Boraras merah
Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical
to the image provided
This tiny cyprinid comes from blackwater rainforest streams
in Borneo. Adult males are more strongly coloured than the females, but both
sport attractive red and black markings on their otherwise transparent bodies.
While Boraras merah isn't particularly demanding in terms of behaviour or diet,
its body size and water chemistry requirements do place certain restrictions on
its suitability for all aquaria. To start with, water chemistry needs to be
soft and acidic, 1-10 degrees dH, pH 6-7 being about right for a general
community tank situation, and even more acidic conditions (pH 5-6) being
necessary for successful breeding. At most Boraras merah gets to about 1.5 cm
in length and should be kept only alongside other very small, harmless
community species such as Ember Tetras and Corydoras hastatus. Because it is so
small and timid it will only feel secure if kept in a large group, certainly at
least a dozen specimens. Otherwise this species is not difficult to keep and
will readily consume finely powdered flake food as well as very small live
foods like brine shrimp nauplii and daphnia. Overall an excellent species for
small planted tanks