The black medaka is a colour line of the Japanese ricefish (Oryzias latipes), a small fish that has been kept in Japan for centuries and bred there into dozens of forms. This one is a dark charcoal to near-black over the back, fading paler on the belly, with the high-set eyes and upturned mouth typical of a surface-feeding fish. Ricefish come from paddies and slow ditches across Japan and Korea, so they handle a wide temperature range comfortably.
Aquarium care
A small fish, similar in size to a guppy.
Peaceful and easy-going.
Keep a group of six or more.
Tolerates cool water and does not need a heater in a warm room. It is also kept outdoors in summer in mild climates.
Feeds at the surface. Use floating flake, micro pellets and frozen daphnia.
Lays eggs which the female carries attached to her body for a time.
Well suited to an unheated tank or a small planted setup with white cloud minnows, shrimp or other calm, small fish. Its surface habit means it pairs neatly with bottom-dwellers.
Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is sold for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. See the current ricefish.
