range of food in the wild. Planktons, crustaceans,worms ,larvae , algae and very small insects come under its menu.

In the aquarium it accepts bloodworms, daphnias and micro pellets too. My friend who had it ,occasionally feeds it algae wafers. 

To attain maximum health benefits its advisable to feed it with variety of diet. A properly balanced diet with tight occasional fasting will boost its optimal growth and improve its disease resistance.

HEALTH :

As with all the fishes a water change is of utmost importance. My fellow aquarist  from my town who has them told me that she hates it when it comes to weekly water change schedules and used to skip a bit when she had them newly bought for her tank. She later discovered the loss of appetite as a major deterrent factor in the fishes upon which she now manages to never miss the weekend water change schedules. 

Nowadays she impoverish a 60% water change weekly with a addition of a half teaspoonful of non-iodized sodium chloride which she says she actually does with her other 4 biotope tanks.

I remember her telling me of purchasing around 25 of them but now over less than a year she just is left with 7 of these guys. Blame it on the loose WC schedule or her failure to provide them optimum growing opportunities I personally felt as this being beautiful hardy specimens.

VARIETIES :

Various varieties are available when and if I say just rice fish but Indian rice fish has no other varieties available in the trade because of planted tank being such a naive thing in the Indian subcontinent and majority of the population appreciating the hobby has access to plastic plants and few fishes as their options.

Experienced aquarist's can probably in the future provide us with hybrids of this species.

TANKMATES :

Considered a very peaceful fish , they are schooling by nature and as such its always advisable to purchase atleast 6 

to 8 of them to be kept in the aquarium . They show their most appreciating behavior in their home environment if that is replicated in the tank.

They can be kept with almost almost any peaceful fishes and invertebrates as well. 

Even large but peaceful invertebrates aren't a problem for them, although con-species chases are sometime noticed.

GENDER :

Males have a more elongated and slim shaped body compared to females . The males have filaments shaped markings on their fins. Cream to white coloured sections are present on their fins. 

The genitals of the males are more pointed and of the females have like two lobes. 

Their physical dimorphism aren't supreme but with careful observation one can figure out the difference between both the sexes.

BREEDING :

Most of the fishes I have mentioned in my previous articles are good breeders but this guy seriously is a prolific breeder with reports of mating and egg laying almost on a daily basis. 

A cluster of eggs pop out from the genitals of the females which is fertilized by the male who could get hold of her after attaining a proper territorial region in the tank or in nature.

During the mating season the males typically enhance their looks by displaying a darker sheen impressing the females.

DISEASES :

Bacterial infections accompanied with fin rot or tail rot is a very common ailment. 

My friend, the fellow aquarist said that she lost 60% of her fishes probably due to her non caring nature or probably due to transportation shock , both of which she wasn't sure as she lost maximum of them in the first few days after purchasing them.

Sometimes septic shocks can kill these wonderful little creatures. 

Suggestions are ripe with scheduled WC to serving them right balance of food to imitating their original living habitat for their longevity.

CONCLUSION :

As being a beautiful silvery coloured fish and best suited for planted tanks ; I would honestly urge my fellow aquarist to share the information and encourage others to keep this beautiful species alive in the aquarium trade .

Indian rice fish really deserves a better place among us naive and experienced aquarists alike.

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