TankBud

Parkinson's rainbowfish

Melanotaenia parkinsoni

Also known as Port Moresby Rainbow, Parkinsoni rainbowfish

FreshwaterFish

Parkinson's rainbowfish (Melanotaenia parkinsoni)
Klaus Rudloff · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.0–8.0
Adult size
4.3 in
11 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Melanotaeniidae
Origin
Southeastern Papua New Guinea (Kemp Welsh River to Milne Bay)

Overview

Keep them in a group of six or more in a tank of at least 200 liters, ideally around four feet long, since they are large and active and need the length to swim. They are mostly peaceful but on the pushy side, so the school stays in the middle of the water column and can intimidate shy, slow tankmates at feeding time. Hold the temperature from 24 to 28 C with hard, alkaline water at a pH of 7 to 8 and good oxygenation. Feed quality flakes and pellets with frozen foods like brine shrimp and daphnia to bring out their color. Pick tankmates that are robust and quick enough to hold their own, and skip the timid ones.

In the wild

Parkinson's rainbowfish come from clear, fast-running streams in southeastern Papua New Guinea, between the Kemp Welsh River and Milne Bay. That water is hard, alkaline, and well oxygenated, so set up a tank with some current from the filter or a powerhead and keep the pH between 7 and 8. Hold the temperature from 24 to 28 C. Leave plenty of open horizontal space down the middle for them to swim, with planting pushed to the back and sides.

Good to know

This is a rainbowfish in the family Melanotaeniidae, growing to about 11 cm as an adult. It is an egg scatterer that lays onto fine-leaved plants over a stretch of days, with no parental care. The fry are tiny at hatching and need very small first foods. Tank-bred stock turns up in the trade alongside wild-line fish.

Did you know

Males spar by flaring at each other to settle who looks best, flashing color and spreading their fins without doing any real damage. In a big group you will see this most at feeding and in the morning when the light comes up, then it settles down again once the pecking order is sorted.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Parkinson's rainbowfish is a mostly 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 Parkinson's rainbowfish need?

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

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

A Parkinson's rainbowfish is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.

How big does a Parkinson's rainbowfish get?

An adult Parkinson's rainbowfish reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

Does a Parkinson's rainbowfish need a group?

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

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