Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Emerald Eye Rasbora
Brevibora dorsiocellata
Also called Eyespot rasbora, Green-eyed rasbora, Hi-spot rasbora, Ocellated rasbora, Rasbora dorsiocellata (former name)
From Southeast Asia: southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo; described from the Muar River in Johor, Malaysia123
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Small, slim scaled cyprinid
A small silvery fish, sometimes with a yellow or pink tint on the belly. Its trademark is a bright green-blue shine in the lower part of the eye, and a black spot sits on the dorsal fin. Wild fish can show russet red near the tail base, and breeding males take on a pinkish tail.13
Personality what they are like
Gentle and easygoing. Alone or in tiny numbers it is timid, but a group of eight or more swims openly and shows natural behaviour.1
Daily activity how busy a day looks
A steady midwater swimmer that is content in a moderate sized tank with gentle flow.1
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Routine care is simple: stable water, regular partial water changes and a planted layout with some open swimming room.1
Home where they are happiest
Soft, slightly acidic water at about 20 to 25 C, pH roughly 5.0 to 7.5 and hardness up to about 10 dGH. A base of 45 x 30 cm (around 40 litres) is a sensible minimum for a group. Leaf litter, wood and soft light match its blackwater streams.12
Food basics what goes in the bowl
A micropredator that eats tiny insects, worms, crustaceans and zooplankton. Takes quality dry food, ideally with small live or frozen foods such as Daphnia and brine shrimp most days.12
Company who they like around
Keep in a group of at least 8 to 10. Mixes well with tetras, small rasboras, livebearers, dwarf cichlids, small catfish and loaches.1
The story where it all began
Described by Duncker in 1904 from the Muar River in Malaysia and long known as Rasbora dorsiocellata. Genetic studies later moved it into its own genus, Brevibora. Most fish in the hobby today are farm bred, while wild ones are rarely exported.13
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Its common name comes from the bright green-blue patch in the lower part of each eye.1
- 2
It appeared in later editions of William T. Innes's classic book Exotic Aquarium Fishes.3
- 3
Young fish need around 10 to 12 weeks to develop full adult colour.3
- 4
Wild populations live in gently flowing peat swamp streams where the water can be as acidic as pH 4.1
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Endangered (assessed December 2018)2
- FishBase
- Listed as a commercial aquarium species2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Emerald Eye 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
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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.
- Brevibora dorsiocellata (Eyespot Rasbora), Seriously Fish seriouslyfish.comused for names, origin, habitat, size, water parameters, tank size, diet, behaviour, colours, history
- Brevibora dorsiocellata, FishBase fishbase.seused for max length, IUCN status, water parameters
- Eyespot rasbora, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, colours, Innes book, fry development
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.