Banded rainbowfish

The banded rainbowfish is a robust, deep-bodied species from the rivers and billabongs of northern Australia, including Cape York and the Northern Territory. Numerous geographic forms exist, differing in colour from blue and green to intense red and orange, all sharing a dark horizontal midline that gives the species its name. Growing to around twelve to thirteen centimetres, it is a peaceful but very active swimmer that needs a long tank and a group of at least six to look and behave its best; males intensify colour and 'flash' when competing. It suits spacious community setups with other rainbows and larger, robust community fish. Keep it in warm, neutral, soft to moderately hard water with strong filtration, open swimming areas and planted margins. An omnivore, it takes flakes, pellets and frequent small live or frozen foods for peak colour.