All fish / Bedotiidae

Madagascar rainbowfish

Bedotia madagascariensis

Also known as madagascar rainbow, red-tailed silverside, bedotia geayi, bedotia, madagascan rainbowfish, redtail rainbowfish, マダガスカル・レインボー, 马达加斯加彩虹鱼

This is a slim, active fish with a pale yellowish body and a dark stripe running along its side. Mature males have dorsal, anal and tail fins edged in black and red. It is kept for its hardiness, its peaceful nature and the way a shoal moves together around a planted tank with plenty of swimming space.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

20 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 8

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and small pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Eastern Madagascar, coastal rivers and streams

Breeding

It scatters eggs over fine-leaved plants or spawning mops for weeks at a time, and the eggs stay attached by sticky threads. Breeding in captivity is fairly easy, but the adults will eat eggs and fry, so move the mops to a separate tank to raise the young.

Good to know

Wild numbers are threatened in Madagascar, so tank-bred stock is the better choice. Many fish sold as Bedotia geayi are actually this species.