Parkinson's Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia parkinsoni

Parkinson's Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia parkinsoni) — Intermediate care, Peaceful, under Rainbowfish. Minimum tank in the app: 40 US gal min; aim for 75–82°F and pH 6.5–8. Details below match the app.

Parkinson's Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia parkinsoni) in a planted freshwater aquarium
Care levelIntermediate
TemperamentPeaceful
Min tank size40 US gal min
pH range6.5–8
Temperature75–82°F
Max size4.3 in (11.0 cm)
Captive lifespan5–10 years
SchoolingYes · 6+ recommended

Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.

Natural distribution

Indonesia (West Papua)

  • Australia & Oceania
  • East & Southeast Asia

Regional colours match the stocking calculator’s origin map.

Parkinson's Rainbowfish Tank Setup

Plan for at least 40 US gal min of water—that is the minimum in our database for a workable setup, not a challenge to crowd fish. Aim to hold 75–82°F and pH 6.5–8 without daily drama. These fish use the Mid-top zone most, so put wood, plants, or open water there accordingly.

What Do Parkinson's Rainbowfishs Eat?

We record diet as Omnivore. Offer a few food types that match—dry, frozen, or gel—and swap now and then. One flake every day for a year is how dull color and gut trouble creep in.

Parkinson's Rainbowfish Tank Mates

Temperament in the data: Peaceful. Can be pricier/rarer; stable water quality improves colour Plug your full stock list into the stocking calculator—single-species compatibility scores are hints, not a whole-tank verdict.

Are Parkinson's Rainbowfishs Good for Beginners?

We rate this as intermediate. Budget time for testing, maintenance, and watching behaviour if the water looks fine but the fish do not. If this would be your very first tank, start with something more forgiving and come back to this one.

Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.

Log tests and reminders in App-aquatic—free, same data you see here.