Photo: Lerdsuwa (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Neon Green Rasbora (Microdevario kubotai)
A jewel-bright nano fish that glows neon green under aquarium light — stunning in shoals, shrimp-safe, and ideal for planted micro-tanks.
Will it live with a Neon Green Rasbora?
We compare each fish against your neon green rasbora on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Assassin Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Celestial Pearl Danio✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Celestial Pearl Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cherry Shrimp✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Cherry Shrimp in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Chili Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Chili Rasbora in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Crystal Red Shrimp✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2.5 cm · Hard care · 20–24 °C (68–75 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Crystal Red Shrimp in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dawn Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2.5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Dawn Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Spotted Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2.5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Dwarf Spotted Rasbora in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Ember Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Ember Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Emerald Dwarf Danio✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Medium care · 20–24 °C (68–75 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Emerald Dwarf Danio in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Exclamation Point Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Exclamation Point Rasbora in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Glowlight Danio✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Glowlight Danio in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Gold Ring Danio✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Gold Ring Danio in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Green Neon Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2.5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Green Neon Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Hummingbird Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 1.8 cm · Hard care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Hummingbird Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Lambchop Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Lambchop Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Malaysian Trumpet Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 21–27 °C (70–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Neon Blue Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2.5 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Neon Blue Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Neon Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Neon Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Nerite Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2.5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Ramshorn Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Easy care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Red Lip Nerite Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Ruby Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Ruby Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Strawberry Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 2 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Strawberry Rasbora in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Tucano Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 1.7 cm · Hard care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Tucano Tetra in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Darter Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Hard care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- Black Darter Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Neon Green Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Neon Green Rasbora is small enough to tempt Black Darter Tetra; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Ruby Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Black Ruby Barb clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Black Ruby Barb may hunt Neon Green Rasbora, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~100 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Ruby Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Skirt Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Black Skirt Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Neon Green Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Black Skirt Tetra may hunt Neon Green Rasbora, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Skirt Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blue Turbo Snail⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Different pH ranges (6–7 vs 7.5–8.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Desert Goby⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Expect Desert Goby to harass Neon Green Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Desert Goby may hunt Neon Green Rasbora, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Chain Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Endler's Livebearer⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Water hardness preferences differ (Neon Green Rasbora 1–8 vs Endler's Livebearer 10–25 dGH).
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Endler's Livebearer in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- GloFish Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- GloFish Tetra clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Neon Green Rasbora is small enough to tempt GloFish Tetra; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep GloFish Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Morse Code Corydoras⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Morse Code Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Odessa Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Expect Odessa Barb to harass Neon Green Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Odessa Barb may hunt Neon Green Rasbora, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Odessa Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Pea Puffer⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 2.5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Pea Puffer to harass Neon Green Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rainbow Emperor Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 3.6 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Rainbow Emperor Tetra clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Neon Green Rasbora is small enough to tempt Rainbow Emperor Tetra; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Rainbow Emperor Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Scarlet Badis⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 2 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Expect Scarlet Badis to harass Neon Green Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Serpae Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Serpae Tetra clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Serpae Tetra may hunt Neon Green Rasbora, fry or shrimplets — safest in a heavily planted tank.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Serpae Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Silvertip Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Silvertip Tetra clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Neon Green Rasbora is small enough to tempt Silvertip Tetra; only risk it in a densely planted setup with hiding spots.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Silvertip Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Tiger Badis⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–24 °C (72–75 °F)
- Expect Tiger Badis to harass Neon Green Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Watch for Tiger Badis picking off any neon green rasbora small enough to fit in its mouth.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Alligator Gar (250 cm) is big enough to swallow the 2 cm Neon Green Rasbora whole.
- Alligator Gar clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 2 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Neon Green Rasbora as food.
- Clown Knifefish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Neon Green Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Neon Green Rasbora is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
- Fire Eel clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is semi-aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Neon Green Rasbora is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
- Water hardness preferences differ (Neon Green Rasbora 1–8 vs Koi 9–18 dGH).
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 2 cm Neon Green Rasbora whole.
- Redtail Catfish clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Neon Green Rasbora is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
- Expect Spotted Gar to harass Neon Green Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Neon Green Rasbora is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
- Wels Catfish clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Size gap is too large (72 vs 2 cm): Wolf Cichlid will treat Neon Green Rasbora as food.
- Wolf Cichlid clearly outsizes Neon Green Rasbora and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Neon Green Rasbora in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Neon Green Rasbora care specs
- Care level
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Max size
- 2 cm (0.8 in)
- Min tank size
- 35 L (9.2 gal)
- Temperature
- 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- pH
- 6–7
- Hardness
- 1–8 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Middle
- Group size
- 10+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Origin
- Southeast Asia — Myanmar (Salween river drainage) and Thailand
What is a Neon Green Rasbora?
The neon green rasbora (Microdevario kubotai) is a tiny freshwater cyprinid from Southeast Asia that has earned a devoted following in the planted tank hobby for its extraordinary colouration. Adults top out at just 2 cm (0.75 in), placing them among the smallest aquarium fish available, yet under aquarium lighting the body glows with an intense neon green to yellow-green iridescence that outshines fish three times their size. First formally described in 2007, the species moved quickly from specialist collectors to the mainstream trade under the names neon green rasbora, kubotai rasbora, and neon yellow rasbora.
Small body, big impact: a healthy shoal of 15 or more neon green rasboras pulsing through a densely planted aquarium is one of the more striking sights in the freshwater hobby. They are entirely peaceful, shrimp-safe, and straightforward to keep once water chemistry is dialled in — making them a near-perfect choice for planted nano tanks and soft-water community setups.
Where do Neon Green Rasboras come from?
Microdevario kubotai is native to Myanmar (Salween river drainage) and Thailand, where it inhabits small, clear-water forest streams and tributaries with abundant aquatic and overhanging vegetation. These habitats tend to be dimly lit by a canopy, slow-moving, and characterised by soft, slightly acidic water. The substrate is typically leaf litter and fine sediment, and tannin staining from decomposing plant matter is common.
Wild populations live alongside other small cyprinids, livebearers and micro-crustaceans in a gentle, low-current environment. Understanding this origin is the foundation of good care: soft, slightly acidic water, gentle flow and plenty of cover are not optional extras but direct reflections of the conditions this species evolved in.
What tank size and setup does a Neon Green Rasbora need?
The minimum tank size is 35 litres (about 9 gallons), but that figure assumes a starter shoal of 10 fish in a well-planted layout. A 60 L (16 gal) or larger setup is significantly more comfortable and allows you to keep the recommended group of 15 or more — at which point the schooling behaviour becomes genuinely spectacular.
Tank footprint matters more than volume. A longer, shallower tank (60 × 30 cm as a baseline) gives the shoal room to swim mid-water and makes the most of their horizontal movement. Key setup elements:
- Planting: Dense fine-leaved plants — java moss, hornwort, Rotala, Ludwigia — and floating plants to diffuse light. This replicates the shaded, vegetation-heavy streams of their native range and gives the fish security.
- Flow: Gentle. Use a sponge filter or baffle the outlet of a hang-on filter. Strong current pins these tiny fish against the glass and stresses them.
- Substrate: Dark fine sand or gravel encourages more confident behaviour and richer colour. Leaf litter and driftwood are optional but beneficial.
- Lighting: Moderate to low; strong direct light washes out the neon iridescence rather than enhancing it.
What water parameters do Neon Green Rasboras need?
- Temperature: 22–26 °C (72–79 °F). They tolerate the lower end better than many tropicals, but avoid prolonged exposure below 20 °C.
- pH: 6.0–7.0. The species is naturally found in soft, gently acidic water; keeping pH above 7.5 over time dulls colour and suppresses immune function.
- Hardness: 1–8 dGH. Hard or alkaline tap water should be softened with RO water or a rain-water blend before use.
Stability is as important as hitting target numbers. Cycle the tank fully before adding fish, perform weekly 20–30 % water changes, and test parameters regularly — small fish like M. kubotai feel water quality swings acutely. Avoid sudden temperature drops, which are a common trigger for disease outbreaks in nano species.
What do Neon Green Rasboras eat?
Neon green rasboras are omnivores in the broadest sense: they naturally pick off tiny invertebrates, insect larvae and algae from submerged vegetation. In the aquarium they accept a variety of foods, but their mouths are genuinely tiny — standard flake pellets are often too large to swallow whole.
Feed:
- Micro-pellets or crushed flake as a daily staple (purpose-made nano fish foods work well)
- Live or frozen baby brine shrimp, micro worms, daphnia and cyclops for condition and colour
- Powdered spirulina or micro-algae as an occasional supplement
Feed small amounts twice daily. Because they occupy the middle column, they compete poorly with faster surface-feeders or bottom-dwellers; in a community setup, ensure food reaches mid-water before being intercepted. Varied live and frozen food noticeably intensifies the green iridescence and improves breeding readiness.
What is the behaviour of a Neon Green Rasbora and what fish can it live with?
Neon green rasboras are peaceful and pose no threat to any tankmate they cannot fit in their 2 cm mouth — which in practice means everything. They school actively in the middle water column, becoming significantly bolder, more colourful and more cohesive in groups of 10 or more. Below six, individuals tend to hide and display stress colouration.
Good tankmates share their preference for soft, slightly acidic water and a quiet environment:
- Other small, peaceful cyprinids (celestial pearl danios, ember tetras, chili rasboras)
- Otocinclus and dwarf corydoras for lower zones
- Dwarf shrimp (cherry, amano, bee shrimp) — neon green rasboras are one of the most reliably shrimp-safe nano fish available
- Peaceful dwarf gouramis or sparkling gouramis if the tank is large enough
Avoid large or boisterous fish, fast-moving schooling species that out-compete them for food, and anything with a mouth wide enough to swallow a 2 cm fish. Angelfish, larger barbs and cichlids are all incompatible.
For a full list of tested pairings, see Neon Green Rasbora tank mates.
How do you tell male and female Neon Green Rasboras apart?
Sexual dimorphism in Microdevario kubotai is subtle — the frontmatter description puts it plainly: females are slightly fuller-bodied when gravid; males are marginally slimmer. In a fast-moving shoal under aquarium lighting these differences are genuinely difficult to pick out without side-by-side comparison of fish that are clearly ripe.
Practical tips for sexing:
- Observe fish at feeding time when they slow down briefly — a rounded belly on one individual is usually a female carrying eggs.
- Compare fish of similar age; very young fish show almost no visible difference.
- Colouration is not a reliable indicator in this species; both sexes display the same neon green iridescence.
If you intend to breed the species, purchasing a group of 12–15 from a reputable source virtually guarantees a mix of both sexes without needing to sex them individually.
How do Neon Green Rasboras breed?
Microdevario kubotai is classed as hard to breed in captivity, not because the fish are fragile but because the eggs, fry and feeding requirements demand close attention and specialist equipment.
Conditioning: Feed a varied diet of live and frozen micro-foods for several weeks before attempting a spawn. Well-conditioned females visibly fill with eggs.
Spawning: The species scatters adhesive eggs among fine-leaved plants and moss. Spawning is most likely to be triggered by a gradual drop in temperature toward the lower end of the range (22 °C / 72 °F), followed by a slow warm-up, mimicking a seasonal rain event. A dedicated breeding tank of 20–30 L with java moss or a spawning mop, very gentle filtration (air-driven sponge) and dim lighting gives the best results.
Eggs and fry: Eggs hatch in 24–48 hours. Adults are egg-scatterers with no parental instinct and will eat both eggs and fry — remove adults after spawning, or use a breeding mesh. Free-swimming fry are extremely small and require infusoria or commercial fry foods for the first week before graduating to baby brine shrimp nauplii. Water quality must be near-perfect; fry are sensitive to ammonia and nitrite spikes.
What diseases affect Neon Green Rasboras?
Neon green rasboras are no more disease-prone than other small cyprinids, but their size means illness progresses quickly and early detection is essential.
Common issues to watch for:
- Ich (white spot): Tiny white dots on fins and body, caused by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Almost always introduced on new fish or plants. Prevent by quarantining all new arrivals for 2–4 weeks.
- Velvet: A fine golden or rust-coloured dusting on the body. This protozoan is particularly dangerous for small nano fish and spreads rapidly in close-kept shoals.
- Fin and body fungus: White cotton-like growth, typically secondary to injury or poor water quality. Maintain water chemistry and remove sharp decor.
- Bacterial infections: Ulcers or rapid wasting in individual fish usually trace back to water quality issues or stress from an incompatible group size.
Prevention is straightforward: soft, clean, warm water; a cycled tank; regular water changes; and a quarantine protocol for all new livestock.
Health note: disease diagnosis and medication dosing are beyond the scope of a care profile. If you observe unusual symptoms, confirm against a reputable veterinary or aquatic-health source before treating. Many nano-fish disease treatments must be used at reduced doses to avoid toxicity in small, soft-water tanks.
How long do Neon Green Rasboras live?
With good care, neon green rasboras live 3–5 years. That is a respectable lifespan for a 2 cm fish, and it underlines the importance of treating them as a long-term commitment rather than a disposable nano species.
The keys to a long life are consistent: stable, soft, slightly acidic water; a shoal large enough that individuals are not chronically stressed; varied nutrition; and a tank free of bullies or incompatible species. Fish that arrive in poor condition from crowded wholesaler tanks can take several weeks to colour up fully and settle into confident schooling behaviour — patience and good water quality are the cure.
Frequently asked questions
Can Neon Green Rasboras live with shrimp?
Yes — they are one of the most reliably shrimp-safe nano fish. At 2 cm they cannot swallow adult dwarf shrimp, and their peaceful temperament means they ignore cherry shrimp, amano shrimp and similar-sized invertebrates. Small shrimplets may be at some risk, but dense planting provides cover.
How many Neon Green Rasboras should I keep together?
Keep at least 10, ideally 15 or more. This is a micro-schooling species that becomes noticeably bolder, more active and more visually striking in larger numbers. In groups below 6 they tend to hide and lose colour. A larger shoal also reduces the impact of individual territorial squabbles within the group.
What you need to keep a neon green rasbora
The baseline is a heated, filtered 35 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 22–26 °C (72–79 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a neon green rasbora in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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