Male Rainbow Shiners change color when they are ready to spawn.
Rainbow Shiners are shoaling fish, and do best when kept in groupings of 10 or more.
Rainbow Shiners are found in the SouthEastern United States of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. This species was originally discovered in river drainages in Alabama, but have since spread.
There is a slight color variation for Rainbow Shiners that have begun to be referred to as Rainbow Shiners Type 2. These fish have more yellowed fins opposed to reddish.
 
 
Rainbow Shiner
Rainbow Shiners (Notropis Chrosomus) are a popular choice for aquarium hobbyists as they are considered a relatively easy fish to care for. Rainbow Shiners are a beautifully colored fish that change color when they are ready to spawn. Rainbow Shiners have translucent colored bodies with a silver black colored stripe that runs down the length of their bodies. The color of their bodies changes from a pinkish to a goldish color with their fins being red at the base.
It is the males that change color when they are about to spawn. Their fins turn blue, their heads turn purple, and their noses become red. This makes it easy for a breeder to identify when they are ready to spawn.
Rainbow Shiner Food & Diet
Rainbow Shiners are described as a micropredator, and a drift feeder. When it is in the wild, Rainbow Shiners are a more opportunistic feeder than a picky one. They spend their time feeding on insects, plant matter, and invertebrates that drift by them on the current. During the winter and spring months, Rainbow Shiners eat a lot more to prepare themselves for the spawning season.
In captivity, Rainbow Shiners will accept a wider variety of high quality frozen foods, flakes, and pellets. Microworms, and tubifex are a good choice to feed these small fish. Make sure that they are getting small enough pieces that they can fit them into their mouths.
Rainbow Shiner Size & Lifespan
Rainbow Shiners are a smaller fish that only reaches a maximum of 3 inches at full maturity, but they do not often reach their maximum length in captivity. When properly cared for, the Rainbow Shiner can live anywhere from 3 to 5 years. Maintaining a proper setup for these fish is key to getting them to live longer.
Rainbow Shiner Tank Requirements
Rainbow Shiners are schooling fish, and they need to be kept in a minimum grouping of 6 to 8 fish. Although, a larger school of 10 or more Rainbow Shiners is more ideal. The small school should be kept in a minimum of a 20 gallon tank, while increasing the gallon amount for additional fish.
Rainbow Shiners can be kept in a wider range of temperature starting at 50°F and going all the way to 72°F. They also require a pH of 6.5 to 8.0.
You will want to provide them with a tank that has well oxygenated water, with a medium to strong current. This mimics their natural habitat in the wild and will make them more comfortable.
Rainbow Shiner Tank Setup
Rainbow Shiners will mostly inhabit the top and middle water column of their tank, but they can be seen looking for food at the bottom too. In the wild, they typically inhabit the more shallow waters where they will scavenge the current for food. It is for this reason that Rainbow Shiners would do better in a tank that is longer and wider opposed to tall.
When setting up a tank for Rainbow Shiners it is important to give them an environment that is similar to their habitat in the wild. Heavily planted tanks with rocks and driftwood will give them many places to explore and hide. You will also want to make sure that your tank also provides them with well oxygenated water and a moderate to strong current.
You will want to ensure that your tank has a lid as well. When Rainbow Shiners are in their spawning season they get very active, and it is not uncommon for them to jump out of their tank during the excitement of this time.
Rainbow Shiner Tank Mates
Rainbow Shiners are shoaling fish, so the most compatible tank mates for them would be other Rainbow Shiners. They require a minimum school of 6 to 8, but do much better in schools larger than 10. It is good to keep a mixture of males and females together. The males like to display to potential mates and show off for rivals.