Distribution:
   The Threadfin Rainbowfish or Featherfin Rainbowfish was described by Meinken in 1974. They are found in Indonesia, New Guinea and Northern Australia where they primarily inhabit densely vegetated pools, swamps, and slow moving streams.

Status:
   This species is not on the ICUN red list.

Description:
   The Threadfin Rainbowfish or Featherfin Rainbowfish is a small streamlined fish. The sexes have different fin shapes and color patterns. The male colors are difficult to describe because they will vary greatly based on health, diet, lighting, and even rank in the school. The basic body color is silver. The top will reflect blue and the bottom reflects orange. Mature specimens will show faint vertical stripes that run along the back bone. The first dorsal fin is fan shaped and will be some combination of red, black, yellow, red, or orange. The second dorsal fin, the pelvic fins, and anal fins are black or dark yellow. The tail is blue or clear with red tips.
   Females will be a lovely honey color with greenish accents and transparent fins. Colors of young specimens and stressed specimens (like in a pet store) will be nowhere near as nice as mature, calm specimens. Also, fish who genetically originate from different rivers will have significant differences in coloration.

Size - Weight:
   This fish will generally reach about 2 inches (5 cm) in the home aquarium.

Care and feeding:
   Threadfin Rainbowfish are omnivorous.They have tiny throats and in the wild they eat small insects and diatoms. This fish should be fed finely crushed flake foods, and treated with small live foods. Feeding foods that are too large could result in serious injury to the fish.
   Threadfin Rainbowfish require a school of at least 5 individuals to show even remotely good colors. It is wise to have at least two females per male. As with many fish, Rainbowfish will do best and are most effectively displayed in tanks which simulate their natural habitat. The tank must be densely planted with a good variety of plants. Leave some open water to school. Bogwood is also a great addition because it will releasing tannins which help get the water to the swampy and acidic conditions favored by this species.
   Although small they are very active, so need at least 15 gallons or more to swim in. The tank must be very tightly covered to prevent jumps. These fish are sensitive to their water, so the aquarist must be on top of maintenance with a constant regimen of 25-50% weekly water changes being a must. A sudden, even minor drop in pH or spike in nitrates could easily kill the delicate Threadfin Rainbowfish.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   Threadfin Rainbowfish will spend most of their time in the upper regions of the tank.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Temperature: 73 - 84° F (23 - 29° C)
   Hardness: 5 - 19 dGH
   Ph: 6.0 - 7.5

Social Behaviors:
   If the aquarium is designed appropriately and at least 5 individuals are kept, the aquarist will see a lot of this fish. They love to swim around and males love to display their intense colors and fancy fins. In a school with both sexes the males will have more intense colors. Threadfin Rainbowfish usually do fine with the other bigger rainbows, unless you have boisterous specimens or too small a tank. It is fine to keep multiple males in a tank because their “fighting” is mostly just a lot of fin flicking. It is advisable to keep either one male in the school, or more than three males to prevent bullying.

Sexual Differences:
   The males will have significantly longer fins, and also display a wider range of colors than females.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Although getting the Threadfin Rainbowfish to spawn is not at all difficult in the right conditions, it is very hard to get the eggs to hatch and even harder to keep the fry alive. Soft, acidic water is mandatory for the breeding tank. The temperature should be about 78° F (26° C).
   A pair of mature specimens should be selected, introduced to the breeding tank, and conditioned with appropriate live foods. The pair should be provided with either java moss or a spawning mop. The parents will continue to spawn in batches for a few days, so remove the eggs with the spawning medium as they are laid. The fry must be fed liquid fry food or microworms until crushed flake food can be eaten.

Buy Threadfin Rainbowfish From LiveAquaria.com

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

Availability:
   Threadfin Rainbowfish or Featherfin Rainbowfish are available in stores and online in most places which stock other rainbowfish. The cost is relatively high, around $10.00 - $15.00 USD each.