Megarasbora

Megarasbora elanga, commonly called the Bengal Danio, is a slender, fast-swimming cyprinid native to rivers and streams at the base of the Himalayas in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Adults display a silver-olive body with a faint gold lateral sheen and a small dark spot at the caudal peduncle.

This species tolerates lower temperatures than many tropical danios and thrives without a heater in a well-maintained temperate aquarium. It is an active, peaceful schooler that benefits from a long aquarium with open swimming space.

Keep in schools of six or more for best behaviour. Megarasbora elanga is relatively undemanding and accepts a wide variety of foods, making it an accessible species for intermediate and advanced hobbyists seeking something less common.

Water: 14–24°C, pH 6.0–7.5, GH 4–15; cooler temperatures preferred; good oxygenation. Tank: minimum 120 L, long tank with open swimming space, plants at the perimeter. Feeding: omnivore — flake, micro-pellets, frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, small bloodworm. Breeding: egg-scatterer over fine-leaved plants; spawns readily in cool, well-conditioned water. Compatibility: peaceful; ideal with other temperate cyprinids and hillstream loaches.