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Nematabramis steindachnerii

Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Danionidae (Danios and rasboras)

Nematabramis steindachnerii is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Danionidae, the danionins or danios.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Easy

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FamilyDanios and rasboras

Adult lengthup to 4.4 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 4.4 in / 11.2 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Danios and rasboras

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These Asian fishes occupy habitats ranging from zebra-danio pools and rice paddies to shaded harlequin streams, rocky Devario streams and planted galaxy-rasbora wetlands. [fg159-zebra, fg159-harlequin, fg159-giant, fg159-galaxy]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Level 2 reflects common aquarium species. Water range is ONLY for zebra danios; harlequins use 69.8–82.4°F, galaxy rasboras 68–78.8°F and D. aequipinnatus 60.8–78.8°F. [fg159-zebra, fg159-harlequin, fg159-galaxy, fg159-giant] Avoid routine tannin-rich wood/leaf additions for galaxy rasboras. [fg159-galaxy] Giant danios are often misidentified as D. aequipinnatus. [fg159-giant] Obtain separate profiles for the listed Rasbora and T. espei before using these examples as a stocking prescription.

Housing & setup

Use at least 90 × 30 cm (36 × 12 in) for zebra danios.
Harlequins require at least 60 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in), shaded planted cover and subdued light.
Devario aequipinnatus needs at least 120 × 45 cm (48 × 18 in), oxygenated water, moderate flow and a tight lid.
Galaxy rasboras need dense planting and broken sight lines in at least 45 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in), with gentle sponge filtration.
Match chemistry: harlequins pH 5.0–7.5, 1–12 dGH; galaxy rasboras pH 6.5–7.5, 5–15 dGH.

Sources 877 878 879 880

Climate & lighting

Water

64.4–77°F

Sources 877 878 879 880

Diet

Quality flakes or granules sized to the fish.
Live or frozen Daphnia and Artemia.
Bloodworms for zebra danios, harlequins and Devario.
Small sinking foods for galaxy rasboras, which rarely feed at the surface.

Sources 877 878 879 880

Social life

Keep zebra danios and harlequins in groups of at least 8–10. Galaxy males spar: dense cover and larger groups distribute aggression. Active Devario can overwhelm timid feeders.

Sources 877 878 879 880

Health watch

Pseudoloma microsporidiosis in zebra danios.
Pleistophora infection and columnaris can produce similar white lesions in zebra danios.
Nipped fins among rival galaxy males.

Sources 877 878 879 880

Understanding the animal

This species is part of a group that hobbyists, aviculturists or zoos keep widely (Danios and rasboras), so it's included for completeness. It may be rare in captivity itself, or not kept at all. Use the group guide as a starting point and look for species-specific advice from experienced keepers.

About this animal

This species is endemic to Borneo. It belongs to the genus Nematabramis.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Nematabramis steindachnerii” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Recorded from rivers and streams.
Water it lives in	Freshwater.
Climate	Tropical climate.

FishBase species summary: Nematabramis steindachnerii

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 86°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 70°F (down to 56°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	68–81°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	80–84% on average (driest month about 78%)
Rainfall	about 2457 mm a year, spread fairly evenly

Measured at 9 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Nematabramis steindachnerii is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Danionidae, the danionins or danios. This species is endemic to Borneo. It belongs to the genus Nematabramis. It reaches up to 11.2 cm in length. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Biology	Recorded from rivers and streams. — FishBase
History and naming	The fish is named in honor of Austrian ichthyologist Franz Steindachner (1834–1919). — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources4.4in

FishBase 1644.4

Seriously Fish species profiles 1674.4

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Seriously Fish: Zebra danio (Danio / Brachydanio rerio) Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Seriously Fish: Trigonostigma heteromorpha Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Seriously Fish: Devario aequipinnatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Seriously Fish: Danio / Celestichthys margaritatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Nematabramis steindachnerii

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Care guide

Species care notes

Danios and rasboras

Housing & setup

Climate & lighting

Diet

Social life

Health watch

Understanding the animal

About this animal

In the wild

Native climate (measured)

From the sources

Data and studies

The numbers

Adult length

Sources for this sheet

More danios and rasboras

Barred danio

Bengal danio

Betadevario ramachandrani

Blackline rasbora

Blue danio

Brevibora cheeya