TankBud

Barred rainbowfish

Chilatherina fasciata

Also known as Fasciata rainbowfish

FreshwaterFish

Barred rainbowfish (Chilatherina fasciata)
Dirk Godlinski · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–86°F
24–30°C
pH
7.0–8.0
Adult size
4.7 in
12 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Melanotaeniidae
Origin
Native to northern New Guinea in the Markham, Ramu, Sepik and Mamberamo river systems, where it lives in clear rainforest streams and lakes from the lowlands up to around 500 m elevation.

Overview

Keep a group of at least six, and ideally more, in a tank of 200 litres or larger, with the females included so males stay colorful. They do best at 24 to 30 C and a pH of 7.0 to 8.0 in clean, well filtered water. This is a peaceful, active shoaler that mixes well with other rainbowfish, larger rasboras and peaceful barbs. Feed a varied diet of quality flake, small pellets and frozen foods such as daphnia and brine shrimp.

In the wild

Wild barred rainbowfish shoal in clear, moderately flowing streams and lakes cutting through New Guinea rainforest, often over gravel and among submerged roots. They are active, open-water swimmers that need length to cruise. A tank at least 120 cm long with a sandy or fine gravel base, some driftwood, hardy background plants and plenty of clear swimming space suits them well. Good filtration and steady water movement keep them settled.

Good to know

Chilatherina fasciata belongs to the rainbowfish family Melanotaeniidae, the same group as the Melanotaenia species. Like most rainbowfish, males are deeper bodied and more intensely colored than females, and color peaks during dawn sparring displays. Populations from different river systems vary in the shade of their vertical barring.

Did you know

Adult males intensify their colors and flick their fins each morning as they compete for females, so the fish look their best in the first hour after the lights come on.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Barred rainbowfish is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Barred rainbowfish need?

A Barred rainbowfish needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Barred rainbowfish need?

A Barred rainbowfish is comfortable at 75–86°F (24–30°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.

How big does a Barred rainbowfish get?

An adult Barred rainbowfish reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).

Does a Barred rainbowfish need a group?

Yes. A Barred rainbowfish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species