TankBud

Duboulayi's rainbowfish

Melanotaenia duboulayi

Also known as crimson-spotted rainbowfish

FreshwaterFish

Duboulayi's rainbowfish (Melanotaenia duboulayi)
Jesse de Vries · CC BY 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–82°F
18–28°C
pH
7.0–8.0
Adult size
4.7 in
12 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
115 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Melanotaeniidae
Origin
Australia

Overview

Duboulayi's rainbowfish are hardy, active schoolers that do well in a group of six or more, with extra males adding to the color displays. They swim through the middle of the tank and stay peaceful with other sturdy community fish. This is one of the more temperature-tolerant rainbowfish and copes with cooler rooms, so it does not always need a heater in a mild home. Feed a varied diet of flake or pellet plus frozen bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp for the strongest color. Plant the sides and back and leave clear swimming room. Aim for a tank around 115 liters or larger.

In the wild

The crimson-spotted rainbowfish comes from coastal drainages of eastern Australia, in Queensland and New South Wales, where it lives in streams, ponds, and slow rivers with plants and cover. These subtropical waters swing with the seasons, so it accepts a wide temperature band from about 18 to 28 degrees Celsius and neutral to slightly hard water around pH 7 to 8. Recreate it with a fine bed, wood, rock, hardy plants, and clean water with gentle flow.

Good to know

Melanotaenia duboulayi is a member of Melanotaeniidae and grows to around 12 centimeters. Mature males are deeper bodied and show rows of red spots that give the fish its other common name, the crimson-spotted rainbowfish. It is a continuous egg-scatterer, releasing a few eggs each day onto fine plants and mops across a long season, with the sticky eggs hanging by short threads. Getting steady spawns and rearing the small fry takes work, so breeding is rated hard.

Did you know

Duboulayi's rainbowfish was among the first Australian rainbowfish to reach aquarium keepers, and it is one of the hardiest, shrugging off cool water that would stress tropical rainbows. In a mild home it can live happily in an unheated tank.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Duboulayi'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 Duboulayi's rainbowfish need?

A Duboulayi's rainbowfish needs at least 30 gal (115 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

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

A Duboulayi's rainbowfish is comfortable at 64–82°F (18–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.

How big does a Duboulayi's rainbowfish get?

An adult Duboulayi's rainbowfish reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).

Does a Duboulayi's rainbowfish need a group?

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

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