Slender Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia gracilis

General information: The slender rainbowfish looks very similar to the black-banded rainbowfish (Melanotaenia nigrans) and has a similar slender body shape. They are a greenish or olive-brown colour with a dark stripe across the body. Generally males are more colourful with slightly deeper bodies and slightly longer fins than females. The males of this species usually have a red margin on the dorsal and anal fins, and red tips on the end of the tail. Large numbers of the slender rainbowfish congregate in shady pools with submerged logs and branches. The temperature and pH ranges are 23-28 degrees Celsius and 6.8-7.0 respectively. Wild rainbowfish diets are reported to include algae, aquatic insects and small crustaceans.

Cultivation notes : They are a schooling fish and are best kept in a group of five or more, with a ratio of two males to one female which will get the best colour displays from the males each morning. In captivity rainbowfishes will accept most prepared foods supplied. It is best if they can be offered at least one third to a half vegetable matter. About 5 adults with three females are a good number to use for breeding. Spawning mops can be used to collect eggs from a group of fish in an aquarium. Eggs hatch in a few days to a week and can be raised easily using commercially available fry feeds and plankton cultures. They are a peaceful fish that will fit in well with most other fishes of the same size.

Distribution : The species has been recorded in the Drysdale and King Edward Rivers in the eastern Kimberley region of far northern Western Australia.

Selling details : Information page only at this stage

Reference: Allen, Midgley and Allen (2002) Field Guide for the Freshwater Fishes of Australia, information on this page supplied by Krystle Keller , ANGFA database http://db.angfa.org.au