Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Rainbowfish - Blue Eyes > Australian Rainbowfish

Australian Rainbowfish

Murray River Rainbowfish ~ Crimson-spotted rainbowfish
Inland Rainbowfish Family: Melanotaeniidae

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Melanotaenia fluviatilis Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   A school of the peaceful (but very energetic!) Australian Rainbowfish will make a dazzling display in a larger show tank!

   The Australian  Rainbowfish is also known by variety of other names including Murray River Rainbowfish, Crimson-spotted rainbowfish, or Inland Rainbowfish. This species quickly demonstrates the appeal of the rainbowfish family. Males are brilliantly colored, with bold fin patterns and bright contrasting colors.

   Their disposition is peaceful but with energy, making the Australian Rainbowfish a perfect inhabitant for a larger tank. With frequent water changes and the company of the opposite sex, males will show their intense colors off best. A planted tank is an excellent way to showcase your beautiful specimens. A school of these fish will certainly brighten up any aquarium.

For more Information on keeping freshwater fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   The Australian Rainbowfish was described by Castelnau in 1878. They are indigenous to water systems of Australia typically inhabiting rivers, streams, ditches, swamps, and ponds where the water is relatively still and clear, but with thick vegetation

Status:
  Although currently not on the IUCN red list, it has faced a sharp population decline in the wild.

Description:
   The Australian Rainbowfish has a slender body with an arched back and narrow head. The eyes are relatively large and two dorsal fins are present. The base body color is an olive green or bluish brown, sometimes with a dark horizontal stripe mid body. The belly is rosy pink. There are rows of scales that reflect turqoise and green, and between the scales a thin reddish stripe can sometimes be seen. These colors are most likely to be seen in adult males. The fins are clear to reddish. Along the margin of the male's dorsal and anal fin as well as the front margin of the pelvic fins may show an outline of black, especially when in breeding colors. Female coloration is a muted version of the males. When in breeding mode the Male's body color intensifies, becoming an emerald green. It should be noted that the river from which the fish genetically originates may cause significant variations in color.

Size - Weight:
   Australian Rainbowfish will grow to be 4 inches (10 cm).

Care and feeding:
   Australian Rainbowfish are omnivores, fish which require a well planned diet for good health and coloration. About 60 - 75% of the diet should consist of a high quality processed food, appropriate for an omnivorous fish of this size. The rest of the diet should consist of live foods. Some good live food options include white worms, blood worms, or brine shrimp. If these are unavailable, frozen (defrosted) substitutes would be fine.
   As with many fish, Rainbowfish will do best and are most effectively displayed in tanks which simulate their natural habitat. A sandy substrate, dense vegetation, and bog wood all echo the native rivers of the Australian Rainbowfish. Try, if possible, to plan for one or two hours of sunlight hitting the tank. This should be at a time when you can view the tank as the illumination will make the fish even more stunning.
   Rainbowfish are not exceptionally difficult to care for provided their water is kept clean. At least 25 - 50% of the tank water should be replaced weekly, especially if the tank is densely stocked. Because they are very active swimmers it is also advisable to keep these Rainbowfish in a tank at least 30 inches long and ideally 30 or more gallons. Additionally, the tank should be securely covered as these fish are skilled jumpers and will probably do so if given the opportunity.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   Australian Rainbowfish will school in the top or middle of the tank.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Temperature: 70 - 79° F (21 - 28° C)
   Hardness: 8 - 25 dGH
   Ph: 6.5 - 8.5

Social Behaviors:
  Australian Rainbowfish do fine in a community aquarium of similarly sized fish, but do exceptionally well in a geographical tank stocked with other rainbowfish. Although generally non-aggressive, overly aggressive or very shy tank mates will make bullies out of them. Mix them with other playful but good natured fish for best results. You may notice some chasing between rainbowfish, but this is rarely a concern unless a fish is injured, has nowhere to hide, or is constantly harassed (usually a result of one of the first two).
  Australian Rainbowfish must be kept in schools of six or more, and good gender ratios are important to keep a reasonable peace among them. Although you can always keep single sex schools, you will see significantly better coloration if both genders are in the tank. Properly stocking rainbowfish is a little tricky so we include the following recommendation for stocking. Choose which type of school you want to keep and how many fish.

Sexual Differences:
   Mature males will be more colorful and have a more highly arched back.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   A breeding tank should be set up with a sponge filer and either many fine leaved plants or a spawning mop. A pair of healthy adult rainbowfish should be introduced. They should be conditioned with live foods and plant based foods. Remember, you are trying to emulate the bounty of the flood season so feed more and higher quality food than you normally would.
   After the female has produced eggs, the males will display an amazing show of intense colors and direct the female to the spawning site, spawn, and then rest. The spawning mop or plants should be removed and replaced after the spawning or the eggs will be eaten. The fish will repeat this daily for a few days, with steadily decreasing numbers of eggs produced. The parents should be removed when egg numbers fall or if the females show signs of fatigue.
   The fry will hatch after about a week and should be fed infusoria or a liquid fry food until they are able to eat small live foods. The fry are something of a challenge to raise until they are about two months old. The fry grow slowly and require clean water during the entire process.
   A problem to be aware of is crossbreeding. Rainbowfish in the wild will not breed with fish of another species, even when presented the opportunity to do so. But for some reason, rainbowfish of the Melanotaeniidae family in the aquarium will interbreed, often with undesirable results. Somehow the fry of mismatched parents lose most of their coloration. Since many of these species are rare, it is desirable to keep the bloodlines distinct, or risk losing the beautiful coloration that nature has taken thousands of years to develop.

Buy Australian Rainbowfish From LiveAquaria.com

See an overview of how to breed Rainbowfish in Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Availability:
   The Australian Rainbowfish, also sold as the Murray River Rainbowfish or Inland Rainbowfish, are moderately rare. The cost is around $5 - $15 USD per specimen.

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Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
Thank you for this info, it is helping me with my project. Thank you! :) annabel 2009-10-30

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