We will talk about dwarf rainbow fish care in this blog post. We will also discuss important factors such as their habitat,types,lifespan, tank set-up,water parameters and healthcare,etc.Everything you need to know about dwarf rainbow fish care will be briefly discussed.
Overview
In this blog
- Key specifications of dwarf rainbow fish
- Why is dwarf rainbow fish care important?
- How many dwarf rainbow fish should you start with as a newcomer?
- Habitat of dwarf rainbow fish
- Types of dwarf rainbow fish
- Different strains or colors of dwarf rainbow fish
- General and physical attributes of dwarf rainbow fish
- Dwarf rainbow fish lifespan
- Dwarf rainbow fish tank set-up
- Dwarf rainbow fish diet and feeding requirements
- Dwarf rainbow fish healthcare and health conditions
- Dwarf rainbow fish daily care and bi-weekly care tips
- Summary
How to take care of Dwarf rainbow fish?
Daily care tips for dwarf rainbow fish
- Water should be monitored on a daily basis.
- Recurrent feeding of freeze dried and frozen food will help them to display best health and colouration.
- Defrost or thaw frozen food before feeding them.
- Excellent jumpers, so use a lid to cover the tank.
- They should be fed small amounts 2-3 times a day.
- It is very important to remove uneaten food or leftovers from their tanks on a daily basis with the help of a gravel siphon to avoid water pollutants,as they are sensitive to poor water conditions.
Bi-weekly care tips for dwarf rainbow fish
- 25%-50% water changes should be done weekly.
- Live food should be quarantined for 15 days before feeding them to avoid infections.
- Water testing kits should be used weekly to keep the levels of organic pollutants and pH fluctuations in check.
- New tank mates by default should be quarantined for 2-3 weeks before adding them to the main tank.This will avoid infections.
- Tank equipment,decors and plants should be cleaned weekly to avoid infections.
Key specifications of Dwarf rainbow fish
| Name Scientific name Synonym | Dwarf rainbow fishTeczanka neonowaMelanotaenia praecox |
| Family | Melanotaeniidae |
| HabitatConservation status | Indonesia Least concern |
| Lifespan | 4 years in aquarium settings |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Body sizeBody shapeColorSexual dimorphism | 2.5 inches (6.35 cm)Round and elongated Grayish pink(blue tones)Yes |
| Another names | Dwarf neon rainbowfishNeon rainbowfishPraecox rainbowfish |
| Optimum temperatureOptimum pHWater hardness | 72F-79F6.8-7.55-15 dKH |
| TemperamentBeginner or experienced | Peaceful (males bit aggressive)Both levels |
| Care level | Easy to moderate |
| Tank size and set-upTank type (Prefered) | 15-29 gallons (50-60 cm)Heavily planted tankMedium-sized community tank |
| Preferred plants/decorations | Live floating plants |
| Compatibility | Non aggressive/peaceful/tropical fish |
| Number of dwarf rainbow fish species found | They differ just in colouration. |
| Breeding | Continuous spawners-They breed almost every single day by scattering the eggs. |
Why is dwarf rainbow fish care important?
They do not need a lot of special care as a newcomer.They get nervous or stressed when kept alone, so it’s an important care parameter,never ever keep them alone as they shoal together.
Maintain the pristine water conditions and feed them a high quality nutritious food for better colouration.
How many dwarf rainbow fish should you start with as a newcomer?
Dwarf rainbow’s are both schooling and shoaling fish and one of the smallest rainbow fish.If you’re a newcomer then you can get 6 or more (bare minimum) juveniles together.
Make sure you are not getting only males or less females than males.Males get aggressive towards each other.
Juveniles look a bit dull than the adults but it’s better to get the juveniles as they learn to coexist with each other in the same tank. One of the best fish for newcomers because they are just so hardy and colorful.
Habitat of dwarf rainbow fish
Dwarf rainbow fish is found in slow moving tributaries and river basins of indonesia.
Types of dwarf rainbow fish
No such datas available on dwarf rainbows types.
Different strains or colors of dwarf rainbow fish
- Both male and female dwarf rainbow fish have bright and shining blue bodies.
- Both male and female dwarf rainbow fish have colorful fins.
- Female dwarf rainbow fish fin colouration-Orange yellow finnage
- Male dwarf rainbow fish fin colouration- Bright red finnage
- Males are more vibrant than females.
- Males will express their best colors when they get attention from female rainbows.
General and physical attributes of dwarf rainbow fish
- Dwarf rainbows don’t get very big, probably 2.5 to 3 inches.
- Blue shimmering scales on their body.
- Rounded and elongated in shape.
Dwarf rainbow fish lifespan
Dwarf rainbows can live upto 4 years in a well maintained tank.If you are providing pristine water conditions,by avoiding pH fluctuations and giving them a healthy and nutritious diet then surely they will live nicely up to 4 years without any issues.
Dwarf rainbow fish tank set-up
| Tank sizeLight intensitySubstrateWater parametersTemperatureTank plantsTank mates |
Tank size for dwarf rainbow fish
- Dwarf rainbow fish require bigger and spacious tanks
- Tank size-15-29 gallons (50-60 cm)
- Male to female ratio-More females than males is a very important factor in their tanks.This will keep the tank environment better.
- Dwarf rainbow fish need swimming space in the centre.They love swimming against the current.
- Dwarf rainbow fish spend their time in the upper and middle layer in the tank.
- A lid is important to cover the tank because of their jumping behavior.
Light intensity for dwarf rainbow fish
- Low- Subdued lighting is mostly preferred.
- Dwarf rainbow fish need sunlight at least for an hour or so to enhance their color.
Substrate/decoration for dwarf rainbow fish
- Imitate the natural habitat conditions.
- A dark substrate is a good choice for enhancing their colorful beauty.
- Sandy substrate with bogwood along with plant vegetation can be a good substrate for dwarf rainbowfish tanks.
- Decorative items and plants should be cleaned from time to time to avoid the growth of unwanted microorganisms.
- Avoid sharp items in the tank,as it can hurt them.
Water parameters for dwarf rainbow fish
- Dwarf rainbows survive well in warm water conditions.They require moderate water movement.
- Dwarf rainbow fish need a well filtered tank.They require a good amount of filtration, so air pumps along with filters should be there in the tank.
- Air pumps will provide high levels of dissolved oxygens in their aquarium.
- Water pH should be 6.8 to 7.5,dwarf rainbows are sensitive to pH and cannot tolerate fluctuations.They prefer more alkaline water conditions in their tank.
- They need more hardness in water to thrive well in the tank.
- Water testing kits can be used to monitor the levels of organic pollutants.
- Breeding water conditions-They require slightly hard,alkaline water of pH around 7 in their breeding tanks for a successful spawning process.
Temperature for dwarf rainbow fish
- Dwarf rainbows do best between 72F -79F
- Breeding temperature- 75F-80F
- Use a thermometer to monitor water temperatures regularly.
- Avoid temperature fluctuations,as it could make them inactive or even kill them due to sudden dips.
Tank plants for dwarf rainbow fish
- Live plants-Keep the water clean and purify the aquarium environment naturally by oxygenating their tank.
- Floating plants keeps them secure and safe when they feel threatened by other tank mates.
- Dwarf rainbows even munch on the roots of plants,and floating plants like duckweed.
- Fine-leaved aquatic plants like nylon spawning mops or java moss should be used during their breeding time.
Tank mates for dwarf rainbow fish
- Dwarf rainbow fish go well with their own species.
- They get along well with any tropical freshwater fish
- They can coexist with invertebrates.
- Avoid large and aggressive fish as tank mates.
- Avoid boisterous fish.
- Don’t keep more males together as they tend to fight with each other.
Some compatible tank mates for dwarf rainbow fish:
- Angelfish
- Gouramis
- Corydoras
- Tetras
- Freshwater gobies
Dwarf rainbow fish diet and feeding requirements
Dwarf rainbow fish are omnivores and very easy to feed.They accept all types of food but make sure you’re feeding them quality and nutritious food.
- Plant based diet- Nicely chopped fresh green leafy vegetables from your kitchen
- Meaty food
- Live food such as mosquito larvae, herobrines.It should be given occasionally.
- Live food has its own advantage and disadvantage, it contains infectious microorganisms if not gotten from a right store and advantage being the colouration it gives to the fish to enhance their beauty.
- Frozen food- frozen cyclops,brine shrimps, bloodworms,
- Cut up fish filets and fish eggs
- High quality slow sinking crushed flakes or micro pellets or tablets.
- Brine shrimps are the best food for juveniles.
- Feeding frequency-Feed them small amounts 2-3 times daily.
- Never overfeed and remove uneaten food from the tank, if they start settling in the tank it will ruin the water quality and can affect their health.
- Rotate their diets for better colourations and a healthy body.
Dwarf rainbow fish healthcare and health conditions
- Dwarf rainbows tend to get columnaris if the water conditions are not pristine.Water should be monitored daily and water changes should be done to avoid such conditions.
- White spot infection or ich infection is very common in rainbows.
- Velvet disease is also very common in rainbows.
- Poor water conditions can cause stress in dwarf rainbows and could be one of the main reasons for their death.
- Overfeeding can also be one of the main reasons for their poor health conditions.
- Bad aquarium management practices can be one of the main reasons for their poor health.
Summary
- Most common rainbow fish in aquarium markets due to their beautiful colouration.
- Very sensitive to water conditions,thrive well in clean water,good filtration and good water movement in their tanks.
- Both shoaling and schooling fish.
- Male and female ratio-More females than males should be maintained.
- Recommended for both beginners and experienced fishkeepers, considered the best beginner rainbow fish.
Frequently asked questions on dwarf rainbow fish care
What size are they sold in pet shops?
Dwarf rainbow fish are sold in the range of 0.5-1 inches in pet shops.
Can we keep dwarf rainbow fish alone?
Dwarf rainbow fish are schooling fish and shoals together in groups,so it’s very important to keep them in groups of six or more, as they dont get very big.But make sure you are keeping those bigger groups in a spacious tank for them to swim peacefully.
Can dwarf rainbow fish survive in salt water conditions?
Dwarf rainbows can tolerate low-salinity levels in their tanks.
