Can Neon Blue Cichlid and New Guinea Rainbowfish Live Together?

Neon Blue Cichlid is a generally mild-mannered species (3/10), while New Guinea Rainbowfish is peaceful (2/10). This modest difference means Neon Blue Cichlid may occasionally assert dominance over New Guinea Rainbowfish.

Neon Blue Cichlid and New Guinea Rainbowfish both frequent the Middle (Open Water) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Worth noting: New Guinea Rainbowfish is a known jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

The safe temperature window for both species falls between 24°C and 27°C. Aim for the midpoint of this range (around 25.5°C) for optimal comfort.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 8 and 8. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 10–15 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house Neon Blue Cichlid and New Guinea Rainbowfish together, plan for an aquarium of at least 150 litres with a minimum length of 90 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Because this pairing requires extra vigilance, include plenty of hiding spots — caves, driftwood, and dense plant clusters — so the less dominant fish can retreat when needed.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Sand (Sifters), Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels), Plants - lighly covered. Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Both species do well with moderate (standard) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.

This pairing usually fails when the tank is treated like a standard mixed community and the caution flags are ignored. Neon Blue Cichlid and New Guinea Rainbowfish need extra room, more cover, and closer observation during the first few weeks so small aggression, feeding, or territory issues do not snowball into a long-term problem.