Fly River rainbowfish
Melanotaenia sexlineata
- Adult size
- 6 cm2 in
- Group
- 6+
- Tank length
- 100 cmabout 3 ft (39 in)
- Lifespan
- 5–8 yrs
- Temperature
- 24–30 °C75–86 °F
- pH
- 6.1–7.4
- Hardness
- 1–15 dGH
- Diet
- omnivore
Keep a group with more females than males in a long, open tank; colours peak in mature fish with good light and swimming room.Keep a group with more females than males in a long, open tank; colours peak in mature fish with good light and swimming room.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Brevis shell dweller
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Caudopunctatus
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Multies
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Parkinson's rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Pindani
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Rusty cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Saulosi cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Similis shell dweller
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Afra cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- African knifefish
African knifefish may eat Fly River rainbowfishAfrican knifefish may eat Fly River rainbowfish
- African pike
African pike may eat Fly River rainbowfishAfrican pike may eat Fly River rainbowfish
Sources
| temperature | 24–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low |
|---|---|---|
| ph | 6.1–7.4 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low |
| gh | 1–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| origin | Fly River basin, Papua New Guinea | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| notes | Keep a group with more females than males in a long, open tank; colours peak in | 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, #D97A3A, #3A3A4A | 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 |