Oryzias nebulosus: how big does it get?

Oryzias nebulosus is a cloudy-patterned ricefish from Lake Poso in Central Sulawesi, described by Parenti and Soeroto in 2004. FishBase gives a maximum of 1.5 in SL, and the IUCN lists it as Near Threatened.

Taxonomy & naming

Parenti and Soeroto described the species in 2004 from the eastern shore of Lake Poso at Peura. The name refers to a clouded or mottled appearance.

Morphology

A small ricefish; FishBase gives a maximum of 1.5 in SL.

Habitat

Lake Poso, Central Sulawesi, in the shore zone, and its tributary stream; not known elsewhere. FishBase says it was collected in clear water over sand, pebbles and fallen branches, and that fish in the original series carried parasitic Lernaea copepods.

Feeding

Diet is not documented in detail.

Mating

Courtship has not been described.

Breeding

Breeding has not been documented.

In the aquarium

Not known in culture.

Conservation

The IUCN Red List classes Oryzias nebulosus as Near Threatened, meaning it is close to qualifying for a threatened category. Introduced fishes and habitat change are the main concerns for Lake Poso's endemic fauna.

Common questions

Oryzias nebulosus: how big does it get?: Up to 1.5 in standard length (SL).
Oryzias nebulosus: where does it come from?: It is recorded from Indonesia.

On a list: Nano fish

Related species compared · Oryzias

Species	Adult size	Temperature	pH	Hardness	IUCN
Oryzias nebulosusthis species	1.5 in SL	—	—	—	NT
Black buntingiOryzias nigrimas	2 in SL	72–77 °F	pH 7.5–8.5	—	NT
Sharpjawed buntingiOryzias orthognathus	2.5 in TL	72–77 °F	pH 7.5–8.5	—	NT
Oryzias landangiensis	1.5 in SL	—	—	—	NE
Oryzias cabaranensis	1.5 in SL	—	—	—	NE
Indian medakaOryzias dancena	1 in SL	—	—	—	LC
Chinese medakaOryzias sinensis	1 in SL	—	—	—	LC
Oryzias dopingdopingensis	1.5 in SL	—	—	—	NE
Evers' ricefishOryzias eversi	1.5 in SL	—	—	—	NT
Indian ricefishOryzias carnaticus	1 in SL	—	—	—	LC
Mekong medakaOryzias mekongensis	1 in TL	—	—	—	LC
Northern medakaOryzias sakaizumii	1.5 in SL	—	—	—	LC

Recorded ranges from each species’ own page; hardness is the tolerance its sources give, not a measurement of the water it lives in. See all 40 Oryzias species →

Also from Lake Poso

Sources

Naming authority: Oryzias nebulosus in Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes ↗

Last reviewed 2026-10-05.

How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Oryzias nebulosus. Aquarist Atlas.https://www.aquaristatlas.com/ricefish/oryzias-nebulosus/

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Where it has been recorded

4 georeferenced records (GBIF). Each point is a field observation or museum specimen — pan and zoom to explore where this species turns up. The coordinates come straight from GBIF and are often rounded or tied to the nearest town or river landing, so a dot can sit just beside the actual water rather than in it.

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