Double Orange Spot Torpedo Rasbora Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Double Orange Spot Torpedo Rasbora is a slender, streamlined cyprinid with the fast, elegant profile suggested by its common name. Its silvery body is accented by warm orange markings, including the paired orange spots that distinguish it from many other small rasboras. In the right light, the body can show a subtle metallic sheen.

This is an active but generally peaceful schooling fish. Groups move confidently through the middle and upper levels of the aquarium, often changing direction together while investigating their surroundings. They are at their best when kept in a proper shoal, where their natural social behaviour and display activity become much more apparent.

In the wild, the species comes from the soft, acidic waters of Borneo’s forested waterways and peat swamps. Leaf litter, submerged roots and tannin-stained water create a dim, complex habitat with plenty of cover and relatively little mineral content.

The species remains uncommon in the aquarium trade, and reliable captive-bred stock may be difficult to find. Its rarity and specialised natural habitat make careful identification, responsible sourcing and stable aquarium conditions especially important.

Pectenocypris korthausae is native to Indonesian Borneo, particularly the Kapuas River region of West Kalimantan. It is associated with slow-moving, stained freshwater habitats in the island’s blackwater and peat-swamp systems.

A group should be kept in an aquarium of at least 80 litres, with a footprint around 90 x 30 cm or larger so there is room for sustained swimming. Use gentle filtration and subdued lighting, with dark sand or fine, smooth gravel, driftwood, roots and dense planting around the edges. Leaf litter and botanicals can provide shelter and naturally tint the water, while an open central area allows the shoal to move freely. The water should be clean, stable, soft and slightly acidic, with a temperature of 22–26°C and a pH of approximately 5.5–7.0.

Up to about 6 cm (2.4 inches) in total length. Females may be slightly deeper-bodied, but the sexes are otherwise similar in overall size.

Offer a varied diet of small-quality flakes and micro-pellets supplemented with live or frozen daphnia, baby brine shrimp, cyclops and mosquito larvae. Their small mouths favour appropriately sized foods, and regular live or frozen meals help maintain condition and colour. Feed modest portions once or twice daily, ensuring that all food is eaten promptly.

These peaceful rasboras suit calm community aquariums containing similarly sized fish. Suitable companions include small peaceful rasboras, pencilfish, peaceful tetras, small Corydoras and other gentle blackwater fish. Avoid large or predatory species, boisterous barbs and fin-nipping tankmates, which may intimidate them or outcompete them for food. They should also not be housed with fish large enough to swallow them.

Double Orange Spot Torpedo Rasboras are egg-scattering fish and are not commonly bred in captivity. A dedicated breeding aquarium with very soft, slightly acidic water, subdued lighting and fine-leaved plants or spawning mops gives the best chance of success. Condition a group with small live or frozen foods, then remove the adults after spawning because they may eat the eggs. The eggs generally hatch within a few days, with the tiny fry requiring infusoria-sized foods before they can accept newly hatched brine shrimp.

Mature females are usually fuller through the abdomen, particularly when carrying eggs, while males tend to be slimmer and may show stronger colour and more sharply defined markings. Differences can be subtle outside breeding condition.