Bowheads! Rainbowfish Availability

The following is a list of rainbowfish that can, for the most part, be purchased in one way or another in the USA and Canada. This is not a comprehensive list, by any means. It is simply a list of the rainbowfish that I have seen for sale at one time or another via various persons or at various places. Even as I type this, a specie that I did not know was available in the USA is up for sale on AquaBid. This does not mean to indicate that those fish will be available if you follow the link I provided, just that the possibility is always there. It's a worthwhile place that you should check often for rare rainbowfish.

One word of caution when purchasing fish from AquaBid: know your seller!

There are many private rainbowfish breeders in the USA, and probably Canada, who occasionally offer an extremely rare or previously unavailable species' fry or egg mop up for sale. I have created an area on the rainbowfishes.com forums, the Eggs-Change, for those that wish to buy or sell or trade rainbowfish mops and fry. Hopefully, we'll get some posts in there. I know I will have some mops for sale/trade in the future and will post their availability there.

Please note that the Max Size for each fish indicated here is the STANDARD LENGTH and not the TOTAL LENGTH of the fish. In other words, it is the measurement from the tip of the nose to the beginning of the caudal fin (tail fin) and not from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. To see an example, click this link.

Scientific Name	Common Name	Commercial Name(s)	Max Size (Inches)
Common Rainbowfish These are rainbowfishes that are commonly found in LFS (Local Fish Shops). If your LFS does not have any in stock, chances are that they can order them in. Except in very rare cases, these will be farm bred fish. Therefore, there is always a chance that some will be hybrids sold as non-hybrids.
Melanotaenia trifasciata	Banded Rainbowfish	Goyder River Rainbowfish, [insert river] Rainbowfish, Banded Rainbowfish	5 - 6"

Melanotaenia praecox	Neon Rainbowfish	Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish, Dwarf Rainbowfish, Turquoise Rainbowfish	2½ - 3"

Melanotaenia boesemani	Boeseman's Rainbowfish	Boesmani/Boeseman's Rainbowfish	4 - 5"

Melanotaenia splendida sp	All Melanotaenia splendida spp.	Australian Rainbowfish	5 - 6"

Glossolepis incisus	Salmon Red Rainbowfish	New Guinea Rainbowfish, Red Rainbowfish, Irian Rainbowfish, "Iran" or "Iranian" Rainbowfish	5 - 6"

Moderately Common Rainbowfish These are rainbowfishes that are not commonly found in LFS (Local Fish Shops), however some of them will carry them or be able to order them in. Most likely these will be farm bred fish and therefore there is always a chance that some will be hybrids sold as non-hybrids.
Scientific Name	Common Name	Commercial Name(s)	Max Size (Inches)
Pseudomugil furcatus	Forktail Blue-eye		2 - 2½"

Glossolepis multisquamatus Glossolepis multisquamata	Sepik Rainbowfish	Emerald Green Rainbowfish, Glossolepis wanamensis, Blue Electra Rainbowfish,	5 - 6"

Iriatherina werneri	Threadfin/Featherfin Rainbowfish		1¼ - 2"

Melanotaenia parkinsoni	Parkinson's Rainbowfish	Pakistan Rainbowfish	5 - 6"

Semi-Rare Rainbowfish Very few LFS will carry these fish. However, some do on a semi-regular basis and some may be able to order them. Those that get them in on a fairly regular basis will be stocking farm bred fish and thus there is always a chance that some will be hybrids sold as non-hybrids.
Scientific Name	Common Name	Commercial Name(s)	Max Size (Inches)
Melanotaenia lacustris	Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish	Turquoise Rainbowfish, Neon Rainbowfish, Blue Rainbowfish	4 - 5"

Pseudomugil gertrudae	Spotted Blue-eye		1¼"

Melanotaenia maccullochi	MacCulloch's Rainbowfish	Dwarf Rainbowfish, Black-Lined Rainbowfish	2 - 3"

Rare Rainbowfish These are rainbowfishes that not usually found in an LFS and only a few rainbowfish aficionado shops will carry or order them. Most will be farm bred and therefore there is a great chance of hybrids.
Scientific Name	Common Name	Commercial Name(s)	Max Size (Inches)
Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi	Lake Tebera Rainbowfish	Yellow Rainbowfish, Axelrod's Rainbowfish, Axelrodi, Herbies	4 - 5"

Melanotaenia nigrans	Black-Banded Rainbowfish	Red-Tailed Rainbowfish, Dark Rainbowfish	3 - 4"

Very Rare Rainbowfish The chances of a shop carrying any of these is highly unlikely, however some of them may be gotten from shops on line or from private breeders. Again, if you buy watch for hybrids.
Scientific Name	Common Name	Commercial Name(s)	Max Size (Inches)
Melanotaenia catherinae	Waigeo Rainbowfish		3 - 4"

Melanotaenia splendida rubrostriata	Red-Striped Rainbowfish		5 - 6"

Melanotaenia duboulayi	Crimson-Spotted Rainbowfish	Duboulayi's Rainbowfish	4 -5"

Chilatherina fasciata	Barred Rainbowfish		4 - 5"

Melanotaenia affinis	New Guinea Rainbowfish	North New Guinea Rainbowfish	5 - 6"

Extremely Rare Rainbowfish These are rainbowfishes will not be found in an ordinary LFS. Only one that carries rare and exotic fish will have some of these. Your best be is to haunt AquaBid and/or find a private breeder and buy directly from them.
Scientific Name	Common Name	Commercial Name(s)	Max Size (Inches)
Glossolepis dorityi	Dority's Rainbowfish	Zig Zag Rainbowfish	3 - 4"

Melanotaenia kamaka	Kamaka Rainbowfish		2½ - 3"

Melanotaenia sp. (Batanta)	Batanta Island Rainbowfish		4 - 5"

Glossolepis pseudoincisus	Tami River Rainbowfish	Millenium Rainbowfish	3¼"

Melanotaenia parva	Lake Kurumoi Rainbowfish	Flame Rainbowfish	3 - 3½"

Rhadinocentrus ornatus	Ornate Rainbowfish		2 - 3

Chilatherina sentaniensis	Sentani Rainbowfish		3 - 4"

Melanotaenia irianjaya	Irian Jaya rainbowfish		4 - 5"

Chilatherina bleheri	Bleher's Rainbowfish		4 - 5"

Glossolepis ramuensis	Ramu Rainbowfish		3 - 4"

Melanotaenia goldiei	Goldie River Rainbowfish		3 - 4"

Glossolepis wanamensis	Lake Wanam	Emerald Rainbowfish	3 - 4"


Comments and Suggestions to:

Common Rainbowfish

Moderately Common Rainbowfish

Semi-Rare Rainbowfish

Rare Rainbowfish

Very Rare Rainbowfish

Extremely Rare Rainbowfish