Daisy's ricefish

[ownedbycats]

I just bought these fish on Monday. ( I did try to do my reasearch.) I couldn't find a whole lot of information on them, but what I found said they are supposed to get approx. 1 inch in length, that they are peaceful schoolers, and their pH and temperature requirements fit in with my harlequins.
I brought home what was supposed to be 2 males and 2 females. I ended up with 3 males and 1 female. The female has shown up with eggs twice, though I'm not sure where she laid them, and I don't expect them to hatch.
I'm beginning to doubt the information about these being schooling fish. They seem to like grouping together with my harlequins, but the males spend a lot of time chasing each other and seem to have established little territories, although no one has been hurt.
Does anyone have any experience with these fish? Would it be better to get two more females and have a full school, or trade one of my males for a female and just have four of them?

 

[severum mama]

Oryzias woworae. Neat little fish. We've been keeping them for about a year now, and I agree with you that they don't really "school" like what your harlequins probably do. I'd add a couple more females but that is JMO. I think you would be fine either way. I've seen the females with eggs many times, but unfortunately I haven't ever found fry. I hope yours breed.

 

[ownedbycats]

Thanks severummama, that helps.

I just spent the last half hour watching them. One male has cornered the female in one half of the tank and is keeping her there, and the entire school of harlequins and the other two males in the other half of the tank.
Unfortunately, even if some eggs get fertilized my tank isn't heavily planted yet (the plants are still fairly small, and growing slowly but steadily) and has charry shrimp and the harlequins. I suspect most if not all of the eggs will get eaten and the same goes for fry. I really wish I had room for another tank to try breeding them since they seem enthusiastic about it, but that's not possible.
Oh, for anyone interested, if you click on the photos to enlarge them, the red circle highlights the eggs the female was carrying this morning.