Rainbow Shiner
Rainbow Shiner
Notropis chrosomus
Rainbow Shiners are brightly colored friendly fish that are a great addition to the community aquarium. Their flashy colors are most prominent during the mating season, and even more-so in males.
They occupy the top and middle levels of the water column, minding their own business when sharing the space with other peaceful fish.
They are omnivores who are not particularly picky, so to maintain the best coloration they should be fed a varied diet for flake food and frozen shrimp.
Rainbow Shiners tend to reach a maximum size of 2-1/2" and love to exist in schooling numbers, so for schools of at least 6 being perfect for 15g tanks. They are a very hardy fish that can withstand a wide range of parameters.
Because they are a native to the Southeastern United States, they may be kept in water that is room temperature 68-74oF at the lowest end of the spectrum, and 75-76oF at the highest. Their pH should be maintained between 6.5-8.0 and their dKH between 2-15.
