Rainbow darter

Care at a glance

Overview

The rainbow darter is a small, peaceful bottom fish for a cold, clean tank with fast-flowing water. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Caring for the rainbow darter

Give rainbow darters a tank of at least 25 gal (95 L) with a long footprint and strong flow. Lay a coarse, stony bottom of gravel and cobble with places to perch. Keep only a few together, each with its own space, since they claim small patches of the bottom.

Brisk current and cool temperatures are not optional for this fish. Keep the water clean, at 50 to 64°F (10 to 18°C), well below tropical levels, with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Hold the oxygen high with vigorous surface movement, since warm, sluggish tanks will not do.

Rainbow darters want live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, blackworms, daphnia and small crustaceans, and rarely settle for flake. They are peaceful and keep to themselves. Choose their tank mates with caution.

Breeding males turn brilliant blue-green and orange-red. The rainbow darter spawns in spring in shallow riffles, where the female works her body down into the gravel. She lays a few eggs at a time, which the male fertilizes before they are left uncared for. Breeding it at home is difficult, since it demands cold, well oxygenated water and a proper riffle to spawn.

Good to know

The rainbow darter is a coldwater native and a member of the perch family, Percidae. It is named for the colors of its breeding males.

In the wild

Rainbow darters live in the fast, shallow riffles of clear creeks and small rivers across the eastern and central United States. They hold position among gravel, rubble and cobble where the current is strongest. The water there is cold and highly oxygenated.

Common questions

Related species

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  Orangethroat darter

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  2.8 in (7 cm)25 gal (95 L)59–68°F (15–20°C)

• 

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• 

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• 

  European perch

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• 

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• 

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