Peacock Rainbow Fish: Price, Size and Care

Peacock Rainbow is a shop name for the dwarf neon rainbowfish (Melanotaenia praecox), a small, peaceful schooling fish from New Guinea with shining blue scales and red or yellow fins. It has nothing to do with peacock cichlids. At FishyKart the Peacock Rainbow is listed at ₹210. It stays small, usually about 5 cm (2 inches), needs a group of 6-8 or more in a tank of about 60 cm (2 feet), 54 litres or larger, and does well at 23-28°C (73-82°F) and pH 6.8-7.5.

Photo: 7TP (Krzysztof Bartosik) - Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Peacock Rainbow Fish Price in India

FishyKart sells the dwarf neon rainbowfish under three names. Prices below are from our own store and change with stock and offers, so open the product page for the current price.

Because this fish must be kept in a group, budget for at least six. Young fish are often pale in shop tanks; the colour comes in as they settle and mature.

Care Sheet

Sources: SeriouslyFish and FishBase profiles for Melanotaenia praecox.

Size and Male vs Female

This is one of the smallest rainbowfish. FishBase lists a maximum of 5 cm standard length, with 4 cm as a common size; SeriouslyFish records fish up to 8 cm. Males grow larger and develop a much deeper, higher-backed body than females, a shape FishBase notes they reach at only 3-3.5 cm. Males have brighter blue bodies and red fins; females are slimmer, with paler, often yellowish fins.

Tank Setup

• Size: 54 litres with a 60 cm long base is the minimum for a small group; a 75-90 cm tank gives more swimming room.
• Layout: plants along the back and sides, open water in the middle and top where the fish swim.
• Flow: these fish come from forest streams and like some current, so a filter with a good outflow suits them.
• Lid: rainbowfish jump; keep the tank covered.
• Temperature: keep it within 23-28°C. Use a heater in winter in north India, and keep the tank out of direct sun in summer.
• Water changes: 20-25% weekly. Neutral to slightly hard tap water is usually fine once dechlorinated.

Photo: Raimond Spekking - Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Tank Mates

Peacock rainbows are very peaceful and fit most community tanks with fish of similar size and speed:

• Harlequin rasboras (₹99 at FishyKart) and other rasboras.
• Cherry barbs (₹45 at FishyKart).
• Small tetras such as the rummy nose tetra (₹65).
• Corydoras and other calm bottom dwellers.

Avoid large cichlids that can eat them, and slow, long-finned fish such as fancy guppies or bettas, which lose out at feeding time to these fast swimmers.

Feeding

An easy omnivore. A good flake or micro pellet works as the daily food. Add frozen or live food such as brine shrimp, daphnia or bloodworms a few times a week for the best colour. Feed small amounts once or twice a day.

Breeding

Dwarf neon rainbowfish are not hard to breed. They scatter eggs over fine-leaved plants such as Java moss or a spawning mop over several days. Move the plants or mop with eggs to a separate tank, as adults eat eggs and fry. The eggs hatch in 7-10 days; feed the fry infusoria first, then newly hatched brine shrimp.

Buy Peacock Rainbow Fish at FishyKart

FishyKart lists the Peacock Rainbow along with the Yellow and Neon Rainbow forms in the rainbows and gouramis section.

View Peacock Rainbow → Browse Rainbows & Gouramis →

Related Guides

• Harlequin Rasbora Care Guide
• Cherry Barb Care Guide
• Best Fish for a 20 Gallon Tank
• Rainbow Shark Care Guide