Looking for blue colored Rasbora?

Question

A few weeks ago I was in Walmart and fell in love with these little tiny blue fish that looked just like sharks. I didn't get one becuase I have, err make that "had" as of lastnight, a Betta. What with my Betta being dead I remembered those lil' sharks and wanted to research their needs and all that. I remember part of the name being "Rasbora" but I don't know the rest. Anyone familiar with what shark like tropical rasbora fish is blue? Forgive me, but the walmart pet dept isn't answering and I don't have a car to go look for the name :)

I want to say that their eyes kinda bulged out the sides some. but they had at least five fins (not including the tail fin) and a rich solid blue color with maybe a white underbelly. There were six of them hovering in formation in one spot. it looked sweet.

Answer 1

When I read your description there was one fish I thought of - although I don't know if this is the right one.

By some chance, are the fishtanks at your WalMart the ones with the blue interior? I think you might have seen a group of young iridescent sharks that were reflecting the color of their tank! see photo: http://www.fishinthe.net/html/fishguide/fishguide_fish.php?FC=34&nl=8&nt=5 Normally these are a silvery-gray. They will at times sit in the bottom of the tank in "formation".

Nice fish, but these will get large! If you chose to get one, be aware they like to be in groups (if kept alone, they will roll over and play dead - no kidding!), but are more solitary as adults. At 18" or so, you might not want more than one.

For a photo of "normal" coloration and care info see this link: http://www.centralpets.com/animals/fish/freshwater_fish/fwf4491.html

Answer 2

There are many species of rasboras, but few very are really common in the hobby. By far the most common is the Harlequin Rasbora
http://www.andras.net/images/harlequin_rasbora.jpg

If it's not this one it could be any of several others. There are a number of rasboras with blue coloration and with a long thin appearance.

Of course, it's quite possible that the tank was mislabeled and what you saw wasn't a rasbora at all. People move the signs or different fish get put in tanks and the signs don't get changed, lots of things could lead to this problem.

If possible go back and get a photo of the fish and post that, then you can be much more sure of what you are getting. Also ask while you are there, they may have so eone that knows for sure exactly what fish it is.

MM

Answer 3

how small were they? 1" or smaller? there are many rasbora species out there! there are microrasboras, which are all around 1", and larger rasboras also.

for instance theres the dwarf red rasbora, which actually looks more blueish i think, a good alternative to the neon tetra.

the galaxy rasbora is a newly discovered one, which is dark blue with red fins and little orange spots. be aware that despite only being discovered last september, due to high demand are now endangered in the wild! so if you do see these, only get captive bred ones!

theres also a blue morph of the usually orange harlequin rasbora.

and then it could also not have been a rasbora at all, but the wrong label on a tank or something. a picture would be your best bet for an id, but don't buy it until you know what it is and what it needs!

Answer 4

Rasboras are the perfect community fish in so many ways. Many are pretty. All are elegant and peaceful. Some are easy to breed. Yet only a few species have managed to gain a place in the "top twenty," leaving some very beautiful fish both underrated and largely overlooked.

As cyprinids, rasboras share a vast family with such popular favourites as the goldfish (Carrasius auratus), koi (Cyprinus carpio), danios, barbs, labeo "sharks" and many other species familiar to the fishkeeper. There are undoubtedly vastly more of their family members worldwide kept in outdoor ponds than in aquariums!

Within the genus Rasbora we can find a range of diverse forms, from streamlined species to very different looking deep-bodied fish. Some species have prominent markings or attractive colors — often combining both features. Others are more subtly marked and colored. There are also a number of them lacking any exciting features, making them less desirable to hobbyists, and thus largely unavailable in the aquarium trade.

There are few aquarium fish as a group that are so uniformly peaceful and easily maintained as the rasboras. Within the genus there are some species that are notoriously difficult to acclimatize to aquarium life when collected from the wild, but once the conditioning process is complete, they will usually become resilient and even robust aquarium inhabitants. In direct contrast, other species accept unfamiliar water chemistry and general community aquarium life with ease.

In general, it is essential that any fish should be bought from apparently healthy-looking stocks, but this is perhaps especially true of many of the rasboras. Even if your supplier properly conditions newly arrived fish before offering them for sale, a home quarantine tank in which the fish may be further conditioned and observed before releasing them into an established aquarium is an invaluable asset.

Wild-caught rasboras frequently manifest "white spot" and "velvet" diseases during handling between collection and delivery to the point of retail sale. Both maladies are easily treated, of course, but need prompt attention when observed. Some species of rasbora react badly to recommended dosages of medications, so introducing such cures in half doses over a longer treatment period is advisable for them.

http://www.aquariumfish.com/aquariumfish/detail.aspx?aid=2494&cid=53&search=

Answer 5

Chances are it was mislabled at Walmart in the first place - I don't know of any blue rasbora that looks like a shark. Do yourself a favour and look up a fish store in your area - walmart is cheap because they sell garbage, and you certainly can't ever trust a word they say.

Answer 6

Rasboras are not related to sharks or catfish. They are related to tetras. They are not blue. If you saw blue fish,they were most probably a glassfish that was dyed blue. That is my opinion based on what I've seen in pet stores.

Answer 7

harlequin rasbora? they look like they have bluish pants