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Rainbowfish
/ Melanotaeniinae / Jewel Rainbowfish
Jewel Rainbowfish, Three-stripe Rainbowfish, Banded Rainbow
Melanotaenia trifasciata | Pictures
Synonyms: Rhombosoma
trifasciata
Physical description: The coloration, pattern, and body shape is variable in this species depending on its
origin.
Generally the body is elongated and laterally compressed with an arched back.
There are two dorsal fins, and the anal
fin has a long base.
A conspicuous blue-black stripe runs from the snout, through the eye, and to the caudal
fin. Another
similar stripe may be present near the belly.
Size/Length: To 4.7" (12 cm)
Similar species: Melanotaenia
goldiei, M. herbertaxelrodi
Habitat: Australia; inhabits rivers in Queensland (Cape York Peninsula) and the Northern Territory.
S: middle
Aquarium: A tank measuring 36" (91 cm) with a capacity from 35 gallons (132 L) is sufficient.
Follow
suggestions under M. splendida
australis.
Water chemistry: pH 7-8 (7.5), 8-20 dH (12), 75-86°F (24-30°C)
Social behavior: An active, but peaceful species that should be maintained in a school.
Suggested companions: Rainbowfish
FOOD: Live; insect larvae, crustaceans, worms, insects; flakes
SEX: Males are more colorful and has pointed anal and dorsal fins.
Breeding techniques: Similar to M.
splendida australis.
Breeding potential: 5.
Breeding is fairly easy in the right tank.
Remarks: Due to the wide variation of coloration, pattern, and body shape, more than one species
may make up M. trifasciata
.
Difficulty of care: 4.
This species requires frequent partial water changes.
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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