Arfak rainbowfish
Melanotaenia arfakensis
easypeacefulmiddle swimmerMelanotaeniidae
- Adult size
- 8 cm3 in
- Group
- 6+
- Tank length
- 48 cm19 in
- Lifespan
- 5–8 yrs
- Temperature
- 24–30 °C75–86 °F
- pH
- 7.2–7.6
- Hardness
- 5–15 dGH
- Diet
- omnivore
Smaller stream rainbow that likes clear, moving water and an active group of its own kind.Smaller stream rainbow that likes clear, moving water and an active group of its own kind.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
None recorded.
Avoid with
- Black kuhli loach
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Brilliant rasbora
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Emerald eye rasbora
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Lambchop rasboraNo shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Melon barb
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Panda garra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Ticto barb
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- African pike
African pike may eat Arfak rainbowfishAfrican pike may eat Arfak rainbowfish
- Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Arfak rainbowfishAlligator gar may eat Arfak rainbowfish
- Altum angelfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Amazon leaffish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Sources
| temperature | 24–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
|---|---|---|
| ph | 7.2–7.6 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low |
| gh | 5–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| origin | Arfak Mountains, Vogelkop Peninsula, New Guinea | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| notes | Smaller stream rainbow that likes clear, moving water and an active group of its | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| beginner friendly | true | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| care level | easy | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| color palette | #C8A050, #4A6A8A | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| activity | active | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| swim zone | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| temperament | peaceful | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| fin nipper | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| long finned | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| territorial | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| schooling | true | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| schooling min | 6 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| diet | omnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| lifespan years | 5–8 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| growth to adult months | 12 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| length weight | {"a":0.012,"b":3} | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| planted safe | true | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| body shape | rainbow | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |