Neon Blue Rainbow Fish Melanotaenia Praecox 5cm
Image for illustration purposes only. Exact colours, patterns, and size may vary between individuals.
Delivered alive, guaranteed
Live fish delivery is £20 per order, delivered Thursday, Friday or Saturday, arriving before 1:00pm on the day you choose at checkout. Packed by aquatic specialists and shipped overnight with a dedicated livestock courier, every fish is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee with automatic refunds. See How Live Fish Delivery Works for full details.
When will my fish arrive?
| Order placed | Delivery day |
|---|---|
| Up to Monday 11:00am | Thursday (that week) |
| Monday after 11:00am – Tuesday 11:00am | Friday (that week) |
| Tuesday after 11:00am – Wednesday 11:00am | Saturday (that week) |
| Wednesday after 11:00am – Sunday (any time) | Thursday (following week) |
Overview
The Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish is a compact, deep-bodied shoaler whose whole flank flashes iridescent neon blue, with red fins on males and yellow-orange on females. Endemic to the Mamberamo River system in West Papua, it is one of the best rainbowfish for smaller planted community tanks, adding movement and colour to the upper levels.
- Adult Size: Around 6–8 cm (2.4–3 in); males deeper bodied with age
- Lifespan: 3–5 years
Origin
- Native to: Mamberamo River system, West Papua, Indonesia
- Habitat: Swift tributaries, swamps and marshes among plants and roots
Feeding
- Diet: Omnivorous, greedy feeder
- Preferred Foods: Flake, micro pellets, daphnia, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, bloodworm
- Feeding Habits: Small feeds once or twice daily; easy to overfeed
Tank Mates
- Best with: Groups of 6–8 or more, other rainbowfish, rasboras, tetras, Corydoras
- Avoid: Large boisterous species and fin-nippers
Aggression & Behaviour
- Temperament: Very peaceful, somewhat skittish
- Territoriality: None; males only display to each other
Experience Level
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Challenges: Needs a group, floating cover and stable, clean water to colour up
Water Parameters
- Water Type: Freshwater, soft to moderately hard, neutral
- Temperature: 23–28°C (73–82°F)
- pH: 6.5–7.5
- Hardness: 5–15 dGH
- Flow: Moderate
- Tank Size: Minimum 60 litres; a 90 cm tank suits a proper shoal
Final Notes
Plant the sides and back with bogwood and floating cover to diffuse light, leaving open water in the middle where the shoal will cruise. They do not eat plants. Continual spawners, they scatter eggs over fine-leaved plants or Java moss for days or weeks and will eat eggs if underfed, so breeders move mops to a hatching tank. Weekly water changes keep the blue at its brightest.
Please Note
The livestock that is sold on our online site is not held in store at our Birchwood Aquatic Centre shop. Species sold at the Birchwood Aquatic Centre physical store may differ from ones available to order to your door.
Frequently Asked Questions
In insulated boxes designed for live transport, packed by aquatic specialists,
overnight with a licensed live-animal courier, arriving before 1pm.
It is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Photograph it within 4 hours of delivery, email info@birchwoodaquaticcentre.co.uk with your order number, and the refund is processed automatically. The cover continues for 7 days after arrival.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You pick your day at checkout; please choose a day someone is home.
Yes. One basket, one checkout; the fish arrive with the specialist courier and the rest of your order ships as normal.
We can deliver to UK mainland only for live fish.
Follow the five-minute acclimatisation steps in our When Your Fish Arrive guide: float the bags, add tank water gradually, net the fish in, lights low, feed tomorrow.