Blue Speckled Ricefish

The blue speckled ricefish is bred in Japan to display subtle blue spots and blue highlights on the fins. Common ricefish are used throughout Asia to control mosquitoes in rice fields, but the variants are quite beautiful and very hardy in the fish tank. Ricefish are similar to killifish but belong to their own genus, Oryzias. Like other ricefish, both sexes are colorful; males have slightly larger fins. Ricefish are sold individually but do best in a school of six or more.

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Ricefish stay near the surface, so give them plants, floating plants and a lid. They are cool-water fish and do fine at room temperature, and they also do well in outdoor ponds and patio tubs in warm months.

Feeding: Feed crushed flake or micro pellets once or twice a day, only as much as they eat in a couple of minutes. They also enjoy frozen brine shrimp.

Tankmates: Ricefish get along with other small, peaceful fish like white clouds, small rasboras, danios and shrimp. They can share an unheated tank with cool-water species, but avoid large or fast fish (including fancy goldfish) that may eat or outcompete them.

Good to know: Medaka have been kept in Japan for centuries and are one of the hardiest small fish in the hobby. Both sexes are colorful; males have slightly larger fins.