The Rainbowfish is a recent addition to fish keeping as a hobby but has garnered mainstream appeal due to its unique appearance, low requirements, and relative ease of breeding. Due to their docile nature,
And also make as excellent tank mates Some species prefer to school within their own species and may hang out with other Rainbowfish.
Species like the dwarf neon Rainbowfish only reach a maximum size of 1” while others may reach a maximum length of 6”. They’re a hardy species that have a long lifespan of about 5 to 10 years, if you take good care of them.
| Category | Rating |
| Level of Care | Easy to Medium |
| Temperament | Mostly peaceful |
| Appearance | Varied colors ranging from red, yellow, silver, black, and blue |
| Life Expectancy | 5 to 8 years in a home aquarium |
| Size | 2.4 inches to 8 inches |
| Diet | Omnivorous and need both meat-based and vegetable-based foods |
| Family | Melanotaeniidae and Bedotiidae |
| Tank Size | 10 gallons to 50 gallons depending on species |
| Tank Environment | Provide tall plants and other structures for rainbowfish to visit |
| Tank Mates | Extremely peaceful and get along well with other species |
Overview of the Rainbowfish
they originate from the freshwaters of eastern and northern Australia, Southeast Asia, and certain regions of New Guinea. All their species are unique and have micro variations that differ depending on the lake or stream they live in. Irrespective of the fish selected, They get along really well with other community species such as Discus and Tetras.
More than 61 species have been discovered so far, with more unique sub-species being uncovered on a daily basis. It is worth noting that it comprises of two main subspecies. The Bedotiidae and Melanotaeniidae families include bigger, more active fish like the Madagascar Rainbowfish (the Threadfin Rainbow is a small exception to this rule).
The second group contains Telmatherinidae and Pseudomugilidae families. The Telmatherinidae family includes the Celebes Rainbowfish and the Marosatherina ladigesi. The Pseudomugilidae comprises of smaller, less active fish that are often known as “Blue Eyes” for their unique appearance.
Most of these species are named after their appearance, which is brilliant and rather unique – even for freshwater fish. It is worth noting that human activity, such as overfishing, has disrupted the natural habitat of some Rainbowfish species. Life for some of these species can be very in the wildlife.
Rainbowfish Appearance
Rainbowfish have bright, often iridescent colorations that uniquely respond to variations in different lighting conditions. Most species are relatively small, with the largest of them barely reaching a maximum size of 10 inches in span.
Common rainbowfish species have blue, silvery-green bodies with pink-colored bellies and red-orange or clear fins. They use their elegant fins to swim and get around the tank.
The rainbowfish are sexually dimorphic, which means that males and females have different appearances. For instance, male Boseman’s Rainbowfish have deep red colors that strongly contrast female Boseman’s Rainbowfish that have largely opaque bodies. Females also tend to have a wide longitudinal band with a series of dark lines that often changes depending on their mood
Another distinction between the two is that males have pointy dorsal fins while the ones on females are more rounded in appearance.
They have two dorsal fins and one anal fin. The anal fin allows them to swim at extremely high speeds in a short period of time. In general, rainbowfish have a laterally compressed body that resembles that often resembles an elongated diamond shape. This shape will vary from specie to specie, ranging from slender to a very deep bodied appearance.
Despite having a narrow mouth, most rainbowfish species have a massive appetite and will devour a lot of food in a short period of time. As time passes, their backs will develop a small bulge that can be used to estimate their age.
Temperament: Are Rainbowfish Aggressive?
Forktail rainbowfish are prized by fishkeepers because of their peaceful demeanor and excellent appearance. They are a shoaling fish, which means they prefer to hang out in groups of 6 to 12.
It is not unheard of for rainbowfish from one species to hang out with rainbowfish from other species. A good rule of thumb is to select similarly sized tank mates that are peaceful and docile.
Forktail rainbowfish are mostly compatible with other rainbowfish, especially the dwarf neon rainbowfish and ornate rainbowfish. You can also place them in the same tank with tetras, barbs, gouramis, swordtails, loaches, and guppies.
Despite their docile demeanor, They will view smaller freshwater species as prey. This is definitely true in the case of vampire shrimps, bamboo shrimps, and ghost shrimps. It won’t take long for the much larger rainbowfish species to start nibbling at them, they do have a voracious appetite after all.
Can You Keep Rainbowfish with Angelfish?
Yes, you can keep rainbowfish and angelfish together in the same tank because they thrive in similar aquarium conditions. They are also similar in size, which reduces the chance that they will feel intimidated by each one another or compete for territory.
Tank Requirements and Conditions
As with other fish species, your goal should be to effectively emulate their natural habitat. This is doubly true for rainbowfish since they require well-planted tanks.
Choose plants that can tolerate the hard, alkaline water that rainbowfish usually prefer. The tank should have dense vegetation with a sandy substrate and some bogwood to mimic their native habitat.
As a general rule, you will need a minimum tank volume of about 30 gallons. Rainbowfish can be very active swimmers and some species are known to reach a length of about 10 inches. If you plan on keeping several rainbowfish, go for a tank size of about 60 gallons, the bigger the merrier. Make sure to also provide two hours of natural sunlight to the tank.
If this isn’t possible, you can create some artificial lighting to mimic natural sunlight. This should be ideally done at a time when you can view the aquarium because the lights will make the rainbowfish appear even more stunning.
Rainbowfish are known to jump out of their tanks every now and then. This is why you should keep the tank properly covered with a lid.
How to Care for Rainbow fish?
- The temperature should be about 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Water hardness should never exceed 25dGH.
- The substrate should be a mix of sand and gravel.
- The pH value of the water should be 6.5 to 8.0.
- The water movement should be moderate, not too fast and not too slow. Just enough to keep the fish simulated.
- The tank should be about 10 times the length of an adult rainbow fish.
- Keep the tank in a quiet location because it is easy to startle rainbowfish
Rainbowfish mostly occupy the middle of the tank and don’t swim to the top or bottom very often. Keep this in mind when selecting tank mates. Choose tank mates that don’t prefer the middle area of the tank.
If your aquarium will contain different species, make sure to provide plenty of hiding spots for your rainbowfish to hide in should they get harassed.
This includes plenty of plants and logs where they can hide from aggressors. It’s easy for rainbowfish to get stressed out to the point of sickness, with the worst-case scenario being death.
Tank Mates
Rainbowfish are mostly schooling fish that thrive in a very specific environment. They are non-aggressive and do exceptionally well in a large community aquarium of similarly sized fish.
You can mix them with other docile and shy natured fish for good results. Rainbow fish prefer a 1:1 ratio of males to females to keep the peace between them, otherwise, the males will constantly pick on females that increase their stress levels.
Here’s how you should keep rainbowfish:
- 6 Rainbowfish: 3 females and 3 males
- 7 Rainbowfish: 4 females and 3 males
- 8 Rainbowfish: 5 females and 3 males
- 9 Rainbowfish: 5 females and 4 males
- 10 Rainbowfish: 6 females and 4 males
Notice a pattern? The females should almost always outnumber males to keep peace between the rainbowfish.
What do Rainbowfish Eat?
All types of rainbow fish are omnivorous creatures that thrive on a mixed diet comprising of plants and animals. They are not very picky when it comes to food, so this part should be easy for beginners. That being said, it is vital to provide them with a balanced and varied nutrition.
They will thrive on Betta Treat, Spirulina Flakes, Color Flakes, as well as a combination of live and frozen foods. They will also readily eat vegetable-based pellets and if possible, mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae are illegal to culture in many areas.
Experienced aquarists claim that a diet of live foods improves the coloration of the males, as well as improves their mood.
Breeding Guidelines
Breeding rainbowfish is relatively easy, but it is recommended to keep a special breeding tank. This tank should contain a spawning mop or plants with fine leaves, such as java moss.
Install a sponge filter in the tank. It should contain plenty of plant-based and live foods. Your goal with the breeding tank is to emulate ‘floods’ as they occur in their natural habitat. During this time, they have access to higher quality food compared to the rest of the year.
You will have to choose a couple for this tank. Select the healthiest, most colorful fish from your main aquarium to hatch healthy fry. As a general rule, the male should have bright, vivid colors and the female should be a bit chubby. Rainbowfish are long-term spawners, which means they will lay their eggs over a long period of time. They will deposit their eggs every day in one cycle.
To speed up breeding, keep the water at a pH of around 7.5 (which is slightly alkaline), slightly hard, and at a temperature of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can initiate spawning faster by increasing the water’s temperature.
During this time, the couple should be fed a steady diet of frozen and live food for at least a week.
Reproduction begins when the they swim together after the male performs a small ‘ritual’ to attract the female. A single courting session can take several cycles to complete. The female will lay her eggs every day, joined together by a small thread which will be attached to the rocks or plants (such as java moss and water sprite) in the tank.
The eggs will take about 12 days to hatch after they are laid out. The fry may take very long to grow and will be extra vulnerable to getting eaten, their biggest threat could be their own parents. So take them out once they’re hatched.
Caution: While they are not known to crossbreed with other species, this can be a problem in the aquarium, particularly in the Melanotaeniidae family.
These species tend to interbreed and create undesirable results. The fry belonging to mismatched parents will lose their coloration. Try to keep the bloodlines of rainbowfish distinct, otherwise, their fry could lose those beautiful colors.
How to Hatch Rainbowfish Eggs
Once the eggs have been fully hatched, remove the parents from the aquarium because they tend to eat their own fry. Parents provide no parental care to their eggs and fry, so it’s best to separate them. The fry will take about 10 days to hatch.
To increase the survival rate, it’s best to incubate the eggs. You should mimic the ideal circumstances to hatch the eggs. Rainbowfish fry will not survive in poor water conditions, so make sure the water is properly conditioned before the fry emerge out. Make sure to monitor the water levels regularly.
Try to keep the temperature around the eggs consistent by covering them with a foam box.
You may try to oxygenate the eggs by placing an air stone next to them. The air stone will make bubbles that will flow around the eggs.
After the fry emerge from their eggs, they should be fed on a diet of infusoria or liquid fry food until they are old enough to hunt small live food. It can be particularly challenging to raise fry because they take about 2 months to reach grow big enough. The water has to be clean during this entire process.
Do not move to their parents’ tank until they’re old enough to defend themselves. Other fish, including their own parents, will easily mistake them for food.
You can tell that the fry have matured once they’re big enough to eat crushed flakes, micro worms, and brine shrimp.
With a good diet (and lots of patience), your fry will grow into very healthy and bright colored rainbowfish. This could take anywhere from 12 months to 24 months, depending on the species.
Rainbowfish Diseases
Most of them are extremely hardy, but they are vulnerable to diseases if their water is not properly maintained. If the aquarium conditions are not at the right levels, rainbowfish may be prone to columnaris.
This is indicated by tall hair-like strings that will hang off the sides and mouths of the rainbowfish. To clear up the issue, you’ll have to fix the problems with the tank’s water and that should sort out the problem. If kept in an improper environment are simply too weak to survive infection or its treatment.
Two common diseases are White Spot Disease (also known as Ich) which is caused by a parasite known as Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and Velvet, which is caused by Oodnium. Treating these infections can take a significant toll on your fish.
Other fish, plants, substrate, plants, and even decorations can harbor bacteria that could make their way into your rainbowfish’s body and infect them. This is why it is important to clean the tank on a regular basis. Quarantine live species before introducing them into the tank so as not to disrupt the water’s balance.
The great thing about rainbowfish is that you can contain an outbreak of infection if you catch it early. Although some sensitive species of rainbowfish are prone to getting infected well before the first warning signs can be spotted. The best way to prevent disease is to mimic the fish’s natural habitat.
This will lower the stress the fish will have, making them happy and healthier. When fish are stressed out, they are more likely to acquire all kinds of diseases.
Where to Buy Rainbowfish?
It is very easy to buy rainbow fish for sale from online stores, online forums, Craigslist, and your local pet store. They only cost about $3 to $4 depending on the rarity of the species. Expect to pay more for rarer species.
Do Rainbow fish Live in the Ocean?
No. Most species of Rainbowfish can’t survive in the ocean because the water is too salty for them. The salt in the water will cause the water to flow out of their cells, thus, killing them in the process. Rainbowfish can be mostly found in freshwater bodies like rivers, streams, swamps, and lakes.
Is Boseman’s Rainbowfish Ideal for Your Aquarium?
If you are looking to add a splash of color in your aquarium, then the rainbowfish is the ideal species for you. It is readily available online and doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance.
Their natural habitat is easy to mimic, so you won’t be breaking an arm and a leg just to accommodate their water conditions. When fry first hatch out of their eggs, they will have a rather plain appearance, but they will grow into gorgeous adults given enough time.
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