Madagascar Rainbowfish Bedotia geayi

The appeal of the Madagascar Rainbowfish Bedotia geayi is easy to see. The cool shimmer of the silver scales, smoldering red fins, and thick black markings make this bold fish unforgettable. It is also a larger rainbow fish, reaching about 6 inches (15 cm) in the aquarium. Keeping a school of healthy Madagascan Rainbow specimens will reward the aquarist with an active display of beautiful coloration and hours of entertainment. It is also known as Madagascan Rainbow Fish and Red-Tailed Silverside.

The Madagascar Rainbowfish are great fish for the large tank fish keeper. They add visual interest and are able to adapt to a variety of conditions. Aquarists often find that the Madagascar Rainbowfish is more civilized than the other rainbow fish, making it suitable for pairing with a wider array of tank mates. They are a schooling fish and need to be kept in groups of at least 6 to be comfortable. But they are generally peaceful with each other and friendly with other species of similar size and temperament. These Rainbow fish do well with fish keepers that have a bit of aquarium experience, and they are a great fish to jump into breeding with.

The Malagasy Rainbowfish are endemic to the island of Madagascar off the east coast of Africa. These rainbow fish are largely unstudied in their natural habitat, and there is much still to be discovered about this group of fish. Unfortunately the beautiful Madagascar Rainbowfish is under threat in the wild because of rapid deforestation and habitat modification. It is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as vulnerable (VU).