Rainbowfish

Rainbowfish color up as they mature and settle, so a drab young fish in a shop often becomes a shimmering adult in a good group. The larger melanotaenias want room to swim, while blue-eyes and threadfins stay small enough for a nano tank. Each profile lists tank size, water conditions and group size.

32 species

• 

  Australian rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia fluviatilis

  4.3 in (11 cm)30 gal (115 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)

• 

  Banded rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia trifasciata

  5.9 in (15 cm)50 gal (190 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)

• 

  Barred rainbowfish

  Chilatherina fasciata

  4.7 in (12 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)

• 

  Black-banded rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia nigrans

  3.9 in (10 cm)32 gal (120 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Bleher's rainbowfish

  Chilatherina bleheri

  4.7 in (12 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Boeseman's rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia boesemani

  4.3 in (11 cm)30 gal (115 L)81–86°F (27–30°C)

• 

  Celebes rainbow

  Marosatherina ladigesi

  3.1 in (8 cm)25 gal (95 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Delicate blue-eye

  Pseudomugil tenellus

  2.2 in (5.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)77–90°F (25–32°C)

• 

  Duboulayi's rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia duboulayi

  4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (115 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)

• 

  Dwarf rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia maccullochi

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Eastern rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia splendida splendida

  5.9 in (15 cm)50 gal (190 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)

• 

  Forktail blue-eye

  Pseudomugil furcatus

  2.2 in (5.5 cm)22 gal (85 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Honey blue-eye

  Pseudomugil mellis

  1.4 in (3.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)

• 

  Lake Kurumoi rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia parva

  3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Lake Kutubu rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia lacustris

  4.3 in (11 cm)29 gal (110 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)

• 

  Lake Tebera rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi

  3.5 in (9 cm)25 gal (95 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)

• 

  Lake Wanam rainbowfish

  Glossolepis wanamensis

  3.9 in (10 cm)25 gal (95 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)

• 

  Madagascar rainbowfish

  Bedotia madagascariensis

  3.3 in (8.5 cm)45 gal (170 L)73–90°F (23–32°C)

• 

  Neon rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia praecox

  3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  New Guinea rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia affinis

  4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (115 L)68–86°F (20–30°C)

• 

  Ornate rainbowfish

  Rhadinocentrus ornatus

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)

• 

  Pacific blue-eye

  Pseudomugil signifer

  2.8 in (7 cm)25 gal (95 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)

• 

  Pacific blue-eye (neon)

  Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis

  1.4 in (3.5 cm)12 gal (45 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Parkinson's rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia parkinsoni

  4.3 in (11 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Paska's blue-eye

  Pseudomugil paskai

  1.4 in (3.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
• Popondetta blue-eye

  Pseudomugil connieae

  2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Red neon blue-eye

  Pseudomugil luminatus

  1.4 in (3.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Red rainbowfish

  Glossolepis incisus

  5.5 in (14 cm)34 gal (130 L)72–77°F (22–25°C)

• 

  Sepik rainbowfish

  Glossolepis multisquamata

  5.5 in (14 cm)55 gal (208 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)

• 

  Spotted blue-eye

  Pseudomugil gertrudae

  1.5 in (3.8 cm)17 gal (65 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)

• 

  Threadfin rainbowfish

  Iriatherina werneri

  1.6 in (4 cm)13 gal (50 L)72–86°F (22–30°C)

• 

  Western rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia australis

  4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (115 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)