TankBud

Red shiner

Cyprinella lutrensis

Also known as Rainbow dace

FreshwaterFish

Red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis)
USFWS Mountain Prairie · Public domain

Care at a glance

Temperature
57–77°F
14–25°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
3.5 in
9 cm
Minimum tank
36 gal
135 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
United States

Overview

The red shiner is a hardy, sociable minnow that swims actively in the middle water of a coolwater community tank. It is boisterous, and it is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The red shiner is so hardy and adaptable that it has become a problem outside its native range in the United States. Fish released from bait buckets and aquariums have established wild populations there and crowded out native minnows.

Caring for the red shiner

Keep red shiners in a group of six or more, in a tank of 36 gal (135 L) or larger. Give them a gravel and sand base, some current, and water-worn rock and driftwood. They are not fussy about decor, but they need open room to swim.

They do not need tropical heat. Keep the water at 57 to 77°F (14 to 25°C), with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Keep it clean and well oxygenated.

They are easy to feed and take flake, pellets, and frozen or live foods. They are mostly peaceful, and keeping several spreads out the mild sparring that males do among themselves. Quick, boisterous tank mates suit them better than slow, long-finned fish, which they might nip.

Breeding males turn steel blue on the body, with rosy red fins and a flush of color on the head. White breeding tubercles set off those colors. Red shiners tuck their eggs into crevices in wood and rock rather than scattering them freely. Breeding them on purpose in the aquarium is hard.

Good to know

Cyprinella lutrensis is a deep-bodied North American minnow in the family Cyprinidae. It is also known as the rainbow dace.

In the wild

The red shiner is native to the streams and rivers of the central United States. It lives in a wide range of conditions, from clear water to warm, silty and disturbed rivers that many fish avoid.

Common questions

What size tank does a red shiner need?

A red shiner needs at least 36 gal (135 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a red shiner need?

A red shiner is comfortable at 57–77°F (14–25°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a red shiner eat?

A red shiner is easy to feed and takes flake, pellets, and frozen or live foods.

How big does a red shiner get?

An adult red shiner reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).

How can you tell a male red shiner from a female?

Males in breeding color turn steel blue on the body, with rosy red fins and a flush of color on the head. They also grow white breeding tubercles.

How does a red shiner breed?

Red shiners tuck their eggs into crevices in wood and rock rather than scattering them. Breeding them on purpose in an aquarium is hard.

Related species