Madagascar Rainbowfish

Give Your Fish Friend a Happier Home!

Your fish deserves more than just a bowl! Explore our collection of aquariums designed to create a healthier, more vibrant habitat for your aquatic friends. Easy to maintain, visually stunning, and perfect for every home.

Click image to enlarge

Looking for easy to maintain tropical fish combinations?

Scientific Name

Bedotia madagascariensis

Min. Tank Size

50 gallons

Personality

Peaceful

Temperature

68-75°F

pH

5.5-7.5/7-15°dGH

Size

6"

Diet

Omnivore

Breeding

Egglayer

Compatibility

Other Rainbowfish, Barbs, Characins, peaceful Cichlids, Corydoras and Plecostomus. Avoid tank mates that are the least bit aggressive, including any that may be occasional fin nippers.

Madagascar Rainbowfish

The Madagascar Rainbowfish can be found in its native habitat of Africa, specifically the island of Madagascar. The Madagascar Rainbowfish is also known as the Red-tailed Silverside. These fish typically inhabit coastal waters, streams and rivers and have been found in both densely planted and rocky environments. This species of Rainbowfish has a silver body ornamented with a dark lateral stripe extending from the caudal fin through the eye. The fins of these fish are usually black at the base and fringed in red.

Tank Set-Up

Madagascar Rainbowfish tend to prefer slightly acidic water, but are otherwise undemanding in regards to water parameters. In the aquarium, replicate its natural environment by providing highly oxygenated water and a certain amount of current. This can be achieved by placing the return of a canister filter at water level facing down the length of the aquarium. Because they can appear washed out in harsh lighting, the Madagascar Rainbowfish are best kept in tanks with dim lighting and dark substrate. This is a peaceful, and quite timid, species of Rainbowfish. Therefore, it is best kept in groups with at least 6 – 8 of its own kind, preferably more, and tankmates that are prone to being rowdy and boisterous should be avoided. It should also be noted that, although the Madagascar Rainbowfish is peaceful and timid, any fish small enough to fit into the mouth of the Madagascar Rainbowfish should be avoided as well.

Feeding

This fish doesn’t seem to be a very picky eater since it will accept just about anything offered. A typical aquarium diet should include live and frozen foods, such as blood worms, brine shrimp, and Daphnia, as well as some vegetable matter. Feed a varied diet consistently to promote optimum health and coloration.

Breeding

There have been many successful reports of breeding this species in captivity. Breeding tanks for a Madagascar Rainbowfish should be kept at a pH of 7.5 and a temperature between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. These fish should be conditioned in groups which may spawn continuously for as long as eight weeks. The parents will not eat the eggs or fry.