Exquisite rainbowfish
Melanotaenia exquisita
- Adult size
- 6 cm2 in
- Group
- 6+
- Tank length
- 36 cm14 in
- Lifespan
- 5–8 yrs
- Temperature
- 24–30 °C75–86 °F
- pH
- 7.2–7.6
- Hardness
- 5–15 dGH
- Diet
- omnivore
Comes from clear, flowing rocky streams; it does best with good oxygenation, steady water quality and calm tankmates.Comes from clear, flowing rocky streams; it does best with good oxygenation, steady water quality and calm tankmates.
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 knifefish
African knifefish may eat Exquisite rainbowfishAfrican knifefish may eat Exquisite rainbowfish
- African pike
African pike may eat Exquisite rainbowfishAfrican pike may eat Exquisite rainbowfish
- Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Exquisite rainbowfishAlligator gar may eat Exquisite rainbowfish
- Altum angelfish
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 · medium |
| gh | 5–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| origin | Northern Territory and Kimberley region, Australia | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| notes | Comes from clear, flowing rocky streams; it does best with good oxygenation, ste | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| beginner friendly | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| color palette | #C8D8E0, #D94A3A | 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 |