Remarks: Melanotaenia praecox, or the Neon Dwarf Rainbow, is a small species from West Papua. Both sexes exhibit bright, shining blue bodies with colorful fins. The fins of the males will be bright red, while females have orange-yellow fins. Because of their small size, they make an excellent choice for smaller community tanks or breeding projects.

These fish are omnivorous and should be fed a quality flake food with supplemental proteins such as baby brine shrimp. They require clean water but tolerate a wide variety of water parameters. By providing frequent water changes, you will be rewarded with nearly continuous spawning attempts. Melanotaenia species deposit eggs in weedy areas (often mimicked by a yarn mop) and the eggs hatch 7-10 days later. Eggs can be harvested for hatching in separate tanks to avoid predation. Most Rainbows show their best colors at sunrise, when the males display their bright fins for potential mates. Having more females than males will allow for proper color displays and avoid any unwanted aggression towards lone females.