Beautiful, almond-shaped fish with an iridescent blue sheen that shines in the light is known as the neon Dwarf Rainbow Fish. This resilient species is highly active and has a gentle temperament, which goes well with many calm and semi-aggressive tank mates. Discover how to look after this rainbowfish that is suitable for beginners.
What Do Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish Look Like
Melanotaenia praecox, a 3-inch (8-cm) rainbowfish, may be found in the streams and tributaries of the New Guinea rainforest. The females have a silvery body with yellow fins, while the males have a brilliant blue body with red-orange fins. They are reasonably priced for a Rainbowfish and cost between $5 and $7 since they are one of the smaller Melanotaenia species.
How To Create A Neon Rainbowfish Aquarium
They swim swiftly, thus we suggest a 20- or 29-gallon aquarium. Dwarf Rainbow Fish are native to tropical regions and thrive in temperatures between 74 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (23 and 27 degrees Celsius). They like alkaline, hard water. Because our tap water is soft, we prefer to add crushed coral to buffer the pH and mineral supplements (like Wonder Shell and Sachem Equilibrium) to improve GH. Neon rainbows look great in planted aquariums, and bigger plants may conceal the males’ view while they fight. Rainbowfish like open water, so keep the vegetation under control.
How Many Praecox Rainbows Should Be Maintained Together
Dwarf Rainbow Fish are often schooling fish that need at least six of the same species. Because males are more vividly colored than females, it’s important to have at least one or two females for every male to reduce fighting. Also, when males brag in front of ladies, they show off their best colors and obtain a glossy stripe on their heads.
Dwarf Rainbowfish Coexist With What Fish
They can get along well with a wide variety of similar-sized tank mates, ranging from calm to semi-aggressive temperaments, thanks to their deeper-bodied profile and rapid speed. We have maintained them alongside angelfish, pearl gouramis, tetras, corydoras catfish, and smaller cichlids. They appear to leave bigger amano shrimp and filter shrimp alone, but they will make a feast out of your cherry shrimp.
Filtration And Aeration
Check the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels in your tank before adding fish to avoid giving your fish pathogens and poisons. For your tank of Dwarf Rainbow Fish, you must get a decent filter and air pump. Since they are extremely active and quick swimmers, these fish species benefit from a tank that is well aerated and oxygenated. The quantity of trash created by fish and living plants should be cleaned up right away since their tank needs a lot of vegetation. Fish with high amounts of ammonia will ultimately perish. I advise adding internal or exterior power filters in the neon rainbowfish tank to stop this.
What Do Praecox Rainbowfish Eat
These Dwarf Rainbow Fish are really simple to feed and will quickly consume whatever you place in the aquarium. We prefer to feed them smaller things that float or slowly sink, including frozen cyclops, brine shrimp, and micro pellets. They also like eating live fish meals, flakes, and bloodworms. The idea is to provide a range of meals to ensure kids obtain a well-rounded diet with all the vital nutrients.
How To Breed Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
Dwarf Rainbow Fish are egg scatterers who exhibit no parental concern. They can easily breed every day as long as you have fish of both sexes and feed them adequately, but their 1 mm eggs create extremely small fry that might be challenging to nurture. To encourage the adults to deposit their eggs in the yarn strands, we prefer to put a floating spawning mop in the tank. After a few days, fill a catch cup with water from the breeding tank and suspend it inside the tank to keep the water warm. Put the spawning mop filled with eggs into the catch cup and add an air stone to maintain the water well-oxygenated.
Origin And Habitat
Weber and Beaufort published the initial description of the Dwarf Rainbow Fish, Melanotaenia praecox, in 1922. Unfortunately, it was only discovered in 1992. Beautiful neon rainbowfish may be found in the Mamberamo River in West Papua and tiny forest streams in Western New Guinea (Irian Jaya). It is a schooling fish that loves to reside in communal aquariums. The rainbow fish is bred in captivity now, although research indicates that it was classed as a rare species in the wild in 1994.
Read More : Better Pets Life
Common Health Problems
Due to their extreme hardiness, Dwarf Rainbow Fish are very unlikely to get any diseases in a clean tank. Yet, nothing in life is certain. Please keep in mind that everything you add to your aquarium might infect your fish with illnesses. So, adequately supervise them before adding plants, substrate, decorations, and more fish. The capacity of neon rainbowfish to stave against sickness is one of its strongest characteristics. So, there is a good probability that your fish will recover from any ailment if it is detected early.
Differences Between Male And Female
The male and female Dwarf Rainbow Fish are highly distinct from one another. Keep an eye out for the fins; if they have a red edge, the fish is a male. You’ve got the female if the fins have a yellow or orange outline. The hue of females is often more silvery than that of men.
Final Thoughts
The Dwarf Rainbow Fish is a gorgeous, resilient, and extremely active fish. Their vibrant hues will make any home aquarium seem more luxurious. The nicest aspect is that this community of roughly 10 fish gets along well and shares a lot of plants and open area to swim about in. Nonetheless, they are very sensitive to changes in water parameters and may perish if those parameters are altered often. Have you ever preserved a neon rainbow? If so, please tell us about it in the section below where you can leave comments.
