TankBud

Van Heurn's rainbowfish

Melanotaenia vanheurni

Also known as Vanheurni rainbowfish

FreshwaterFish

Van Heurn's rainbowfish (Melanotaenia vanheurni)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
7.3 in
18.5 cm
Minimum tank
66 gal
250 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Melanotaeniidae
Origin
Idenburg River system, Mamberamo basin, Papua, Indonesia

Overview

Van Heurn's rainbowfish is one of the largest rainbowfishes, a peaceful schooling fish for a big, long tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

Van Heurn's rainbowfish comes from such a remote basin that its rivers stayed largely roadless for a century after the fish was named.

Caring for the Van Heurn's rainbowfish

Van Heurn's rainbowfish is a big-river fish and needs the longest tank you can give it. Plan on at least 66 gal (250 L), favoring a long tank with real swimming length, open space and a sandy bottom. Add some current for it to swim against.

Keep the water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Soft to moderately hard water around neutral suits it. Feed hearty portions of a varied diet, with larger granules and pellets, frozen and live bloodworms and other meaty foods.

Keep Van Heurn's rainbowfish in a school of six or more. They are peaceful but strong, fast swimmers, so they belong with other large, sturdy, calm fish rather than small or delicate ones.

They scatter adhesive eggs onto plants or mops. Breeding them is of medium difficulty, and a group needs plenty of room to spawn.

Good to know

Melanotaenia vanheurni belongs to the rainbowfish family Melanotaeniidae, and Weber and Beaufort described it in 1922. It is built long and torpedo-shaped for life in big rivers. It also goes by the name vanheurni rainbowfish.

In the wild

Van Heurn's rainbowfish lives in tributaries of the vast Mamberamo basin in northern Papua, Indonesia. These include the Idenburg, now called the Taritatu, a system of big, flowing rivers.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Van Heurn'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 Van Heurn's rainbowfish need?

A Van Heurn's rainbowfish needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Van Heurn's rainbowfish need?

A Van Heurn's rainbowfish is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a Van Heurn's rainbowfish eat?

A Van Heurn's rainbowfish eats hearty portions of a varied diet. Offer larger granules and pellets, frozen and live bloodworms and other meaty foods.

How big does a Van Heurn's rainbowfish get?

An adult Van Heurn's rainbowfish reaches about 7.3 in (18.5 cm).

Does a Van Heurn's rainbowfish need a group?

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

How does a Van Heurn's rainbowfish breed?

A Van Heurn's rainbowfish spawns by scattering adhesive eggs onto plants or mops. A breeding group needs plenty of room, and breeding them is of medium difficulty.

Related species