Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Emerald Dwarf Rasbora
Danio erythromicron
Also called Emerald dwarf danio, Cross-banded dwarf rasbora, Celestichthys erythromicron, Microrasbora erythromicron (former name)
From Endemic to Inle Lake and its surrounding watershed in Shan State, Myanmar, with populations also near Loikaw in Kayah State123
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Tiny, compact cyprinid
A miniature fish with a row of vertical bars down its sides that shimmer iridescent blue to green. The fins show red tones. Males are the more vivid sex with bright blue bars and red fins, while females are slightly larger and rounder.1
Personality what they are like
A timid shoaling fish that prefers calm company. Males spar briefly with each other, which is spread out in a larger group.1
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Spends its time weaving through thick plants and roots. It prefers peaceful conditions over fast flow.1
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Keep water stable and on the hard, alkaline side, offer a varied diet of small foods, and provide dense planting for cover.1
Home where they are happiest
Clear, hard, neutral to slightly alkaline water at about 20 to 24 C, pH roughly 7.0 to 8.0 and hardness 12 to 20 dGH. A base of at least 60 x 30 cm (about 54 litres). Its home lake is clear, shallow and lined with dense plants and floating gardens.12
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Feeds on tiny invertebrates, algae and zooplankton. Offer small live and frozen foods such as Daphnia and brine shrimp alongside small dry food.12
Company who they like around
Best in a group of 20 or more with other tiny, calm fish. Keep it apart from the Celestial Pearl Danio as the two can crossbreed.1
The story where it all began
Described by Annandale in 1918 from Inle Lake, a high karst lake in Myanmar, and first named Microrasbora erythromicron. Later studies moved it to Danio (some authors use Celestichthys). Its closest relatives are the Celestial Pearl Danio and Danio choprai.13
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Its home, Inle Lake, sits about 900 m above sea level and is mostly only 2 to 3 m deep.1
- 2
It shelters among the roots of the lake's famous floating garden islands.1
- 3
Females lay around 30 slightly sticky eggs per spawning, which hatch in about 72 hours.1
- 4
Its closest living relatives are the Celestial Pearl Danio and Danio choprai.3
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Endangered (assessed February 2011)2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Emerald Dwarf Rasbora. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
You might also like
Celestial Pearl Danio
Neon Green RasboraLike what we are building? Buy us a coffee.
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Celestichthys erythromicron, Seriously Fish seriouslyfish.comused for names, origin, habitat, size, water parameters, tank size, diet, behaviour, colours, history, fun facts
- Danio erythromicron, FishBase fishbase.seused for max length, IUCN status, distribution, water parameters
- Danio erythromicron, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, origin, taxonomy, relatives
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.