Indian ricefish

Oryzias dancena

White fin tips and a blue anal band; old trade names can obscure identity.

The adult male has a relatively deep translucent silver-grey body and a long-based anal fin with extended white-tipped rays. Occurs in both freshwater and brackish water.

Adult length: Up to 3.5 cm (standard length, without the tail fin)
Water temperature: 23–27 °C
pH: 6.5–8.5
Hardness: 5–25 dGH

Natural habitat: Usually found near the coast, in both freshwater and brackish habitats.

Check stock origin and current salinity before moving fish between waters.

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Appearance and identification

It resembles O. javanicus but lacks that species' prominent yellow male tail bands. Old "melastigma" and "marine medaka" labels are applied inconsistently. Check the accepted name, origin and male fin characters.

Same-species behaviour

Keep eight or more; watch chasing, unequal feeding and hiding.

Space requirements

A 45 × 30 cm base. Supply refuge and upper-water room.

Diet and feeding

Use small granules, crushed flakes and suitably small live or frozen foods.

Compatibility limits

Avoid large predators and strong food competitors; keep breeding stocks apart from other ricefishes.

Aquarium environment

In freshwater, fine cover and egg-attachment surfaces are useful. Females carry eggs briefly before attaching them to structures. In brackish water, check plant salt tolerance.

Sources

www.fishbase.se ↗ 2026-10-25

www.seriouslyfish.com ↗ 2026-10-22

www.aquariumglaser.de ↗ 2026-10-22

link.springer.com ↗ 2026-10-22