Orizias vovora and latipes - rice fish: content, photo-video review

Oryzias woworae PARENTI & HADIATY 2010.

Genus Oryzias - Rice fish.

Orysias vorora is a small fish that aquarists only learned about in 2010. It was discovered in Indonesia and first described by biologist Daisy Vovor, in honor of whom the fish received part of its name. The second 'Oryzias' is translated as rice - some representatives of the genus live in rice fields. Also called Orizias neon and Orizias muna.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The modest size of adult fish allows them to be kept in small aquariums and even in an ordinary three-liter jar. However, a tank of 20–40 liters is still preferable. The design uses dark soil, areas with dense vegetation and shelters in the form of intertwined driftwood. The lighting is dim; plants floating on the surface can serve as an additional means of shading. In such conditions, the fish show their best coloration, as it resembles their natural habitat. Ensuring high water quality is critical when keeping any type of fish, so the aquarium is equipped with a productive filtration system and regular maintenance procedures are carried out. At a minimum, it is worth regularly removing organic waste, cleaning decorative elements from plaque, and replacing part of the water (15–20% of the volume) with fresh water on a weekly basis. When choosing a filter, you should give preference to models that do not cause excessive water movement during their operation. As mentioned above, the Ricefish prefers stagnant bodies of water.

Content

Since rice fish are widely distributed throughout the world, living in both fresh and brackish water, they are very adaptable.

For example, medaka or Japanese rice fish lives in Japan, Korea, China, and Javanese throughout the island of Java, right up to Thailand.

But what about the vorora, since it is endemic and lives only on the island of Sulawesi? It is so unpretentious that it usually adapts perfectly to local water; it is enough to simply settle it and remove chlorine and other impurities.

They mainly keep it in small aquariums, nano-aquariums, with plants, for example, herbalists with mosses. Often, such aquariums do not even have an internal filter. And this is not a problem; it is enough to regularly change some of the water in the aquarium and remove nitrates and ammonia.

They are also undemanding when it comes to water temperature; 23 – 27 °C is a fairly wide range. The ideal parameters for keeping rice fish are: pH: 6.0 – 7.5, hardness 90 – 268 ppm.

It is important to remember one thing, Orysias voras are great jumpers! The aquarium must be covered, otherwise they may die. This fish seems to have been born for small aquariums, they look very organic there

Leave some space in the middle and plant the edges with plants. Most of the time they stay in places where there is minimal or no current, so in the aquarium it is better to avoid powerful filtration, or distribute it evenly through a flute

This fish seems to have been born for small aquariums; they look very organic there. Leave some space in the middle and plant the edges with plants. Most of the time they stick to places where there is minimal or no current, so it is better to avoid strong filtration in the aquarium, or distribute it evenly through a flute.

In such an aquarium, the flock spends most of the day in the middle layers, near the front glass, waiting for the next portion of food.

Aquarium

Rice fish feel more comfortable and confident in a school in an aquarium of 35 liters or more, with a basic size of 45 * 30 cm or more.

Adapts well, with no special indoor requirements, although it tends to be less colorful when kept in a sparsely furnished aquarium.

Looks best in an aquarium where a simulated natural habitat has been created, which may consist of a sandy substrate, tree roots and branches, plus a few handfuls of fallen leaves.

A planted aquarium is also suitable and may give the fry a better chance of surviving alongside the adult fish.

Water parameters:

23-27° C, pH 6.0-7.5, hardness 5-15°.

It is necessary to install a filter, an aerator and change a quarter of the water weekly.

Content

Orysias are small fish, from 1.5 (O.minutillus) to 4 cm (most representatives of the genus), generally not famous for their brightness. The main group of species bears a modest grayish-greenish-yellowish color and is of interest only to collectors and breeders. But there are exceptions that are pleasing to the eye, although not numerous. These, for example, include the relatively recently discovered by ichthyologists, the blue-violet rice fish with red fins orysias woworae (O.woworae), completely black during the mating season O.nigrimas, decorated with bright yellow edged fins O.profundicola...

So why do orysias attract the attention of aquarists, if not because of their coloring? The answer is simple: in a rather unusual way of placing the spawned eggs. Having left the female’s body, the eggs hang under her belly on short thin threads, which during the intrauterine development of the eggs may have played the role of an umbilical cord

The female continues to swim with her eggs for some time until the burden gets lost, getting caught on something. However, this method is not unique in the fish world. Something similar can be observed, in particular, during the spawning of Australian bluegills (pseudomugilus, popondettas, etc.): in this case, the females also swim for some time, dragging dangling “beads” behind them. A similar phenomenon occurs in some egg-laying cyprinids: if a pair ready for spawning is separated by glass, the female can begin spawning without direct contact, while the eggs also hang under her belly. But let's return to the Orizias.

Very often, their species name contains information about the area or body of water in which the fish was found: O.celebensis, O.javanicus, O.timorensis, O.sinensis. These include the hero of my story - Oryzias mekongensis Uwa et Magtoon, 1986, that is, oryzias from the Mekong, whose homeland is the middle reaches of this river stretching over more than 4000 km.

Mekong orysias came to me, one might say, by accident. I knew nothing about its existence until I came across it in the price list of the German company Glaser, which specializes in aquarium rarities. I began to “scour” the Internet to find out at least some details, and found several vague and unclear photographs, which, however, gave reason to recognize this cute rice fish as worthy of attention. The only thing that upset me was its small size: something like two centimeters.

Be that as it may, I placed an order and in May 2010 received 14 copies, barely a centimeter long. The supplier company did not indicate whether it was a “wild” fish or a breeding “domestic” one, but the presence in the parcel of several specimens with spinal curvature (scoliosis) spoke for itself: in nature, defective lopsided individuals quickly become prey for predators, but here there are four of them at once...

These very frail fish at first glance suddenly turned out to be very viable: the waste amounted to only 3 pieces, and all died during the quarantine period. For the first 4 months, the fish sat in a 15-liter aquarium with a foam airlift box filter. There were also young bushes of the Uruguayan echinodorus (shoots on cuttings of rhizomes) and three bunches of decorative mosses, now in fashion, tied with fishing line to mangrove roots. The water used was relatively soft - 4-6 dGH (a mixture of “null water” from ion exchange columns and tap water).

Editorial: Indian ocellated knife

Maintenance and care

Aquarium preparation

For rice fish, an aquarium with a volume of 35 liters or more is suitable. The aquarium should be covered with a lid, since orysias often jump out of the water.

If you want to pamper your pets, create conditions for them that are close to natural. To do this, use sandy soil, moss-covered stones and driftwood. Place the plants around the perimeter of the pond and on its surface.

ATTENTION: The bottom of the Mata air Fotuno stream, where rice fish live, is covered with fallen leaves. If you want to create a comfortable environment for your pets, throw a couple of handfuls of dry leaves into the water

Oryzias woworae feels more comfortable in a group of 6-8 individuals of its species. When kept alone, the fish becomes restless and timid, and its life expectancy is reduced.

Water parameters

The following water parameters are best suited for orysias:

temperature 23-27◦C;
acidity 5-7.5 units;
hardness 5-15 units;
regular aeration and filtration;
weekly change of up to 25% water.

If the water parameters are suitable for small pets, then their neon color will be bright and rich. If the body of the rice fish has become dull, it means the baby is feeling uncomfortable.

IMPORTANT: If the orysias turn pale, add rainwater or salt to the aquarium at the rate of 1 gram per liter of water. This will help the fish quickly improve their health and cope with stress.

Feeding

Rice orysias fish are offered all types of fine food

Bloodworms and tubifex are given with caution, since fish do not digest these foods well. Sometimes pets are pampered with cocktails of dry, plant and live food

Preference is given to feed that contains algae.

IMPORTANT: If you feed Orysias vorora only with dry food, then over time their color will fade. To restore your pets to their former beauty, you need to add live food to their diet.

Aquarium mates

Orysias vovora has a peaceful nature and gets along well with representatives of other species with similar dimensions and temperament.

Ideal neighbors for rice fish would be:

rasboras;
micro-assessments;
eight-banded glass barbs;
small species of iris;
dwarf corydoras;
chain catfish;
small loricaria;
caridina and neocaridina shrimp.

ATTENTION: Orysias spend most of their time in the upper layer of water. Therefore, they are well compatible with Ancistrus, Corydoras, Loricaria and other bottom-dwelling fish.

Behavior and Compatibility

They are very peaceful fish that get along well with species of similar size and temperament, but this does not make them an ideal addition to most communities due to their small size.

If you want to keep it along with other miniature fish species, such as Microrasboras, Eirmotus octozona, Rasboras, small species of Rainbowfish, dwarf Corydoras and small Loricariids such as Otocinclus are suitable - making up the best options, at the same time freshwater Shrimp from the genera Caridina and Neocaridina are also suitable for keeping together.

If you intend to breed Vovoras, then ideally they should be kept alone and we do not recommend keeping him with other Oryzias species due to the possibility of hybridization.

These are non-aggressive fish towards others; sometimes during courtship, harmless skirmishes arise between males. They look most impressive and behave more confidently in a group of 8 or more individuals of the same species.

Keeping orysias vorora at home

Here are some basic conditions for keeping rice fish that will help make the life of the silver beauty comfortable and safe.

Fish of this species are quite small, so they do not need a particularly large aquarium. To keep a small flock, a small aquarium of 40-50 liters is enough.
Be sure to decorate the aquarium with all kinds of accessories and plants, creating an approximate copy of the natural underwater world of the fish. The brighter, richer and more varied the bottom of the aquarium, the more spectacular the color of the fish will be. The simulated rice fish habitat should include a sandy bottom with elements of shells and rock. You also need to lay out wood snags, remains of leaves and fallen vegetation, pieces of stone, various grottoes and shelters on the bottom.
In addition, plant all kinds of plants that should literally form underwater thickets. Plants are not only food for fish, but also excellent shelter, which increases the chances of survival of fry in a general aquarium.
Orysias vovora does not require any special requirements for water parameters, but it feels much better if its temperature is in the range of 22-27 degrees. Water hardness should be 6-14 moles per cubic meter, and the oxygen level should be about 6.0-7.5 pH.
In any closed water system, you need to use an aerator to saturate the water with oxygen, especially if we are talking about fish living in tropical climates. You should also definitely install a filter that purifies the water from various impurities. Once a week you need to change a quarter of the water from the total volume of the aquarium, replacing it with clean and settled liquid. Don't forget about regular bottom siphoning.
Vovoras are fairly peaceful and non-aggressive fish that get along well in a common aquarium with neighbors of similar size and temperament. Rice fish lives well with barbs, microrasboras, small rainbowfish, etc. If you plan to engage in rice fish as a breeder and breed new offspring, then it is best to have a separate aquarium for a school of rice fish. This will not only increase the safety of individuals, but will also eliminate the possible appearance of hybrids from several species. There can only be small skirmishes between relatives; as a rule, this is competition between males during the breeding season.
In terms of nutrition, Orysias vovora is an absolutely unpretentious fish; it accepts both protein and plant foods very well. If there is no algae in the aquarium, you should definitely add vitamin supplements to the food.

Rice fish spawn well even in a community aquarium; the females are quite prolific and can lay 10-15 eggs almost every day. After a couple of weeks, fry emerge from them and are ready to swim independently and look for food. Most of the fry are eaten by the adult population of the aquarium; only the most intelligent, cunning and timid individuals survive.

The rice fish is an unpretentious representative of the underwater world that even the most novice aquarist will definitely enjoy. She does not require separate living conditions for her person, but despite this, she is able to really decorate and diversify her home underwater kingdom.

Javan oryzias javanicus or rice fish (Oryzias javanicus)

Javan orysias, or Javan rice fish, or Japanese honeyfish (Javan ricefish) is a small, very active fish that lives in brackish waters of Asia. This is a great fish for a mini aquarium. They are not demanding on food and living conditions. Sticks to the top layers of water. It is advisable to keep them in small flocks of 10 or more individuals. Orysias breeds well in aquariums.

Habitat : brackish water bodies. Java, Malaysia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Jakarta, Lombok, West Kalimantan, Singapore, India. Description : Javan orysias is a small, attractive fish with a transparent body. The internal organs are clearly visible. The carina is truncated, the lateral line is dark. The body is moderately thin, laterally compressed. The eyes are large. The mouth is small, not protruding, upper. Males have wide anal and dorsal fins. The caudal fin is truncated. There are 6-7 rays in the dorsal fin, 20-24 in the anal fin, 5-6 in the caudal fin, and 10-11 in the pectoral fins. Habitat : freshwater or slightly brackish coastal ponds, ditches and canals, mangroves. It stays near the surface of the water in dense thickets of aquatic plants. Color : the main background of the body is gray-green; the sides are silvery with a bluish or reddish tint. The dorsal fin of males has a blue edge. The back is olive-brown. There is a black spot at the base of the dorsal fin. Cheeks are pinkish. The edge of the caudal fin is yellowish. The fry of the Javan orysias are gray. Size : 3.75-4 cm. Life expectancy: up to 3 years.

Aquarium : an oblong shaped aquarium with a lid on top. Dimensions : from 30 l for a flock of 10 fish. Water : dH 8-18°, pH 6.5-7.5. Some aquarists recommend adding salt to the water - 1 g per 1 liter. Increased aeration and filtration are required. Temperature : 22-25°C. Plants : thickets of living plants. Decoration: small-leaved plants, driftwood, natural shelters. Requires a place to swim.

Feeding : rice fish are omnivores; in aquariums they eat live food and substitutes, as well as small invertebrates (daphnia, copepods, insects and their larvae, crustaceans).

Behavior: Character : orysias are schooling fish, active and timid. They can terrorize other fish. Water zone : upper zone.

Photo © Marco Vaccari

Fish breeding : external fertilization. Female Javan orysias glue fertilized eggs to their abdomen. Spawning is portioned, morning. The eggs fall off as the female touches the plants with her abdomen. Sexual differences : the dorsal fins of males are higher than those of females and have a blue edge. Puberty : occurs at 10 months. Spawning aquarium : from 20 l, thickets of small-leaved floating plants, water temperature 25-28°C, dH 7-11°, pH 6.8-7.2, soil - fine sand. Ratio of males and females : 1:1. Number of eggs : daily the female lays up to 5-50 eggs. Incubation : 2 to 3 weeks. Feeding fry : There are usually no problems with raising fry. The starting food is ciliates, “live dust”, later – Cyclops nauplii, plant foods. Jigging from parents : if there is an abundance of food, the adults do not touch the fry.

Origin and appearance

In Russian, nayas have two names - naiad (direct translation) or, less euphonious, rezukha. This is a plant with a long (up to a meter) straight, rather flexible stem, on which whorls of foliage are located at equal distances from each other. The leaves of nayas are dissected, elongated, rather thick, their color is usually light green, but varies from dark green to reddish in different species. The width and length of the leaf also varies from variety to variety.

From the editor: Othelia astruchoides

Natural habitat - reservoirs of tropical America, Europe, Africa. It is found even in Russia. The plant loves fairly warm water, but its composition is unpretentious.

Indian

Habitat

Originating in Southeast Asia, it is found exclusively in the river systems of Sulawesi Island in Indonesia. They inhabit floodplains, swamps, and are widespread in rice fields (as you know, rice grows in water). They prefer shallow, well-warmed areas of reservoirs with slow currents or standing water. The habitat is characterized by silty substrates and an abundance of aquatic vegetation.

Brief information:

Aquarium volume - from 40 liters.
Temperature - 23–26°C
pH value – 5.0–7.0
Water hardness - soft (2–10 dGH)
Substrate type - sandy dark
Lighting - dim
Brackish water - no
Water movement is weak
The size of the fish is up to 3 cm.
Food - any food
Temperament - peaceful schooling fish

Japanese orysia, or Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes)

The Japanese rice fish fish from Southeast Asia that lives in standing and slow-moving fresh and brackish waters, such as rice fields . The Japanese medaka was the first vertebrate organism to complete the full reproductive cycle in space. These fish have become popular among aquarists because of their hardiness and attractive coloration, which ranges from creamy white to yellowish in the wild to white, creamy yellow or orange in farmed specimens.

Medaka has been popular in Japan since the 17th century. One of the features of Orysia is that after fertilization, the female holds the eggs between the anal fins for some time, and only then drops them on the plants. The genus name comes from the Greek ὄρυζα (oryza), meaning "rice" (rice fields).

Distribution : Asia - Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Habitat : From highly brackish, tidal mangrove swamps to acidic, freshwater forest streams, rice fields, agricultural canals, large river basins. Description : the body is elongated, flattened, the back is almost straight. Upper mouth. The dorsal fin is pointed in males and rounded in females. There are 5-8 rays in the dorsal fin, 15-22 in the anal fin. The pectoral fins are located relatively high. Color : body gray with a greenish or bluish tint. There is a darkish narrow stripe on the sides. The fins are transparent with an orange border. Rainbow blue. During the mating season, the fins of males turn black. Size : 4.5-5 cm.

Aquarium : a community aquarium of an oblong shape (45x30 cm or more), covered with a lid on top. Water : dH 8-19°, pH 6.5-8.5. Some aquarists add salt at the rate of 1 g per 1 liter of water. Aeration, slight current. Temperature : 16-22°C. Plants : thickets of living plants (including floating ones), open places for orysia swimming are required. Lighting : natural. Substrate: dark. Decoration: various driftwood and tree roots are welcome.

Feeding : live food (small insects, crustaceans, worms and other zooplankton) daily with the addition of substitutes, flakes or algae.

Behavior : Japanese honeydews are schooling and active fish. They feel good in small schools of 8 or more fish. Personality : timid, peaceful. Water zone : the top layer of water. Cannot be kept with : large aggressive fish. Can be kept with: small fish that live in nature in similar conditions - Dermogenis, Pseudomugila, Brachygobius.

Fish breeding : external fertilization. Spawning is morning, portioned. Fertilized eggs hang from the female's abdomen until she drops them on the plants. Sexual differences : females are slightly larger than males, their bodies have a blue metallic tint. Puberty: occurs at 10 months. Spawning aquarium : from 20 l, small-leaved and floating plants (kabomba, hornwort, Taxiphylum aquarium moss), water temperature 25-30°C, dH 7-10°, pH 6.8-7.2. Ratio of males and females : 1:1. Number of eggs : the female lays up to 14-30 transparent eggs per day. Incubation : 1-3 weeks (duration depends on water temperature). Offspring : Requires daily water changes. Starter food : ciliates, Artemia nauplii, “live dust”. Depositing from parents : when there is an abundance of food, parents do not touch the fry and eggs.

Comments : Used to control malaria mosquito larvae. The Japanese medaka is the only vertebrate that has successfully "sexed" and reproduced in space, aboard the Space Shuttle in 1994. Scientists widely use orysium in many areas of biological research, most notably toxicology. Genetically modified fish with bright colors (glowing fluorescent green, yellow, red and purple) have been bred, but such fish are prohibited for sale.

Breeding/reproduction

Quite a prolific fish species. In a favorable environment, females are able to produce 10–20 eggs every few days. The method of reproduction differs from that of other spawning fish. Ripe eggs are first attached to the back of the female's abdomen in the form of a cluster. They hang there until they are fertilized by the male. Then the eggs are dropped among thickets of small-leaved plants. The incubation period lasts 1–3 weeks. Adult Orysia vorora usually do not eat their own offspring, but other species will happily feast on the young of others. It is advisable to transplant the juveniles into a separate tank. Feed with special powdered food or in the form of suspensions.

Breeding

Quite easy to breed and quite prolific, females are capable of producing eggs in cluster-like groups of 10-20 every few days or even daily if in good condition.

Spawning usually occurs early in the morning, with males becoming noticeably darker in color and beginning to guard/defend small, temporary territories from each other in an attempt to entice females.

The sticky eggs are usually in a single mass and are fertilized simultaneously, after which they continue to hang from the female for some time and eventually scatter individually or in small clumps among the vegetation.

Small-leaved plants such as Cabomba, Ceratophyllum or Taxiphylum are ideal, but synthetic fibers or other artificial materials are also suitable as spawning substrates.

The incubation period depends on temperature, usually 1-3 weeks, while adults tend to ignore the eggs, but they may eat newly hatched larvae, although if the aquarium is tightly planted, some will usually survive.

Alternatively, the eggs or fry can be transferred/planted into a separate nursery tank filled with water from the spawning tank. Free-swimming fry are able to accept microfeed, Artemia nauplii, etc.

It is recommended that when raising fry of different ages together, if there is a sufficiently large discrepancy in size, periodically transfer the larger ones to another aquarium.

They become sexually mature when they reach 4-6 months.

In aquarium conditions, Oryzias woworae can live up to 4 years.

Feeding

In nature, rice fish have everything: from the biofilm that covers the surface of the reservoir to insects. At home, you can feed frozen, live or artificial food. From time to time, pamper your orysias with a kind of cocktail of a mixture of dry, live and plant food. Food containing algae will be beneficial. They will happily eat cyclops, tubifex, small coretra, and daphnia. You shouldn't overuse bloodworms - fish love them, but they don't digest them well.

It is important to ensure that the size of the food corresponds to the size of the mouth of the wards. If you feed exclusively dry food, the fish will turn pale over time.

Live feeding will help increase the brightness of scaly plaques. The fish take food from the surface, sometimes from the water column.

Reproduction

The rapid growth of the plant means that it will have to be renewed quite often to maintain the desired decorative effect. However, this is not at all difficult, given its survivability.

Naiads reproduce vegetatively - by stem pieces and cuttings. These are rather brittle, fragile plants, but even the smallest pieces are very viable. Cuttings can be fixed in the ground, but it is often better for growth to leave them floating. In good conditions with intense lighting, small pieces of the plant form dense and lush thickets in the aquarium within a month.

Ease of maintenance and reproduction, decorative appearance, species diversity - all these wonderful qualities have ensured the love of nayas among aquarists all over the world. Rezuha is ideal for beginners, but experienced aquarists also love the unpretentious and spectacular nayas.

Description and natural habitat of the fish

The fish of this species is quite small, usually its body length does not exceed three centimeters; it is one of the smallest representatives of oriasis, of which there are currently about 17 (meaning fish that live only in a specific area). The color of the fish is silver, turning into a bluish tint of scales. The lateral fins and the edges of the caudal fin have reddish tints, the tail is very thin and transparent. A distinctive feature is the dorsal fin, which is located very close to the tail. The body of the fish as a whole looks elongated and flattened. Sometimes the fish is called neon oriasis for its amazing ability to reflect light directed at its scales. If you shine rays of light on the fish in the twilight, you will notice a very obvious glow. Males, as in other species of flora and fauna, are larger and brighter, and have a colorful shade of color. Another distinctive feature is the number of fins. Females have two standard pelvic fins. But in males during puberty, the fin turns into a gonopodium - a kind of analogue of the male organ, through which seminal fluid enters, fertilizing the female.

Rice fish can probably be found only in one place - in Indonesia, on the island of Muna in East Sulawesi. Ichthyologists suggest that Orysias vorora is also common in other tropical places on the planet with identical living conditions, but today everything is at the research stage. Despite this, aquarists quickly realized that the rice fish are truly unpretentious, tenacious and capable of decorating any aquarium.

Description

The body is elongated and laterally flattened. The front of the back and head are also flattened. The small dorsal fin is shifted back, and the pectoral fins are located high.

Orizias's body is translucent and has a gray-lilac color. For its ability to emit a peculiar glow when hit by rays of reflected light, the fish is called neon Orizias. The lower abdomen and pectoral fins are colored reddish. The caudal fin has a red edge.

Adult males of Orizias Vovora.

Adult males are significantly brighter and more colorful, have longer fins with pointed rays and have a more slender body shape than females.

Orizias Vovora couple.

The anal fins of males form a short tube - gonopodium, while in females they are bilobed.

Female Orizias Vovora.

Size

Maximum dimensions are 25 - 30 mm, making it the smallest Oryzias species known from Sulawesi, although not the smallest in the genus.

Varieties of Nayas

N. Guadalupe is a very graceful plant with small, elongated leaves, about 3.5 cm long and not exceeding 2 mm wide. At the top, the leaves grow thick and dense, creating a nice fluffy whorl. The leaves are slightly curved at the tops. This is an unpretentious aquatic grass with a weak root system.
N. indica - its homeland is East and South Asia. This variety differs from Guadeloupe in its more powerful leaves - they are longer and stiffer in structure. At the tops the leaves form spectacular clusters.
This species takes root well, forming a strong root system, but can also live well in the water column. If the light is strong and prolonged, some leaves of the plant acquire dark, reddish shades.
N. Roraima is one of the most beautiful and rare species of this, in general, very common plant.
Nayas Roraima in aquariums first appeared in Japan and from there spread throughout the world. It is characterized by weak roots, rather rigid in structure, jagged, curved leaves. The leaves of the Roraima nayas grass are green, shaded with brownish and burgundy streaks. It can be rooted, attached to aquarium decorations, or left to float freely. This variety is less common and looks quite unusual, but it is just as hardy and undemanding as its relatives.
N. Egeria is a common species. Nayas Egeria differs from its relatives in its shorter (up to half a meter) stem. The leaves are green, oblong and narrow, with finely toothed edges. Nayas Egeria takes root well, but also feels great in the water column.
N. herbaceous is a beautiful and graceful plant native to the waters of England. Its peculiarity is long, rather hard, narrow light green leaves that really resemble grass. In the water it forms beautiful thickets - an excellent background for broad-leaved plants. The herbaceous naiad has rather weak and delicate roots, but can be planted in the ground.

From the editor: Lionhead

Roraima

Content Rules

Orysias vorora adapt well to fresh or brackish water aquariums. They are kept in aquariums in different countries, where the climate can be tropical or temperate continental. Japanese rice fish can be found in aquariums in Korea, Japan, and China. Javan Oryzias woworae is only sold in Thailand.

Orizias vovora, which comes from the island of Sulawesi, thanks to its unpretentiousness in maintenance and care, can live even in our climate (temperate climate zone)

It is important to maintain optimal temperature and water purity. Rice fish can be placed in a nano-aquarium, a small tank with plants, mosses, decorations and shelters

Filtration is optional but recommended to maintain cleanliness. Regularly replace 20% of the water with fresh water, monitor the level of ammonia and nitrates in the reservoir.

Recommended parameters for keeping in an aquarium: water temperature 23-27°C, hardness – 4-18 dH, acidity – 6.0-7.5 pH. Cover the tank with a lid to prevent fish from ending up on the floor. Leave the center of the aquarium free for swimming, and plant the side walls with bushes of aquatic plants. You can choose mosses (Javanese, Thai), floating plants, higher plants. They do not harm the greenery - they do not pluck it or tear it out of the ground.

Filtration inside the aquarium should not be powerful - orysias does not like rapid currents. A school of fish swims in the middle water level and near the front glass, waiting for the next feeding. In their wild habitat, rice fish prefer to catch insects, eat biological film from the surface of the water, and look for the eggs of other fish. Aquarium specimens will not refuse live, artificial and frozen food. The food should be small, since Orysias vorora have a small mouth.

The rice fish has a peaceful and calm character, so it can be placed in a common aquarium with small species of fish.

Males of Oryzias woworae can fight among themselves for the attention of females, but they do not cause bodily harm. It is better to keep a flock of 8-10 fish; alone the fish will be restless and timid, which will shorten its life.

It is recommended to live with neons, rasboras, and small tetras. If placed with other types of rice fish, it is possible to obtain hybrid offspring, which is undesirable.

Look at the aquarium with Orysias vorora and crystal red shrimp.

How to breed in a community aquarium?

Orysias can also breed in a general aquarium, if it is not crowded. However, they can reproduce for months, so optimal living conditions should be created for the offspring of fish. It is recommended to increase the water temperature to 26-27oC. A few weeks before spawning, spawners need to be fed live food.

Reproduction occurs in the morning, when the male becomes brightly colored, and defends his territory from the claims of other males. He will invite a female, who will lay 10-20 eggs after spawning. In a few days she will lay eggs again. Spawning can last a long time, 2-3 months, with short intervals.

The eggs come out sticky, small, in the form of a lump stuck to the female’s body. After fertilization, the eggs will fall to the bottom and stick to decorations or plants. The spawning substrate can be synthetic spawning thread, mosses, or cabomba.

Incubation lasts several weeks. The male and female do not touch their eggs, but they can eat the fry. To provide shelter for babies, there should be a lot of plants with small leaves in the tank. The fry can also be placed in a fish tank, where it is better to pour water from a common reservoir. The initial food for orysias fry is egg yolk (crushed), microworm, brine shrimp larvae. Over time, it is better to sort the brood so that the small fish do not eat each other.

Oryzias woworae

Orizias vovoro, male

Orizias vovoro, female with laid eggs

The male guards the moss bush on which the eggs will be hung

And these are our orizias producers. The video quality is not very good, but it gives some idea of the fish.

Russian name: orizias vovoro, rice fish.

Latin name: Oryzias woworae (Parenti & Hadiaty, 2010).

Trade names: Orysias vovoro, rice fish, neon rice fish, neon orysias.

Homeland: Indonesia. The species was discovered only a few years ago, and its range has not yet been precisely determined. At the moment, the only place where this fish was caught is on the island of Muna (Sulawesi), near the village of Vakumoro. It is quite possible that orysias voro is more widespread, but so far (and thank God!) due to its narrow range, it is caught in relatively small quantities, and it can be seen very rarely on sale. In addition, the fish are already bred in captivity, although also little by little due to fractional portioned spawning.

Family: Adrianichthydae (rice fish), Adrianichthydae.

Length of an adult fish: 2.5 - 3 cm. Many Internet resources incorrectly indicate the size of up to 5 cm, but the fish do not reach that length. One of the probable explanations is that perhaps the five-centimeter-long hybrid individuals inherited a large size from one of the parents, and the red-blue coloring characteristic of the Voro from the parent of another species. All Orysias species are said to interbreed easily.

Sex differences are quite pronounced. Females are fuller and somewhat paler, their pectoral fins are not bright red, like those of males, but transparent, sometimes with a yellowish tint, and the blue sheen on the side is slightly weaker (in the dense shade their bodies look olive). Also, in adult females, the lower jaw and lower abdomen in front are not painted red, as is the case in males. With age, the tips of the rays of the unpaired fins of the male protrude beyond the edge of the fin, forming a kind of “scallops”. However, young males may not have this either, and frightened fish in a commercial aquarium turn pale and practically lose their blue luster, so the most reliable sign is the color of the pectoral fins: once it appears, it no longer “fades” even under stress.

Requirements for water temperature: 23-28° C (with a bias towards the warmer part of this range - in such conditions the fish behave more actively).

Requirements for chemical parameters of water: pH 6.0-7.0. We were unable to find information about the preferred water hardness, but the species is clearly quite plastic and capable of adapting to different indicators. We ourselves keep Orizias Voro in soft water.

Minimum aquarium size: from 5 liters per pair of fish, although it is better to keep them in a flock of 5-6 individuals in a larger aquarium.

Intraspecific and interspecific compatibility: absolutely peaceful, schooling fish, they do not offend anyone and do not get into fights with each other. In the morning, when the females lay eggs, the males protect the plant bushes chosen for their placement, but their spectacular confrontation ends bloodlessly - not a single fin is torn, not a single scale is damaged. In any case, the Orizias will not put pressure on each other even to a very small extent. It is better to keep them either in a species aquarium, or with comparable calm species of fish that cannot eat them and will not pursue them. They look better in nano-aquariums, where they can show all their beauty and interesting behavior, but they can also be kept in larger containers. They do not keep a flock in the full sense of the word, but they stay close to each other and actively communicate with each other.

Feeding: Orysias voro is an animal-eating species, they eat live plankton with great pleasure - daphnia, cyclops, they can eat medium-sized coretra, “devil”, fruit flies, bloodworms (the latter should not be abused, since we have the impression that they digest it not optimal). Food is taken from the surface and from the water column; They are picked up less frequently from the bottom, although they usually stay in the middle and lower parts of the aquarium. They eat dry food flakes well, but for brightness and increased activity (including spawning) they need live feeding.

Our experience of keeping Orysias Vovoro in an aquarium. These charming, bright, playful fish truly deserve the widest distribution in the aquarium hobby. Unfortunately, it is still extremely difficult to get them, so when we received our group, we tried to quickly start breeding them. I had to tinker with this, but everything worked out. The young are already growing up. By the way, the fry were pleased with their good health and good appetite. Not all of the producers we bought survived, but Asian fish and farmed fish are, as they say, two big differences. Both of the deceased females disappeared during our absence, and we do not know whether the cause of their death was some previously hidden illness or just an accident. But we can say that physically this species turned out to be stronger than one might expect when looking at these gentle babies. They survive transportation well. Jumping out of a net or an aquarium onto the floor is also tolerated completely calmly, but hence the conclusion we made after desperately biting our own elbows: when fish are very frightened, they can jump, and the container with them must be covered - it’s a sin...

An aquarium, as we wrote above, is suitable even for a very small one. With a certain amount of care and timely attentive care, you can place them in a three-liter jar. The fish do not need shelters as such, but the presence of plants is necessary, since the species is attached to them as a substrate for spawning. The presence of floating things on the surface is not critical, but islands of moss at the bottom are “just what the doctor ordered.” The males choose the bushes they like and when mating begins (they usually take place in the morning) they protect them from the invasion of rivals. However, these same invasions are organized every minute - the fish clearly just like it. The brightness of the color at such moments is simply mesmerizing, the fins become black, the body also darkens and acquires the most contrasting colors, and a black stripe appears on the nose and back up to the dorsal fin (the same exactly happens in excited male iris, only in them it is usually glowing, golden ). An aquarium with Orysias is a sight that never gets boring!

According to our observations, fish feel better in water that is not entirely fresh. We softened it for them by adding rainwater. A sign of good health is the bright coloring of males, active games and spawning of females.

Breeding orysias voro. This genus (and at least 5 species of orysias have already been discovered, and this is one of the smallest) has a rather unusual method of reproduction. Fertilization in them is so difficult to notice that we sincerely considered it to be internal, although this is not typical for spawning cyprinids. However, after long observations, we can say with confidence: after all, fertilization is external.

The male actively pursues females approaching the bush of plants he protects. When chasing, he actively drives away all other fish, and makes rapid throws towards the female, showing a blackened scruff.

The female, ready for spawning, begins to lay eggs, doing this in portions - several eggs every morning. Moreover, at first she wears them on her body. As soon as the eggs are spawned and hang right at the anus, the female stops dodging the male and swims next to him. The male continues to show off, from time to time making forward and downward throws. At the same time, it tucks the anal fin into a pocket, as most spawning cyprinodonts do. Apparently, a small amount of milk is squeezed into the pocket. In them, the female literally “dips” the spawned eggs, which, with the rapid throw of the male, swim straight through the resulting “cloud”. Such cycles are repeated several times until the female lays all the eggs of the current portion (usually 3-5).

Then the female finds a place she likes in the thicket of plants and sticks one or, very rarely, two at a time. To do this, each egg is equipped with a very sticky thin thread. The optimal substrate is a bunch of Java moss, and the female usually glues her treasure to the lower part of the bush, or even making her way between the interlacing branches. At the same time, it seems to pry up the substrate with its belly, and the eggs hang on it. By the way, what’s interesting is that often before this she also pecks several times at the place she has chosen - apparently, these are the behavioral rudiments of the mechanism for cleansing the spawning substrate. In one day, from 1-2 to 8-10 pieces are swept in this way (the latter - only in large, mature individuals).

Further, the female does not guard the eggs. The male usually guards “his” bush, but he does not care about the eggs, he only defends his territory. But in fact, the eggs may be located in a completely different place. We did not notice a tendency to form stable pairs; the male invites all the “ladies” swimming past to his territory.

Note that this spawning behavior is demonstrated only in a calm environment, in an aquarium, where the fish have settled down and feel safe. In this sense, the species is very “delicate”. Intervention from humans or unceremonious neighboring fish can completely disrupt the beautiful dances and frighten the orysias. Most likely, they will eventually begin to reproduce anyway, but you will not get pleasure from watching stressed pets, and it will not be easy for them to live like this. That's why we chose a species container for them, where only they live. And before receiving the first eggs, an unexpectedly long period of adaptation followed, when the fish did not spawn at all, despite all our tricks. Apparently, among other things, there are pauses in their reproduction when females do not lay eggs at all.

The further fate of the huge (about 2 mm!) egg laid can be different, including a very sad one: it can be eaten by the hungry parents themselves. Both females and males periodically spend time looking for their own eggs in the thickets and eating them. They also eat fry, including slightly older ones. But if the egg has happily escaped the parent's jaws, then incubation begins. It is long, about 2 weeks, and the caviar itself is very similar to that of killifish (spawn-marking carp-toothed fish) - the closest relatives of rice fish. On the third day, the gray pigmentation of the embryo is already visible, then over time it turns black, the spinal column and eyes become visible, but it may still take a long time before hatching. But then the fry immediately begins to swim and begins to actively search for food at the surface of the water. At first, infusoria will suit him, but they didn’t take any powdered food from us. So if you want to tinker with breeding orysias, know that the option of feeding the larvae with dry food will not work in their case.

You also need to get the hang of selecting eggs from the producers - you can’t remove them from the female, and you won’t guess when she decides to remove the next bunch from herself onto the plants. It turns out to be a “race game” - so that the eggs have already been shed, but not yet eaten. It's a tedious task, I must say. Moreover, the entire substrate needs to be sorted out every time - caviar sometimes ends up in the most unexpected places. Removing the found eggs themselves is also a piece of jewelry work. Although in a common aquarium, they say, someone can grow. But, firstly, this did not happen here, and secondly, the fish is too rare and beautiful, and it’s worth putting in a little effort to breed it.

The fry grow quickly in the first couple of weeks, then very slowly, but invariably actively search for food and quickly master new types of food. However, even by 3-4 months the fry barely reach half the adult size - about 1.5 cm, and only by this time they begin to be colored like adults. Thus, there are no problems with rearing; the main thing is to preserve the eggs and patience until the fry grow up. Interestingly, already on the 4th-5th day of life it is clearly visible that the babies have blue glowing eyes - exactly the same as those of their parents. Even in the twilight, a flock of orysias is very decorative, and watching its games will give any aquarist many pleasant moments.

Tasha Photo by Tasha. Sudogda, August 15, 2013

Reproduction

Orysias vorora easily reproduces in captivity. The fish spawn and lay eggs in the morning. The color of the male darkens, he tries to seduce the female and drives other males away from her.

The female lays 10-20 eggs every day, which she carries under her abdomen for some time. After some time, she shakes off the fertilized eggs onto the leaves of the plants.

If spawning occurs in a separate aquarium, then the breeders should be transplanted into a common aquarium immediately after they have laid eggs.

Newly hatched fry should be transplanted into a separate aquarium, otherwise they will become dinner for their own parents. Babies should be fed ciliates, and from a week of age - nauplii and artemia.

Thus, Orizias Vovora will delight its owner with a calm disposition and unpretentious character. The fish quickly adapts to new conditions and easily reproduces in captivity. In good conditions, this baby will live in an aquarium for up to 4 years.

Habitat in nature

At the moment, only one habitat of Orysias vovora in nature is known. This is the Mata air Fotuno stream in the Parige area, Muna Island, Southeast Sulawesi province.

Perhaps the range is wider, since some areas have not yet been sufficiently explored. Sulawesi is home to 17 endemic species.

Neon orysias live in freshwater streams, 80% of which flow under a dense canopy of tropical trees, and the bottom is covered with silt, sand and fallen leaves.

O. woworae was also caught in ponds, 3-4 meters deep, where they live together with Nomorhamphus. Water in natural reservoirs has an acidity of the order of pH 6.0 – 7.0.

Range and Habitat

Described and known from only one locality, a stream called 'Mata air Fotuno' on Muna Island, Southeast Sulawesi (Tengara Province), Indonesia, but may have a wider distribution.

Distribution areas of the genus Oryzias (Rice fish) and Oryzias woworae in particular.

Sulawesi represents a distinct center of diversity for this genus, with 17 endemic Oryzias species described to date.

Natural habitat of Orizias Vovora, 'Mata air Fotuno' stream on Muna Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Inhabits a karst freshwater stream flowing through 80% forest cover with a mixed substrate of mud and sand, plus occasional leaf litter. The pH ranges between 6.0 - 7.0.