Celebes ricefish

Oryzias celebensis

Yellow tail bands and lower-flank dark marks; larger than miniature ricefishes.

The natural adult male is pale silver-olive with short dark vertical marks low on the flanks and yellow-orange bands on the tail lobes. Its longer adult form should not be planned as if all ricefishes were identical miniatures.

Length and basis: 4.5 cm SL · profile maximum
Reference temperature: 23–27 °C
Captive lifespan: Unknown (no verified lifespan adopted)
pH: 7–9 (source care reference)
Hardness: 5–25 dGH (source care reference)

Supplier accounts mention occasional disputes, making swimming space and retreat important. Natural co-occurrence is not a tankmate recommendation. A supplier’s roughly 5 cm maximum lacks SL/TL basis.

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Appearance and identification

O. javanicus also has yellow tail bands, so tail colour alone cannot certify identity. Lower-flank markings and body form help browsing comparisons; precise identification needs fin characters and reliable locality. Males are brighter with longer dorsal and anal fins. The illustration cannot represent every population.

Same-species behaviour

The profile suggests eight or more conspecifics, with possible courtship territories and chasing. Watch subordinate fish; continuous tight schooling is not promised.

Space requirements

A 45 × 30 cm base is a profile reference, not a validated project minimum for a specified adult group and sex ratio. Balance open water and cover; image proportions cannot calculate capacity.

Diet and feeding

Offer small prepared foods and appropriately sized live or frozen food, checking access by subordinate fish. Pursuit alone does not establish successful feeding.

Compatibility limits

Avoid predators and persistent food competitors. Maintain breeding stocks separately from other ricefishes; overlapping temperatures do not establish compatibility.

Aquarium environment

Combine plant cover, egg-attachment surfaces and open water. Females briefly carry eggs before attaching them to structures; adults may eat fry. Dense planting does not guarantee shrimp or fry safety.

Measurement notes and sources

The profile lists 45 mm SL. A wholesaler’s roughly 5 cm has no stated measurement basis. Typical adult TL and illustrated TL are unknown.