Rasbora Scissortail (Rasbora Trilineata)
Scissortail Rasbora (Rasbora trilineata)
The Scissortail Rasbora is a sleek, silver-bodied fish native to the river systems of Sumatra and Kalimantan in your home country, as well as the Malay Peninsula. Its most iconic feature is its tail: each lobe of the caudal fin has a distinct black band sandwiched between white tips. As the fish swims, it constantly opens and closes its tail in a "scissoring" motion, which is thought to be a signal to keep the school together in the moving waters of its natural habitat.
Key Information
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Common Name: Scissortail Rasbora, Three-lined Rasbora
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Scientific Name: Rasbora trilineata
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Origin: Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand)
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Max Size: 10–12 cm (One of the larger Rasboras)
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Lifespan: 5–7 years
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Temperament: Very peaceful and extremely active
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Diet: Omnivore – Loves high-quality flakes, floating pellets, and frozen foods like brine shrimp and bloodworms.
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Care Level: Easy (Very hardy and adaptable)
Water Parameters
| Parameter | Value |
| Temperature: | 23–26°C |
| pH: | 6.0–7.5 |
| Hardness: | 5–15 dGH |
| Minimum Tank Size: | 120L+ (Needs significant horizontal length) |
Behaviour & Tank Compatibility
Scissortail Rasboras are highly social and must be kept in a group of 6 or more (ideally 10+). Because of their larger size and fast swimming, they are best suited for medium-to-large community tanks. They are incredibly peaceful and get along well with Gouramis, Angelfish, Neon Blue Acaras, and larger Tetras.
Tip: Do not keep them in small nano tanks; they are "marathon swimmers" and will become stressed if they cannot dart back and forth across a long distance.
Ideal Tank Setup
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Length is Key: A 4-foot (120cm) tank is ideal. They spend most of their time in the top and middle layers, zipping from one side to the other.
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Secure Lid: Critical. Scissortails are powerful jumpers. If they get excited during feeding or startled at night, they can easily launch themselves out of the water.
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Moderate Current: They enjoy a good amount of surface agitation and water flow, mimicking the river environments of Sumatra.
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Background Plants: Use tall plants like Vallisneria or Amazon Swords along the back, but leave the entire front and center of the tank open for swimming.
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Dark Substrate: While they are silver, a dark substrate helps emphasize the black-and-white contrast of their tails.
Why Choose the Scissortail Rasbora?
The Scissortail Rasbora is for the aquarist who values movement and behavior over bright colors. They are "busy" fish that always give you something to watch. For a large, planted community tank, they act as the perfect "shimmering" background, providing a sense of life and activity without distracting from your centerpiece plants or larger cichlids.
Original: $6.51
-65%$6.51
$2.28
Description
Scissortail Rasbora (Rasbora trilineata)
The Scissortail Rasbora is a sleek, silver-bodied fish native to the river systems of Sumatra and Kalimantan in your home country, as well as the Malay Peninsula. Its most iconic feature is its tail: each lobe of the caudal fin has a distinct black band sandwiched between white tips. As the fish swims, it constantly opens and closes its tail in a "scissoring" motion, which is thought to be a signal to keep the school together in the moving waters of its natural habitat.
Key Information
-
Common Name: Scissortail Rasbora, Three-lined Rasbora
-
Scientific Name: Rasbora trilineata
-
Origin: Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand)
-
Max Size: 10–12 cm (One of the larger Rasboras)
-
Lifespan: 5–7 years
-
Temperament: Very peaceful and extremely active
-
Diet: Omnivore – Loves high-quality flakes, floating pellets, and frozen foods like brine shrimp and bloodworms.
-
Care Level: Easy (Very hardy and adaptable)
Water Parameters
| Parameter | Value |
| Temperature: | 23–26°C |
| pH: | 6.0–7.5 |
| Hardness: | 5–15 dGH |
| Minimum Tank Size: | 120L+ (Needs significant horizontal length) |
Behaviour & Tank Compatibility
Scissortail Rasboras are highly social and must be kept in a group of 6 or more (ideally 10+). Because of their larger size and fast swimming, they are best suited for medium-to-large community tanks. They are incredibly peaceful and get along well with Gouramis, Angelfish, Neon Blue Acaras, and larger Tetras.
Tip: Do not keep them in small nano tanks; they are "marathon swimmers" and will become stressed if they cannot dart back and forth across a long distance.
Ideal Tank Setup
-
Length is Key: A 4-foot (120cm) tank is ideal. They spend most of their time in the top and middle layers, zipping from one side to the other.
-
Secure Lid: Critical. Scissortails are powerful jumpers. If they get excited during feeding or startled at night, they can easily launch themselves out of the water.
-
Moderate Current: They enjoy a good amount of surface agitation and water flow, mimicking the river environments of Sumatra.
-
Background Plants: Use tall plants like Vallisneria or Amazon Swords along the back, but leave the entire front and center of the tank open for swimming.
-
Dark Substrate: While they are silver, a dark substrate helps emphasize the black-and-white contrast of their tails.
Why Choose the Scissortail Rasbora?
The Scissortail Rasbora is for the aquarist who values movement and behavior over bright colors. They are "busy" fish that always give you something to watch. For a large, planted community tank, they act as the perfect "shimmering" background, providing a sense of life and activity without distracting from your centerpiece plants or larger cichlids.
