Red Rainbowfish

About

The red rainbowfish (Glossolepis incisus) comes from a single lake, Lake Sentani in the highlands of Irian Jaya, Indonesia, making it one of the more geographically restricted species in the hobby. Males develop a deep, laterally compressed body that turns a rich, almost metallic red-orange at maturity, while females stay a more modest olive-silver. Many mass-produced specimens don't carry the same intensity of color you'd see in wild-caught fish, so if you have the chance to source higher-quality stock, it's well worth the effort. In the aquarium, this is an active, mid-water schooling fish that does best in groups of at least six to eight individuals. Males kept together will display to one another and show off their best color, which is really the whole point of keeping them. They're peaceful in temperament, but their size and quick movements can stress smaller or more delicate tankmates. Pairing them with similarly active fish like other rainbowfish, danios, barbs, or Corydoras tends to work well. Breeding is relatively straightforward for an intermediate keeper. They're egg scatterers that deposit a few adhesive eggs daily among fine-leaved plants, and the adults generally leave the spawn alone. Fry are sensitive to water quality, so clean, stable conditions are essential when raising them.