Turquoise Rainbowfish

Turquoise Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia lacustris

Also known as: Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish

💧 Freshwater ✌️ Peaceful 🟢 Easy 🍽️ Omnivore Schooling (6+)

Gorgeous turquoise-blue upper body that transitions to silver-white below. One of the most beautiful rainbowfish species.

Tank Size

30 gal
minimum (55+ preferred)

Temperature

72–78°F
22–26°C

pH Range

7–8
water acidity

Max Size

4"
10.2 cm

Lifespan

5–8 years
typical in captivity

Swim Level

Middle
preferred zone

Care Notes

Prefers slightly alkaline, hard water. Active swimmer that needs a long tank. Colors improve with age and good diet.

Feeding

Flakes, pellets, frozen brine shrimp, and bloodworms. Color-enhancing foods recommended.

Compatible Tank Mates

Congo Tetra 3.5" Glowlight Tetra 1.5" Harlequin Rasbora 2" Zebra Danio 2" Bloodfin Tetra 2" Lemon Tetra 1.5" Black Neon Tetra 1.5" Diamond Tetra 2.5" Scissortail Rasbora 3.5" X-Ray Tetra 1.75" Flame Tetra 1.5" Emperor Tetra 2"

Use Caution With

Neon Tetra 1.5" Cardinal Tetra 2" Rummy Nose Tetra 2" Ember Tetra 0.8" Black Skirt Tetra 2.5" Serpae Tetra 1.75" Celestial Pearl Danio 1" Buenos Aires Tetra 3" Silvertip Tetra 2" Red Phantom Tetra 1.5" Espei Rasbora 1.5" Colombian Tetra 2.5"

Incompatible With

Chili Rasbora 0.7" White Cloud Mountain Minnow 1.5" Green Neon Tetra 1" Phoenix Rasbora 0.8" Exclamation Point Rasbora 0.7" Ruby Tetra 0.7" Oscar 14" Discus 8" Jack Dempsey 10" Convict Cichlid 5" Green Terror 8" Texas Cichlid 12"

Check Compatibility

Want to check if Turquoise Rainbowfish is compatible with a specific fish? Use our compatibility checker to build your complete tank.