Physical description: An elongated and laterally compressed fish with a small head and a large eye. There are two dorsal fins, and the anal fin has a long base. The male is silver with a blue iridescence. The flanks are marked with seven lateral stripes. These are yellow becoming red near at the caudal penuncle. The gill cover is marked with an orange-red spot. The fins have a greenish base with blood red outer parts. The colors of the females are less intense. Size/Length: To 2.8" (7 cm) Similar species: Melanotaenia fluviatilis, M. nigrans Habitat: Northern Australia. S: middle, top Aquarium: A tank measuring 28" (71 cm) with a capacity from 20-25 gallons (76-95 L) is sufficient. Follow suggestions for M. fluviatilis. Water chemistry: pH 7-8 (7.0), 8-15 dH (10), 68-77°F (20-25°C) Social behavior: A peaceful schooling species recommended for a community tank. Suggested companions: Rainbowfish, Barbs, Danios, tetras, Gouramis, Corydoras, Livebearers FOOD: Live; insect larvae, crustaceans, worms, insects; flakes SEX: Males more colorful with a pointed first dorsal fins. Breeding techniques: As for M. fluviatilis. The parents will ignore the eggs. Breeding potential: 5. Breeding is easy. Remarks: The Dwarf Rainbow requires frequent partial water changes to fully develop its colors. Difficulty of care: 3. This robust fish is suitable for a community tank. Recent articles about fish Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees (2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health. Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees (10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine. Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater (12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina. |
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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2009 The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me. |
