Rainbow Shiner (Tank-Bred)

About

The rainbow shiner (Notropsis chrosomus) is one of those pleasant surprises that reminds hobbyists how much color exists in North American native fish. In the wild, this small minnow inhabits clear, cool streams across the southeastern United States, typically in the Tennessee and Coosa river drainages. Outside of breeding condition, fish show a modest but pretty iridescent shimmer along the flanks. When males come into spawning color, though, the transformation is genuinely impressive. Deep pinks, blues, and purples emerge across the body and fins, putting many tropical species to shame. Tank-bred specimens are well suited to community setups with other peaceful, similarly sized fish. Like most schooling minnows, rainbow shiners are much more comfortable and display far more naturally when kept in groups of five or more. A tight school of males in color is quite a sight. They settle in without much fuss once introduced to a fully cycled aquarium, and their tolerance for a reasonable range of water conditions makes them a workable choice for newer keepers. A planted tank with open swimming space gives them room to move and shows off their coloration to best effect.