Allen's rainbowfish
Chilatherina alleni
Also known as Allen rainbowfish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–84°F (24–29°C)
- pH
- 6.8–8.0
- Adult size
- 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 29 gal (110 L)
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Origin
- Siriwo River drainage, Papua, Indonesia
- Family
- Melanotaeniidae
Overview
Keep six or more with a mix of sexes; males display at dawn in fin-spread bursts. It takes flake, granules, and small frozen foods eagerly. Like most Chilatherina it wants clean, moving, slightly hard water and rewards it with constant activity.
In the wild
Allen's rainbowfish comes from rainforest tributaries of the Siriwo River in Papua, warm flowing water over gravel. Keep it at 24 to 29 degrees Celsius, pH 6.8 to 8.0, in a planted tank with open swimming length and gentle current.
Good to know
Chilatherina alleni was described in 1997 and honors Gerald Allen, whose surveys named most of New Guinea's rainbowfishes. It reaches about 7.6 centimeters, males deepening into amber and gold with age.
Did you know
Its describer named it for a colleague; its genus alone holds a dozen species from rivers most keepers will never see, and this one swims in a single Papuan drainage.
Tank mates
Allen's rainbowfish is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.
Lake Furnusu rainbowfish
Melanotaenia mairasiFreshwater2.4 in (6.2 cm)29 gal (110 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)
Eigenmann's whiptail
Rineloricaria eigenmanniFreshwater4.7 in (12 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
True penguin tetra
Thayeria obliquaFreshwater3 in (7.6 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Candy stripe goby
Awaous flavusFreshwater3.9 in (10 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Painted rainbowfish
Melanotaenia pictaFreshwater4.2 in (10.7 cm)29 gal (110 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)
Blue medusa pleco
Ancistrus macrophthalmusFreshwater3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Allen's rainbowfish need?
An Allen's rainbowfish needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH do Allen's rainbowfish need?
Allen's rainbowfish are comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 6.8–8.0.
How big do Allen's rainbowfish get?
An adult Allen's rainbowfish reaches about 3 in (7.6 cm).
Do Allen's rainbowfish need a group?
Yes. Allen's rainbowfish are a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- Aquatic Arts Freshwater fish, shrimp and snails with an arrive-alive guarantee
- Imperial Tropicals Freshwater fish and inverts bred at a Florida hatchery
- The Wet Spot Tropical Fish Large selection of quarantined tropical freshwater fish, with live arrival guarantee and Next Day Air flat rate shipping to all US locations
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Freshwater fish · Rainbowfish · Schooling fish · Community fish
Keeping Allen's rainbowfish?
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Related species
Highlands rainbowfish
Chilatherina campsiFreshwater3.4 in (8.6 cm)29 gal (110 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)Price's rainbowfish
Chilatherina priceiFreshwater4 in (10.2 cm)42 gal (160 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)
Sentani rainbowfish
Chilatherina sentaniensisFreshwater4.5 in (11.5 cm)42 gal (160 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)
Barred rainbowfish
Chilatherina fasciataFreshwater4.7 in (12 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)
Bleher's rainbowfish
Chilatherina bleheriFreshwater4.7 in (12 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Batanta rainbowfish
Melanotaenia synergosFreshwater3 in (7.7 cm)29 gal (110 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)