Photo: Lerdsuwa (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Scissortail Rasbora (Rasbora trilineata)
A sleek, schooling fish named for its forked tail that snaps open and shut like scissors — fast, active, and effortlessly elegant.
Will it live with a Scissortail Rasbora?
We compare each fish against your scissortail rasbora on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Ash Lipped Apisto✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Banded Dwarf Cichlid✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Kuhli Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bleeding Heart Tetra✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bleeding Heart Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bolivian Ram✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium 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.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bright Diamond Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bright Diamond Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Brilliant Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Brilliant Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Buenos Aires Tetra✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; 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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Buenos Aires Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Burmese Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Celebes Rainbowfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Celebes Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Clown Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Medium 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.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Costa's Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Costa's Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Croaking Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Glass Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium 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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Glass Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Gold Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7.5 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Gold Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Hongsloi Dwarf Cichlid✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Leopard Frog Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Mahachai Betta✅ CompatibleAggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Melon Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Melon Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peacock Gudgeon✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peppered Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rio Negro Checkerboard Cichlid✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Splashing Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Splashing Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Thick-lipped Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °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 Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- African Butterfly Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- African Butterfly Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Scissortail Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Scissortail Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Amazon Puffer⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Amazon Puffer in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Badis⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Badis and Scissortail Rasbora are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add scissortail rasbora in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bamboo Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Scissortail Rasbora may eat Bamboo Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bandit Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Bandit Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Scissortail Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bandit Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Brichardi Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–9); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Brichardi Cichlid is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Scissortail Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid to harass Scissortail Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Congo Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Congo Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Demasoni Cichlid⚠️ With cautionAggressive · 9 cm · Hard care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Demasoni Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Scissortail Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Demasoni Cichlid in a shoal of 12+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Gourami⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Dwarf Gourami is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Scissortail Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid and Scissortail Rasbora are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add scissortail rasbora in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Lifalili Jewel Cichlid⚠️ With cautionAggressive · 9 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Expect Lifalili Jewel Cichlid to harass Scissortail Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Mexican Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 9 cm · Easy care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
- Expect Mexican Tetra to harass Scissortail Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Mexican Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Pantanal Corydoras⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Pantanal Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Silver Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (250 vs 8 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Scissortail Rasbora as food.
- Alligator Gar clearly outsizes Scissortail Rasbora and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ 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 8 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Scissortail Rasbora as food.
- Clown Knifefish clearly outsizes Scissortail Rasbora and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Scissortail Rasbora is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
- Expect Fire Eel to harass Scissortail Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Scissortail Rasbora is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Size gap is too large (120 vs 8 cm): Redtail Catfish will treat Scissortail Rasbora as food.
- Redtail Catfish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Scissortail Rasbora — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Scissortail Rasbora is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
- Expect Spotted Gar to harass Scissortail Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Wels Catfish (300 cm) is big enough to swallow the 8 cm Scissortail Rasbora whole.
- Expect Wels Catfish to harass Scissortail Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Wolf Cichlid (72 cm) is big enough to swallow the 8 cm Scissortail Rasbora whole.
- Expect Wolf Cichlid to harass Scissortail Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 90 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ 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.
Scissortail Rasbora care specs
- Care level
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Max size
- 8 cm (3.1 in)
- Min tank size
- 90 L (23.8 gal)
- Temperature
- 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Middle
- Group size
- 6+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Danionidae
- Origin
- Southeast Asia — Mekong and Chao Phraya river basins, Thailand, Borneo, Sumatra
What is a Scissortail Rasbora?
The scissortail rasbora (Rasbora trilineata) is a large, streamlined schooling fish from Southeast Asia. At up to 8 cm (3 in) it sits at the bigger end of the rasbora family, earning its name from a deeply forked caudal fin marked with bold black-and-white bands that flash open and shut as the fish swims.
Scissortails are beginner-friendly despite their size — hardy, adaptable, and genuinely peaceful with virtually every fish that cannot swallow them. Keep six or more and they form tight, flowing schools in the middle water column, one of the most dynamic and low-maintenance displays a community tank can offer.
Where do Scissortail Rasboras come from in the wild?
Wild scissortail rasboras are found across Southeast Asia — the Mekong and Chao Phraya river basins of Thailand, as well as Borneo and Sumatra. They inhabit clean, moderately flowing rivers, clear forest streams, and seasonally flooded lowland habitats where the water is warm, soft and slightly acidic to neutral.
In the wild, scissortails form large shoals in open, mid-water zones and rely heavily on the high-contrast tail pattern to maintain visual contact with schoolmates. The species’ natural environment sets clear expectations for captive care: they want open horizontal swimming space, good water movement and quality, soft-to-neutral chemistry, and enough companions to express natural schooling behaviour.
What tank size and setup do Scissortail Rasboras need?
The minimum tank for a group of six is 90 litres (24 gallons), but the more relevant dimension is floor length — scissortails are active, horizontal swimmers and will pace a short tank incessantly. A 100 cm (40 in) footprint is a practical starting point; 120 cm (48 in) or longer lets a group genuinely settle and school rather than just loop back and forth.
For décor, lean toward a planted setup with open mid-water swimming lanes, a dark substrate, and some driftwood or floating plants to diffuse light — bright, sparse tanks can make the fish skittish. A canister filter with moderate current suits them well; scissortails come from flowing water and appreciate good oxygenation. Secure the lid: like most fast-swimming cyprinids, they are capable jumpers.
What water parameters do Scissortail Rasboras need?
- Temperature: 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- pH: 6.0–7.5
- Hardness: 2–12 dGH (soft to moderately hard)
Scissortails are less demanding about water chemistry than many rasbora species. They will thrive across a wide pH and hardness band, which makes them compatible with most community tank water profiles. The key is stability — gradual, maintained parameters prevent the low-level stress that depletes immune response over time. Cycle the tank fully before adding fish, keep up with weekly partial water changes of 25–30 %, and avoid sudden temperature swings. Pristine water quality is especially important if you are planning a breeding attempt.
What do Scissortail Rasboras eat?
Scissortail rasboras are omnivores. In captivity a varied diet keeps them in good condition:
- Staple: high-quality micro-pellets or small flake for tropical community fish
- Protein rotation: frozen or live bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae
- Vegetable supplement: occasional spirulina flake or blanched spinach
Feed one or two small meals per day — only what the group consumes in two to three minutes. Skip a feeding day each week; overfeeding is a common source of nitrate build-up in active community tanks.
How do Scissortail Rasboras behave, and what fish can live with them?
Scissortail rasboras are peaceful, active schooling fish that spend most of their time in the middle water column. Within the group, schooling is purposeful and often tight — the tail-flashing acts as a genuine communication signal, not just decoration. They are not fin-nippers and do not trouble invertebrates, plants or slow-moving neighbours beyond the minor disturbance any fast-moving fish creates.
Their main compatibility requirement is group size: a lone scissortail or a pair becomes skittish and stressed. Six is a workable minimum; eight to ten is where natural schooling behaviour really shows. Suitable tankmates include bottom-dwellers such as corydoras catfish, kuhli loaches, and bristlenose plecos; other mid-water schoolers of similar size; and larger peaceful surface fish. Avoid very small nano species that could be bullied by the activity level, and avoid fin-nipping species that will harass the scissortails’ flowing tails.
For a full list of tested pairings, see Scissortail Rasbora tank mates.
How do you tell male and female Scissortail Rasboras apart?
Sexing scissortail rasboras outside of spawning condition requires a close eye. The most reliable indicator is body depth: females are noticeably deeper-bodied and carry more visible girth in the belly region, particularly when in spawning condition or well-fed. Males are slimmer and more streamlined, which can make them appear slightly more elongated at the same length.
Colour and fin shape are not reliable differentiators in this species — both sexes carry the same silver body and patterned forked tail. The easiest time to distinguish the sexes reliably is when females are gravid (carrying eggs), at which point the belly distension becomes obvious. Outside of that window, look at the body profile from above or from the side in good lighting.
Can you breed Scissortail Rasboras in captivity?
Breeding scissortail rasboras is rated hard — captive spawning is difficult to trigger reliably and fry are very small and demanding to raise.
When conditioned pairs do spawn, they scatter adhesive eggs among fine-leaved plants or over a substrate. There is no parental care; adults will eat eggs and fry, so remove the spawning pair promptly. A dedicated breeding tank (60–75 L, 16–20 gal) with very soft acidic water (pH 6.0–6.5, hardness below 5 dGH) and a slightly elevated temperature (~27 °C / 81 °F) gives the best results.
Newly hatched fry require infusoria or liquid fry food for the first week before graduating to baby brine shrimp. First attempts often fail — treat a successful spawn as a genuine achievement.
What diseases are common in Scissortail Rasboras?
Scissortails are hardy and relatively disease-resistant when kept in stable, clean water. The most common problems are:
- White spot (ich): Classic fine white-spot coating; usually introduced on new fish or triggered by a temperature drop. Preventable with thorough quarantine and avoiding sudden chills.
- Fin rot: Ragged or receding fin edges, almost always secondary to poor water quality. Fix the water first.
- Velvet (Oodinium): A fine gold or rust-coloured dusting on the body, most common after a new fish introduction. Preventable with quarantine.
- Dropsy / kidney failure: Pinecone-scale protrusion and swelling, typically a sign of systemic infection in an already stressed fish.
The consistent theme is prevention through water quality and quarantine. Scissortails that are kept in cycled, well-maintained tanks with stable temperature and regular water changes rarely succumb to common diseases.
Health note: this profile covers prevention and husbandry, not disease diagnosis or medication dosing. If fish are showing disease symptoms, confirm identification against a reputable veterinary or aquatic health resource before treating.
How long do Scissortail Rasboras live?
A well-kept scissortail rasbora can live 3–5 years in captivity. The keys to reaching the upper end of that range are straightforward: a tank large enough to allow natural schooling, stable and clean water, a varied diet, and a group size of at least six to prevent chronic stress from isolation.
Because scissortails are active fish that burn energy continuously, they benefit from consistent care more than many slower, more sedentary species. Neglected water quality — particularly rising nitrates from inadequate water changes — is the most common factor that cuts lifespans short. Address that, keep the school together, and these fish will reward you with years of dynamic, eye-catching behaviour.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my scissortail rasbora flicker its tail so much?
The distinctive tail-flicking is natural schooling behaviour — the high-contrast black-and-white tail pattern acts as a visual signal to keep the group coordinated. A fish that is constantly flickering its tail in a calm, established tank is healthy; the same behaviour accompanied by erratic swimming or clamped fins may indicate stress or water-quality problems.
Can scissortail rasboras live with shrimp?
With caution. Adults tend to ignore large shrimp like amano shrimp, but small dwarf shrimp such as cherry shrimp may be picked off, especially juveniles. A heavily planted tank with plenty of cover improves shrimp survival odds.
What you need to keep a scissortail rasbora
The baseline is a heated, filtered 90 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 22–27 °C (72–81 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a scissortail rasbora in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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