Japanese rice fish Coloring Pages

The most familiar fish in Japan! Japanese rice fish

When you hear about "river fish," Japanese rice fish are probably the very first ones you think of, right? They are super small and cute fish that live in quiet waters like streams, rice fields, and waterways in Japan. Japanese people feel very close to them because they have been in nursery rhymes for a long time and children watch them in science class at school. They grow healthy and strong in a small bowl or tank at home, so they are very popular for people who are keeping fish for the first time too.

Is its name based on "high eyes"?!

The friendly name "Japanese rice fish" has a fun story behind it that comes from its body shape. If you look closely at its face, you can see big eyes sitting right up on top of its head. "A fish with high-set eyes" which is why "Japanese rice fish" It is said that this is how it got its name. People think its eyes became placed like this so it could quickly find tiny food falling from the sky while swimming smoothly near the water's surface.

What are they called in English? The secret of their English name!

Even its English names show the Japanese rice fish's features and where it lives so well! In English, it is called the Japanese ricefish or Medaka. The name "ricefish" was given because many of them used to swim in the waterways and shallow spots of rice fields! It is known all over the world as a fish with deep ties to Japan's rich rice farming and countryside scenery.

As big as one eraser!? A super tiny body

Japanese rice fish are in the group of the smallest fish living in Japan. Even when they grow up to be adults, their body length is only about the size of an eraser (about 3 cm to 4 cm). They have very small and light bodies, so even in shallow water with lots of water plants, they can swim around quickly while hiding from enemies.

Tell Them Apart by Their Fins! How to Spot Male and Female Japanese Rice Fish

When you compare pictures of Japanese rice fish, the key to telling boys and girls apart is the shape of their fins! Take a close look at the "dorsal fin" on the back and the "anal fin" under the belly. If you look at the coloring page image for "Japanese rice fish 2", the top one is a boy and the bottom one is a girl!

• Male (Boy): On the dorsal finA deep notchand it has a big anal fin that spreads back like a square (or a parallelogram)!

• Female (Girl): Its dorsal fin has no notch and is rounded, and its anal fin is shaped like a trapezoid (almost like a triangle) that gets narrower toward the back.

Swimming with eggs on its belly! The secret to laying eggs

When the water gets warmer from spring to summer, it is time for the mother Japanese rice fish to lay eggs. The female swims around with clear, round eggs hanging under her belly, just like a bunch of grapes. When she finds a safe water plant leaf or stem, she gently rubs her body against it to lay her eggs. From the eggs,About 10 days to 2 weeksAnd then, tiny babies with big eyes (called hariko) hatch from the eggs!

Upturned mouths and munching on food

If you look at the face of a Japanese rice fish from the side, you can see that its mouth points a little bit upward. This helps it easily gobble up tiny plankton floating on the water and mosquito babies (wrigglers) that fall into the water. It naturally stops mosquitoes that suck human blood from multiplying, so it is a little hero of the waterside, too!

So Many Colors and Patterns! The World of Fancy Japanese Rice Fish

Wild Japanese rice fish have a plain, dark color (black Japanese rice fish), but people raised them with great care, and many beautiful types were born. Shining in a bright orange colorJapanese rice fish (Orange mutant)or pure whiteWhite Japanese rice fish, its body glows blueBlue Japanese rice fishThere are Japanese rice fish here. Their backs sparkle brightly just like shiny jewels!Lame Japanese rice fish, and some types even have long fins like a dress. Just looking at them is so exciting!

They can handle heat and cold! They are super tough and full of life!

The Japanese rice fish has a super small body, but it is tough enough to survive Japan's big season changes! It swims around happily in the hot summer, and it can even handle cold winters when ice covers the pond. It stays still and waits for spring in warm mud or under dead leaves at the bottom of the water. It is a really strong creature!

Let's protect them together! Wild Japanese rice fish are now endangered

Japanese rice fish may seem like a familiar pet, but wild Japanese rice fish are losing their numbers very fast. This is because of river construction and changes in the rice fields. Right now, the Ministry of the Environment lists wild Japanese rice fish as a threatened species. It is so important to learn about how Japanese rice fish live through coloring pages and care for our nature and water spaces!

How to Pick Colors: Real Colors and Fun Types

Think about what kind of Japanese rice fish you want to draw, and pick your colored pencils!

• Wild Japanese Rice Fish (Black Type): Gently color the body with light yellow, gray, or beige. Then, softly add a little darker brown or black along the back.

• Orange Japanese Rice Fish: If you want to make the super popular orange type, try coloring the body with bright orange or reddish-orange.

• White Japanese Rice Fish: Use the white paper as it is, and gently add light blue or soft pink just where the shadows are. It will look super pretty!

Try coloring the small parts carefully, too.

• Scale Patterns: Sharpen your pencil and carefully trace the grid lines of the scales with a little darker brown or orange. This makes your Japanese rice fish look real, just like a field guide!

• Big Round Eyes: Color the center of the eyes deep black, and leave a bit of yellow or silver around them. They will catch the light and sparkle!

Color Boys and Girls Differently to Make a Guidebook Page!

Look closely at the boy and girl Japanese rice fish in the picture, and color their fins differently!

• Boy: Outline the back fin with its notched shape and the big square fin on its belly with a little darker orange or yellow. This makes the boy look cool and strong!

• Girl: Use soft pastel colors all over, and color under the round belly with light pink or cream. This gives her a gentle look, like a mother fish caring for her eggs!

How to Make Scales Shine and Look 3D in Water!

Let's show how the smooth body of a Japanese rice fish shines in the water. The trick is to think about light and shadow.

• Light Spots (Highlights): Leave a thin line of white paper uncolored along the curve of the back and on the round belly! This white line looks like shiny scales catching the sunlight.

• Shadow Spots (Shadows): Gently layer a slightly darker dark brown or gray on the bottom edge of the belly, behind the gills, and at the base of the tail fin. Your flat picture will pop out and look 3D!

Coloring Tips for Pencils, Crayons, and Paints!

Try different ways of coloring based on what tools you use.

• Colored Pencils: Press softly and layer colors again and again. This makes a pretty, see-through color blend just like a real Japanese rice fish. They are also best for drawing fine scales and fin lines!

• Crayons: Put down a thick coat of color, then gently rub and smudge it with your finger. This creates a soft shade that looks like it is floating in water.

• Watercolors: Mix in lots of water to paint lightly. You can make the clear fins look like they are floating in the water! Adding thin pencil lines after it dries is a great idea, too.

Use Your Ideas to Make a Fun Water World!

There are no wrong answers in coloring pages, so use your favorite colors and make the cool Japanese rice fish of your dreams!

• Express Yourself Freely!: You do not have to stick to real colors at all! Have fun making a "Rainbow Japanese Rice Fish" or a "Space Japanese Rice Fish with Shiny Gold Glitter." Your picture will look so lively!

• Draw Your Own Background!: Try adding green water plants, round duckweeds on the water surface, or small pebbles and leaves at the bottom. You will make your very own underwater world!

Do you know why they have this name?

In Japanese kanji, Japanese rice fish is written as "high eyes". If you look closely, you can see its eyes are a little bit high up on its face. It swims close to the top of the water. Its eyes stick out at the top so it can see light from above and spot falling food right away!

A magic trick to change colors!

Japanese rice fish can change their body color to match the things around them.

They have all kinds of fin shapes!

Japanese rice fish usually have 7 fins. But nowadays, many different kinds of Japanese rice fish are born, and each one has a different fin shape!

Some types even sparkle!

Some types of Japanese rice fish have shiny backs or bellies, like the "Miyuki" type. Others shine like tiny stars all over their bodies, called "Lame". When the sun shines on them, they look as pretty as shiny jewels!

How fast do eggs grow?

Mother Japanese rice fish lay their eggs on water plants. How fast the babies hatch from the eggs depends on the water temperature. In warm water, they hatch quickly. In cold water, they grow slowly.