How many rainbowfish should I keep?

Keep at least 6, ideally with a mix of males and females. Rainbowfish are shoaling fish, and males colour up most when competing for female attention within a group. A single rainbowfish or a pair will be nervous and drab compared with a proper shoal.

How much do rainbowfish cost in the UK?

Dwarf neon and smaller rainbows start at about £4-£8, larger Melanotaenia species and rarer types run £15-£90 for adults. They are best bought as a group. Prices on this page are live: what you see is what's in stock today.

Are rainbowfish good community fish?

Excellent — they are peaceful, active and get on well with barbs, larger tetras, rasboras, corydoras and other robust community fish. Their only real needs are swimming length and numbers. Avoid pairing the larger, faster species with tiny timid fish that can't compete at feeding time.

What size tank do rainbowfish need?

Dwarf species like neon rainbows are happy in a well-planted 60-litre tank, but the larger Melanotaenia rainbows are strong swimmers that want a tank of at least 120 litres with open length. Height matters less than horizontal swimming room for this active group.

Is it safe to buy rainbowfish online?

Yes. Rainbowfish ship well in oxygen-charged, insulated packaging with a winter heat pack, sent midweek by a licensed live-animal courier so they never wait over a weekend. Every delivery is covered by our photo-proof live arrival guarantee — they colour up once settled in.

Rainbowfish for Sale UK

Rainbowfish for sale UK — Boesemani, Praecox, Turquoise, Threadfin, Red. Peaceful colour-shifting schoolers for the community tank.

17 products available

Every rainbowfish on this page is a live fish held in our own system before dispatch — not a stock photo. We stock Melanotaenia rainbows, dwarf neon rainbows, Celebes rainbows and pseudomugil blue-eyes, with new imports landing most weeks.

Rainbowfish ship in oxygen-charged bags inside an insulated box, dispatched Tuesday or Wednesday with a licensed live-animal courier so your fish never sits over a weekend. Every order carries our live arrival guarantee: photograph any problem in the unopened bag within 2 hours and we refund or replace.

Rainbowfish are underrated community stars — their colour is subtle in the shop tank but blazes once they mature and settle. They are active shoaling fish that reward a bit of patience. Read the care notes linked below before ordering: buy a group, give them length to swim, and let them colour up over a few weeks.

Current delivery and offer information

Follow each link for the latest terms before ordering.

Arrival guaranteeLive Arrival GuaranteeRead the current claim and evidence terms.Specialist deliverySpecialist live-animal deliverySee current price, postcode coverage and dispatch information.First-order offerCurrent first-order offerCheck the offers page for active terms.17 in stock17 in stockBrowse the current in-stock catalogue.

Browse all 17 Rainbowfish

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Frequently asked questions

Young and stressed rainbowfish hold back their colour — it is entirely normal. Once they mature in a settled tank, eat well and establish a group hierarchy, males in particular develop intense, shifting colour, often displaying most vividly at dawn. Judge a rainbowfish by its potential, not the juvenile you buy.

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