Oryzias latipes facts for kids

The Japanese rice fish, also known as medaka.

The Japanese rice fish, also called the medaka, is a small freshwater fish. It lives in streams and waterways, especially in Asia. These fish have a grayish-brown body with a light yellow belly and a dark brown line on their back. They are quite special because they can handle salty water better than most freshwater fish!

Appearance

Medaka fish are quite small, usually growing to about 3.5 centimeters (about 1.4 inches) long. Their fins are located far back on their bodies, near their tail.

Where They Live and What They Eat

You can often find medaka fish in rice paddies. This is because they lay their eggs around the same time farmers fill the paddies with water. They are also found in small streams and ditches. These fish are helpful because they eat tiny water creatures called zooplankton and even mosquito larvae. This helps keep mosquito populations down!

Reproduction

Medaka fish usually lay their eggs during spring and summer. The female fish carries a cluster of eggs right outside her body for a short time before attaching them to plants or other things in the water.

Amazing Adaptations

One of the coolest things about medaka fish is their super strong kidneys! This means they can handle more salt in their water than most other freshwater fish. If they get used to it slowly, they can even live in seawater. This ability helps them survive in different environments.

How Long Do They Live?

These little fish usually live for about one year and a few months.

Images for kids

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  A group of medaka fish in a shallow ditch, which is a common place for them to live in Katori, Japan.

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  An orange medaka, called a himedaka, which was created through selective breeding for aquariums.

See also

In Spanish: Medaka común para niños