Puntius arulius

Alternative names

 * , and.

Sexing

 * Mature females should be fuller in appearance than males. The Males have a longer dorsal fin than the females.

Tank compatibility

 * A shoaling fish best kept in groups of 6 or more, it's said even numbers are better to keep than odd with this species. Do not keep with long-finned fish, should otherwise be peaceful towards any tank mates. Tends to be more peaceful if kept in a shoal.

Diet

 * Will accept most flake and pellet food but colours become brilliant when some live/frozen brine shrimp or bloodworms are fed on a regular basis.

Feeding regime

 * Like most tropical fish, one feeding a day is adequate, 2 small feedings are better.

Environment Specifics

 * Keep in a large and well filtered mature tank with a combination of open swimming space and hiding places in tall plants and bogwood. For their best colours they are better kept on dark substrate.

Behaviour

 * Extremely active, fairly peaceful, can be very skittish when the tank lights are off, best to keep a little light in the room so as not to startle them enough to injure themselves.

Identification

 * A torpedo-shaped fish which is orange in base colour, this can appear very pale when the fish is stressed. It should have three thick vertical black bands that do not extend under the belly, the first under the dorsal fin, second midway between the dorsal and caudal fin and third on the caudal peduncle. There may occasionally be other spots of dark colouration. The caudal fin is forked and each lobe's tip should be red-orange in colour.