Laubuca Laubuca

Laubuca laubuca, the Indian Glassfish Hatchet or Laubuca, is a graceful surface-dwelling danionid with a wide distribution across South and Southeast Asia. Its most distinctive feature is a large, vivid iridescent patch on the mid-flank that shifts between blue, green, and gold depending on the angle of light — a structural colour effect that makes the fish appear to flash brilliantly as it moves.

In the aquarium it occupies the upper water column, forming loose schools near the surface. It is a calm, peaceful species that works well in planted community tanks where it adds an elegant upper-level presence. Like other surface danionids it is a strong jumper and requires a fully covered aquarium.

Laubuca laubuca is encountered periodically in the trade, though not with the regularity of the most popular danio species. Its easy care, attractive iridescence, and peaceful character make it an underrated and rewarding community fish.

Water: Temperature 22–28°C, pH 6.0–7.5, GH 5–15; adaptable and hardy; regular partial water changes maintain water quality. Tank: Minimum 80 L; tight lid essential; floating plants provide cover; gentle to moderate current. Feeding: Surface-feeding omnivore; floating flake, micro-pellets, live daphnia and brine shrimp; varied diet maintains iridescence. Breeding: Egg-scatterer at the surface; rarely bred deliberately by hobbyists; standard danionid approach may succeed. Compatibility: Peaceful with all small community fish; excellent upper-level companion for mid- and lower-level rasboras, tetras, and loaches.