Rainbowfish community — 100L
Boesemani rainbowfish, harlequin rasboras, and corydoras in a 100L: active, colourful, and straightforward to maintain for intermediate keepers.
Stocking — 100L
Tank volume is below published minima for at least one species — shop size is not adult swimming space. Review supporting points next, then re-run the check.
**Primary issue:** Tank volume is below published minima for at least one species — shop size is not adult swimming space. **Hard conflicts on file** (water, pairing, size, or bettas) — resolve red items before fine-tuning decor or food. 20 fish across 3 species in 100L. Shared temperature 24–26°C. Stocking: **overstocked** (load index 180 vs ref 100). 2 high-severity pairing flag(s).
Why this setup works
Rainbowfish are an underused group in the hobby. Boesemanis in full colour — electric blue front half, vivid yellow-orange rear — rank among the most striking freshwater fish available, and they are active, hardy, and straightforward to maintain compared with many similarly showy species. The reluctance of the hobby to embrace them more widely is largely a marketing failure.
Six boesemanis in 100L is workable if the tank has good length and you keep up with water changes. They are active swimmers that appreciate tank width, not just volume. A 100L aquarium with a 90cm footprint serves them better than a deep cube of the same volume. They are also fish that look progressively better as they mature — a juvenile boesemani is attractive; a two-year-old male in peak colour is exceptional.
The harlequin rasboras are the community glue. They are peaceful with everything, mid-level swimmers, and their coppery-red bodies complement the boesemani colouration rather than competing with it. Eight harlequins in 100L is a comfortable group; they will school loosely with the boesemanis under low light or when startled.
The corydoras at the bottom complete the zone distribution. They clean up any sinking food and their presence at the substrate reduces the pressure on the boesemanis to compete for floor-level scraps. Corydoras need their group — six minimum, eight is better.
Temperature 24–27°C, pH 7.0–7.5. Boesemanis want moderately hard, neutral to slightly alkaline water — this is different from the soft acid water a lot of fish prefer, and it is why this combination uses rasboras rather than cardinals or neons (which want the opposite water chemistry).
Pair checks in this setup
Customise this stocking
Open the interactive editor pre-loaded with this setup, then add or swap species.
Other stocking scenarios
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Your stock
Tank volume is below published minima for at least one species — shop size is not adult swimming space. Review supporting points next, then re-run the check.
Overstocked for this volume
Load index 180 vs conservative reference 100 for 100L (adult cm × quantity × bioload weight × territory factor).
One or more species profiles are only partially verified or need verification — treat numbers as planning guidance, not guarantees. At least one species has ID or trade-name ambiguity on file — plan for a typical trade example, not every shop label. Elevated risk verdict — we bias toward safety; your reading of specialist sources still matters.
Pair compatibility for any two species · Fish library
Critical problems
- Boesemani Rainbowfish needs about 150L minimum for adult size (~11cm) and normal swimming space — your 100L tank is below that. Shop size is not adult size.
- Boesemani Rainbowfish + Harlequin Rasbora: Boesemani Rainbowfish + Harlequin Rasbora: Tank may be too small. Boesemani Rainbowfish and Harlequin Rasbora together need at least 150 litres. Your tank is 100 litres. Real tanks add variables Fishori cannot model; treat this as a high-risk read, not certainty.
- Boesemani Rainbowfish + Corydoras Catfish: Boesemani Rainbowfish + Corydoras Catfish: Tank may be too small. Boesemani Rainbowfish and Corydoras Catfish together need at least 150 litres. Your tank is 100 litres. Real tanks add variables Fishori cannot model; treat this as a high-risk read, not certainty.
Warnings
- Temperature overlap is narrow (24–26°C) — heater thermostat accuracy matters.
- pH overlap is tight — large water changes can swing chemistry outside the safe band.
Water overlap
What every fish can share at the same time
Shared temperature: 24–26°C (narrow band)
Shared pH: 7.0–7.5 (tight overlap)
Shared temperature range for all species: 24–26°C.
Shared pH window: 7.0–7.5.
Stocking pressure
overstocked
Load index 180 vs conservative reference 100 for 100L (adult cm × quantity × bioload weight × territory factor).
Oscar, common pleco, large cichlids, and adult clown loaches raise the index sharply — not just length of fish.
Swim-zone distribution
Fish-weighted zone use — top 3.0, middle 11.0, bottom 6.0 (relative biomass per level).
Fish are spread across top, middle, and bottom zones reasonably for a community layout.
Compatibility summary
Species pairing: avoid
critical· other- Boesemani Rainbowfish + Harlequin Rasbora: Boesemani Rainbowfish + Harlequin Rasbora: Tank may be too small. Boesemani Rainbowfish and Harlequin Rasbora together need at least 150 litres. Your tank is 100 litres. Real tanks add variables Fishori cannot model; treat this as a high-risk read, not certainty.
- Boesemani Rainbowfish + Corydoras Catfish: Boesemani Rainbowfish + Corydoras Catfish: Tank may be too small. Boesemani Rainbowfish and Corydoras Catfish together need at least 150 litres. Your tank is 100 litres. Real tanks add variables Fishori cannot model; treat this as a high-risk read, not certainty.
Activity / stress mismatch
warning· activity stress- Boesemani Rainbowfish (high activity) with Corydoras Catfish (low activity) — fast fish can outcompete at feeding time and cause chronic stress.
Pairs checked: 3 · RISKY pair flags: 2 · CAUTION: 0
Fix this setup
Grouped by scenario — work through each block in order
Volume & minimum tank
- 1.Increase tank size to at least 150L, or remove Boesemani Rainbowfish from this stocking plan.
Species pairing & temperament
- 1.Clear each unsafe species pair by removing or replacing one side — do not stock while red compatibility flags remain.
Suggested swaps
- Single-biome community: e.g. soft-water South Americans together (tetras + corydoras + small gourami) — run the pair tool for every add-on.
- Species or centrepiece tank: one main species (or one compatible pair group) in a right-sized aquarium with dither fish from the same water profile — not random continent mixing.
- Where a pleco is the volume problem, consider bristlenose pleco instead of common pleco for sub-200L plans.
Beginner difficulty
advanced
- Includes intermediate species — stable parameters matter.
- Serious compatibility or tank-size issues — not a beginner layout until resolved.
Behaviour & stress
Boesemani Rainbowfish (high activity) with Corydoras Catfish (low activity) — fast fish can outcompete at feeding time and cause chronic stress.
Fish behaviour varies. Fishori gives conservative planning guidance based on adult size, temperament, tank size and common aquarium care sources.