TankBud

Dority's rainbowfish

Glossolepis dorityi

Also known as Grime River rainbowfish, Zig zag rainbow

FreshwaterFish

Dority's rainbowfish (Glossolepis dorityi)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
77–86°F
25–30°C
pH
7.0–8.2
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg depositor · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Melanotaeniidae
Origin
Grime River drainage, Papua, Indonesia

Overview

Dority's rainbowfish is a deep-bodied, lively fish for the middle of a large community tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

Dority's rainbowfish is named for Dan Dority, an American missionary and rainbowfish enthusiast in New Guinea. He helped collect the first specimens.

Caring for the Dority's rainbowfish

Keep Dority's rainbowfish as you would their red Glossolepis relatives, in a school of at least six with room to move. A group needs 53 gal (200 L) or more, with swimming length, plenty of open water, planted margins and gentle flow.

Keep the water warm, hard and alkaline, at 77 to 86°F (25 to 30°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Feed them well, and vary the diet with flake and granules, frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, and some algae food.

Dority's rainbowfish are peaceful but large and lively, so give them robust, similarly sized community fish rather than tiny or timid ones. Males color best when they have rivals to display against and females to court. Bright morning light brings out that color too.

Males develop a brassy body crossed by red zig-zag stripes, while females stay a plainer silver-bronze. They scatter adhesive eggs on fine plants or mops over several days, and breeding them is moderately difficult.

Good to know

Glossolepis dorityi is a rainbowfish in the family Melanotaeniidae, described by Gerald Allen in 2001. The males' red zig-zag stripes give it another name, the zig-zag rainbowfish. It is also called the Grime River rainbowfish.

In the wild

Dority's rainbowfish comes from floodplain lakes of the Grime River drainage in northern Papua, Indonesia. It is known from only a couple of these lakes and is critically endangered in the wild.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Dority's 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 Dority's rainbowfish need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Dority's rainbowfish need?

A Dority's rainbowfish is comfortable at 77–86°F (25–30°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.

What does a Dority's rainbowfish eat?

A Dority's rainbowfish eats flake and granules, with frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. Add some algae food to vary the diet.

How big does a Dority's rainbowfish get?

An adult Dority's rainbowfish reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

Does a Dority's rainbowfish need a group?

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

How can you tell a male Dority's rainbowfish from a female?

Males develop a brassy body crossed by red zig-zag stripes. Females stay a plainer silver-bronze.

How does a Dority's rainbowfish breed?

Dority's rainbowfish scatter adhesive eggs on fine plants or mops over several days. Breeding them is of medium difficulty.

Related species