Sawbwa resplendens are indeed very timid in the company of other fish. I witnessed Green neon tetras (P. simulans) out compete them for food. They like darker tanks with a lot of plants. They are not exactly the best schoolers, they seem to like hanging out in the plants most of the time. Their spawning ritual is pretty interesting, groups of males will follow gravid females around the tank., looking for deposit sites (the undersides of broad leaves and anything floating on the surface for that matter. ie plastic container lids) This is the only Rasbora- type fish I have ever been able to spawn. Given their delicate disposition, they are quite long lived, I have a wild trio that is going on 4 years.
The lake they come from has yielded several very attractive cyprinids in recent years. I wonder if Lake Inle has any plants of interest? Biotopers should look into this...
