Oryzias dancena – Indian Ricefish
Oryzias dancena was officially described by Hamilton in 1822. The genus name Oryzias comes from the ancient Greek word oryza which means rice. A reference to the place where this genus of fish can be found regularly: the rice fields.
Over the years, this species has seen a few name changes. Synonyms are: Cyprinus dancena, Aplocheilus mcclellandi.
Description
The Indian Rice Fish does not get that big. They can reach a maximum total length of about 3 to 4 centimeters. The body is light beige in color. The fins are transparent. The eyes are light blue-rimmed. This is a peace-loving strain that is best kept in a school.
The difference between the males and females can be seen by the dorsal and anal fin. In adult males, they end in somewhat longer filaments (threads). The male is also a bit slimmer than the females.
Biotope
Bangladesh, India, Myanmar
Video
Author
John de Lange
Copyright images
References
An account of the fishes found in the river Ganges and its branches, pg 342-343 – F. Hamilton 1822
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