Sidestripe Rasbora (Rasbora paviei) Breeding Guide

Rasbora paviei (valid spelling R. paviana) is an egg-scattering continuous spawner with no parental care, bred in dimly lit tanks with a mesh base and soft, slightly acidic water.

Overview

Rasbora paviei, the sidestripe rasbora, is a slim cyprinid from the Mekong, Chao Phraya and Mae Klong river basins of mainland Southeast Asia, reaching about 9 cm. The valid spelling is Rasbora paviana, corrected by Kottelat in 2005. According to Seriously Fish it is an egg-scattering, continuous spawner that exhibits no parental care.

Sexing

Seriously Fish reports that mature females are noticeably rounder-bellied and often a little larger than males. No other reliable external difference is documented.

Conditioning

The species prefers small live and frozen foods such as Daphnia and Artemia and accepts dried foods, though these should not be the sole diet. A varied diet brings females into full spawning condition.

Breeding Setup

Seriously Fish suggests a dimly lit container of about 120 x 30 x 30 cm with a mesh base that allows eggs to fall through but prevents adult access. An internal power filter is positioned to direct flow lengthwise during spawning.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Spawning is triggered by adding cool water every few hours, gradually topping up the tank, combined with small portions of live and frozen food. The fish scatter eggs that fall through the mesh out of reach of the adults, which would otherwise eat them.

Egg & Fry Care

Adults are best removed after a couple of days. Incubation usually takes 18-48 hours, with the young free-swimming 24-48 hours later. Initial food is Artemia nauplii and/or microworm; a mature sponge filter is used so fry are not sucked into the mechanism.

Common Challenges

Because adults eat the eggs, a mesh base or dense vegetation is important, and the small free-swimming fry require correctly sized first foods. Seriously Fish notes captive breeding is plausible but not clearly confirmed in the literature.