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Blackline rasbora (Rasbora borapetensis) — Cyprinidae

Blackline rasbora

Rasbora borapetensis
Family: Cyprinidae
NativeIntroduced

The Blackline rasbora (Rasbora borapetensis) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Brunei Darsm, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Viet Nam and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The Blackline rasbora is a rasbora, a small cyprinid (Danionidae) from fresh water of Southeast Asia, in the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a slender, silvery body. A black longitudinal line runs over the flank above a golden band, with a red tail base. As a lively schooling fish it swims in clear streams, rivers and blackwater and eats small insects, larvae and zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans and is popular in the aquarium trade.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blackline rasbora?

The Blackline rasbora has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Blackline rasbora live?

The Blackline rasbora lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom. Asia: Brunei Darsm, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Viet Nam and others

How big does the Blackline rasbora get?

The Blackline rasbora grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Blackline rasbora dangerous to humans?

No, the Blackline rasbora is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Blackline rasbora edible?

Yes, the Blackline rasbora is commonly eaten.

More photos

Blackline rasbora (Rasbora borapetensis) — Cyprinidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Jiayuan Lin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Blackline rasbora (Rasbora borapetensis) — Cyprinidae — 3
Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — UF
Blackline rasbora (Rasbora borapetensis) — Cyprinidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Lerdsuwa (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Blackline rasbora (Rasbora borapetensis) — Cyprinidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Aiman Azmi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Blackline rasbora sourced
Scientific name
Rasbora borapetensis
Family
Cyprinidae
Other names
Blackline rasbora; Borapet rasbora; Red tail rasbora; Redtail rasbora; Red-tailed rasbora verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Natural range
Asia: Brunei Darsm, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Viet Nam and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Invertebrates, algae and detritus inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

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