Description
Sawbwa Rasbora (Sawbwa resplendens) – male only
Overview
The Sawbwa Rasbora (Sawbwa resplendens), also commonly known as the Asian Rummy-Nose Rasbora or Sawbwa Barb, is a stunning and unusual freshwater micro-fish endemic to Inle Lake in Myanmar (Burma).
- Appearance: Sexually dimorphic. Fully mature males display a striking silvery-blue or metallic powder-blue body accented by a brilliant contrasting red nose and red caudal (tail) tips. Females are a plain, silvery-olive-brown color without the red markings, making them look almost like a completely different species. They also lack true scales, giving them a smooth appearance.
- Size: Tiny, growing to only about 2.5 to 3.5 cm (1 to 1.4 inches) in length.
- Lifespan: Typically 3 to 5 years under proper aquarium conditions.
Care Requirements
- Aquarium Size: Because of their tiny size, a small school can be successfully kept in nano aquariums starting at 40 to 50 liters (approx. 10 to 15 gallons) with good swimming length.
- Water Parameters:
- Temperature: 22°C to 26°C (72°F to 79°F)
- pH: 7.0 to 8.5 (they thrive best in hard, alkaline water, mirroring the high mineral content of their native Inle Lake)
- General Hardness (GH): 10 to 25°H (soft, acidic water should be strictly avoided)
- Filtration & Flow: Gentle to moderate filtration with mild water movement. They appreciate clean, well-oxygenated water.
Maintenance
- Aquascaping: Replicate a natural limestone biotope by using a light-colored sand substrate and hardscape elements like dragon stone or rock work that can help naturally buffer the water to maintain higher pH and hardness. Incorporate dense marginal plantings (such as Vallisneria or stem plants) and floating plants to diffuse bright lighting and provide security.
- Water Quality & Changes: Perform routine partial water changes (20% weekly) to maintain pristine conditions. They are sensitive to accumulating organic waste and sudden parameter drops.
Diet
- Nature: Omnivorous micro-feeders that browse constantly on fine particles, bio-films, and small organisms.
- Staple Diet: High-quality micro-pellets, crushed flake foods, and fine powder foods.
- Enhancing Color & Health: Supplement their diet regularly with live or frozen micro-foods such as baby brine shrimp, cyclops, and daphnia.
Behaviour and Compatibility
- Temperament: Exceptionally peaceful, active, and curious. They occupy the middle and upper levels of the water column.
- Shoaling Needs: This is a social schooling species that must be kept in a group of at least 8 to 10 individuals (with a higher ratio of females to males, as males will actively display and spar playfully for attention). Keeping them in isolation leads to severe stress and hiding.
- Tank Mates: Ideal for peaceful nano community tanks. Good companions include other tiny peaceful fish, pygmy corydoras, freshwater shrimp, and small snails. Avoid housing them with large, aggressive, or predatory fish, or species that require soft, acidic water.
Breeding Behaviour
- Spawning Setup: Set up a small, dedicated breeding tank with hard, alkaline water, gentle sponge filtration, and dense clumps of fine-leaved plants (like Java moss) or artificial spawning mops.
- Conditioning: Condition a group with frequent feedings of high-protein live and frozen micro-foods. Mature males will display their most intense blue and red colors.
- The Process: Unlike many egg-scattering cyprinids, Sawbwa Rasboras are continuous spawners that deposit small numbers of adhesive eggs daily among fine vegetation rather than releasing a massive single spawn.
- Raising Fry: Adults do not show parental care and will occasionally consume eggs if they find them. Spawning mops or plants should be periodically transferred to a separate rearing tank. The microscopic fry hatch within a few days and require infusoria, green water, or liquid fry food initially before graduating to newly hatched baby brine shrimp.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Either come in store to view available stock or request pictures to be sent to you.
Please Note: Due to variations within species resulting from age, region, sex, etc., the actual livestock may not look identical to the image. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimens.
