Perak river sprat

Where they come from

Perak river sprats are tiny, silvery, open-water fish from the Perak River basin in Peninsular Malaysia. Think slow to moderate-flow rivers, backwaters, and floodplain lakes where the water is warm, soft, and loaded with plankton. They spend their time midwater in big schools, picking at drifting micro-life.

Setting up their tank

Treat them like delicate, fast-moving pelagic fish. You want open swimming space, very clean water, and lots of oxygen. They spook easily and they jump, so a tight lid is non-negotiable. Use a long tank and keep the lighting on the gentler side with floating plants to cut glare.

• Tank size: 36 in long at minimum. I like 30-40 gallons for a group of 15-20, bigger is better.
• Water: soft and slightly acidic to neutral. Aim pH 6.0-7.2, GH 1-8 dGH, KH low-moderate.
• Temperature: 24-27 C (75-81 F). Keep it stable.
• Flow and oxygen: steady, moderate current with strong aeration. A spray bar or powerhead aimed along the length works well.
• Filtration: oversize your filter, but diffuse the intake and outflow so they are not pinned. Sponge pre-filter on intakes to protect them.
• Aquascape: dark background, fine sand or bare bottom, big open midwater. Floating plants or high-up stems to break light. Keep hardscape away from the middle lane.
• Lighting: not too bright. They settle better in dimmer tanks.
• Water quality: zero ammonia and nitrite, nitrate under 10-20 ppm. Weekly 30-50% water changes with well-matched temp and TDS.
• Maturity: add them to a tank that has been running smoothly for a while. They do poorly in new setups.

What to feed them

They are plankton pickers. Live foods help them settle, and you can work in frozen once they are confident. Dry food acceptance varies by group; some never bother. Feed small amounts several times a day rather than one big dump.

• Live: baby brine shrimp, moina/daphnia, copepods, vinegar eels. They take items that hang in the water column best.
• Frozen: cyclops, baby brine, finely chopped mysis. Thaw and rinse.
• Dry: if they will take it, use tiny granules or powdered foods 0.3-0.5 mm. Offer in the current so it stays suspended.
• Enrichment: soak frozen or bbs in a vitamin supplement a few times a week to keep condition up.

How they behave and who they get along with

They are pure schoolers. Keep a big group, 12+ minimum, 20+ if you can. A big group calms them down and spreads out any twitchy behavior. They are fast and shy, not aggressive, and ignore anything they cannot swallow.

Good company are other small, calm fish that do not pester them or outcompete them at feeding.

• Good picks: small rasboras, ricefish, peaceful danios, pencilfish, tiny loaches like kuhlis, Corydoras in softer water, small catfish that keep to the bottom.
• Use caution: surface hunters and boisterous fish stress them out. Avoid large barbs, cichlids, gouramis that peck, and anything nippy.
• Shrimp: adults ignore larger shrimp, but tiny neo babies can be snacks. Snails are fine.

Breeding tips

This is advanced. They are almost never bred in home aquaria. They appear to be open-water egg scatterers with no parental care, and the eggs and fry are tiny. If you want to try, set up a dedicated tank.

• Condition a large group with heavy live foods for a couple of weeks.
• Use a long, dim tank with gentle but constant flow, fine-leaved spawning mops high in the water column, or a suspended mesh screen so eggs fall through.
• Try seasonal cues: a few cooler, softer water changes back-to-back, then a slight temperature rise.
• If you see spawn-like chasing, pull adults after a day. Eggs, if any, will be tiny and pelagic.
• Fry need green water, rotifers, and then newly hatched brine shrimp once they are big enough. Daily small water changes are needed. Expect losses.

Common problems to watch for

Most hiccups come from stress, low oxygen, and new-tank instability. They are also notorious for jumping during spooks. Handle them gently and avoid rough netting; their scales shed easily.

• Jumping: tight lids, covered gaps, and keep hands out during lights-on transitions.
• Oxygen dips: heavy feeding or a filter stall can wipe them out fast. Run extra air at night if your plants pearled all day.
• Refusing food: start with live, then blend in frozen. If bellies stay pinched, check for internal parasites during quarantine.
• Ich and stress spots: common after shipping. Stable temps, clean water, and calm surroundings help recovery. Dose meds cautiously with scalier herring-like fish.
• Glass-banging: reduce reflections, dim lights, and keep the school large. Use a dark background.
• Water quality crashes: they hate ammonia and nitrite even at a whisper. Test often and stay on top of maintenance.