Stats

Lifespan

1-2 yrs

Size

Tiny

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

School

Biome

Freshwater wetland

Range

East Asia

Movement

Swimming

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Herd Safety

Status

Rare

About

A slender, 3–4 cm fish native to rice paddies and still waters across East Asia, recognisable by its upturned mouth and large eyes. It became the first vertebrate to breed in space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1994.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   hatchling fry

   A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Actinopterygii

Order

Beloniformes

Family

Adrianichthyidae

Genus

Oryzias

Species

Oryzias latipes