Care
This eye-catching species caused quite a stir with hobbyists when it was described during 2010 and the first photographs became available. The brilliant red and iridescent blue colouration is quite remarkable for a ricefish, most known species being largely translucent silver. Even the females have a good deal of colour. When this species was discovered, it was found to be shoaling with a Nomorhamphus sp. halfbeak. Interestingly, at around the same time as the first exports of O. woworae began, another similar looking ricefish species was collected from Kendari on mainland Sulawesi, and has been traded under various names including Oryzias sp. "kendari", O. sp. "neon" and O. sp. "sulawesi". There are noticeable differences in the fish from Kendari, which distinguishes it from the true O. woworae, including much less red colouration on the lower jaw and a greater degree of blue along the flanks. It is advisable not to keep the two forms together in the aquarium for fear of hybridisation. In the wild, this species inhabits a slow-moving freshwater stream and some associated still ponds under fairly dense forest cover. The substrate is said to consist of mud and sand, with areas of leaf litter. The aquarium should be mature and well-filtered, with plenty of dark shady areas amongst aquatic vegetation and decor such as the spindly Sumatra wood presently available in many aquatic shops. As these fish are found shoaling in large groups in their natural habitat, it is appropriate to keep them in good numbers (6+ is recommended) in the home aquarium. Daisy's Blue Ricefish seem to be of a peaceful disposition and should only be kept with other fish of a similar size, temperament, and which also enjoy the same aquarium conditions. Males may occasionally bicker with one another but no real harm should ensue, especially if provided with plenty of visual barriers. May also be seen on sale simply as Daisy's Ricefish.
Feeding
These fish seem to prefer small frozen foods such as baby brineshrimp, daphnia and mosquito larvae. Over time, some aquarists find that their fish will also take dried foods.
Breeding
Easy to breed and prolific. Eggs hang outside the female's vent area in a cluster, attached to the genital pore by filaments. These eggs are fertilised by the males, after which the female will swim past fine-leaved plants or spawning mops and will "brush them off". The parents can either be removed from this aquarium, or the egg-laden plants/mops moved across to a growing-on tank.
