Murray River rainbowfish
Melanotaenia fluviatilis
- Adult size
- 8 cm3 in
- Group
- 6+
- Tank length
- 100 cmabout 3 ft (39 in)
- Lifespan
- 5–8 yrs
- Temperature
- 22–25 °C72–77 °F
- pH
- 7–8
- Hardness
- 10–20 dGH
- Diet
- omnivore
Tolerates cooler water than most rainbows, so it suits unheated rooms that stay above about 18 °C.Tolerates cooler water than most rainbows, so it suits unheated rooms that stay above about 64 °F.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Brilliant rasbora
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Irian Jaya rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Lambchop rasboraNo shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Parkinson's rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Rusty cichlid
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- African pike
African pike may eat Murray River rainbowfishAfrican pike may eat Murray River rainbowfish
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Murray River rainbowfishAlligator gar may eat Murray River rainbowfish
- Altum angelfish
No shared water hardness rangeNo shared water hardness range
- Amazon leaffish
No shared water hardness rangeNo shared water hardness range
- Antenna ray
Antenna ray may eat Murray River rainbowfishAntenna ray may eat Murray River rainbowfish
- Arapaima
Arapaima may eat Murray River rainbowfishArapaima may eat Murray River rainbowfish
- Asian arowana
Asian arowana may eat Murray River rainbowfishAsian arowana may eat Murray River rainbowfish
Sources
| temperature | 22–25 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
|---|---|---|
| ph | 7–8 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| gh | 10–20 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| origin | Murray-Darling basin, south-eastern Australia | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| notes | Tolerates cooler water than most rainbows, so it suits unheated rooms that stay | 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 | #B8C8D8, #D94A3A, #E0C060 | 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 |
| min tank length | 100 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| body shape | rainbow | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |