This is the most naturally colorful of the three species that are generally available. Parambassis (Chanda) commersonii (Commerson’s Glassfish) and P. (C). wolffii (Wolff’s Glassfish) are larger: in the wild—not in aquaria—the former attains around 4in (10cm) and the latter 7 in (20cm). During the 1990s “painted” glassfish—artificially colored (injected) fish — became widely available from Far East sources. Demand for them has declined dramatically both from consumers and dealers, with the natural types regaining some of their former popularity. Injected specimens lose most of their color after several months and also appear to be prone to lymphocystis (cauliflower disease), a nonlethal virus infection.
Synonym
- Chanda ranga
Family
- Chandidae (referred to as Ambassidae by some authors)
Distribution
- India, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Size
- Up to 3in (8cm) but usually smaller.
Behavior
- A somewhat territorial (but generally peaceful) and sometimes timid shoaler.
Diet
- Livefoods preferred, but deep-frozen and freeze- dried diets readily accepted; dry foods reluctantly taken.
Aquarium
- Heavily planted (with salt-tolerant or artificial plants), dark substratum, shelters, and subdued lighting. Mature, hard, alkaline water, with some salt added—(1-3 teaspoonfuls per 1 Imp. gal/1 1/5 U.S. gal/4.5 I)— to maintain long-term health Temperature range: 64-86 F (18-30 C).
Breeding
- Challenging. Eggs are scattered among fine- leaved vegetation—often following exposure of the aquarium to morning sun. Hatching takes 1 day. Fry are difficult to raise because of their very small size.
