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Australian Rainbow Fish (Melanotania fluviatilis)
Australian Rainbow Fish (Melanotania fluviatilis)
Australian Rainbow Fish
*FROG FRIENDLY*
NATIVE AUSTRALIAN FISH
murray river rainbow fish
Minimum volume requirement: 100L will comfortably house a group of 5-6
Size: 9-12cm
pH: 6 – 8.5 (while they can survive a wide range, they will be most healthy and happy at a pH of 7)
Temperature: 11°C – 30°C
Life span: 3 – 4 years
Description
The Australian Rainbowfish is a small native species averaging around 9cm in adult length (can rarely reach up to 14cm). Generally silvery blue/green with occasional green, blue or yellow tones (particularly in sunlight). A blue stripe between the snout and caudal fin may be present. Fin colours vary from being clear, yellow or red with flecks and dark margins that become intensely black in males during spawning.
Males and females can be distinguished primarily by colour in adult specimens (males are considerably brighter). Otherwise, sexual dimorphism is also apparent in the fins of this species, males have elongated posterior rays in the second dorsal and anal fins while females have rounded dorsal and anal fins, which are smaller and lack the dark edges of the males.
Distribution
Rainbowfish inhabit the inland Murray-Darling system of South Australia, northern Victora, New South Wales and southern Queensland. This species prefers still ponds, billabongs, streams and backwaters with muddy bottoms and thick vegetation where they will congregate in schools of up to 30 individuals just below the water surface.
Breeding
Breeding season occurs between spring/early summer when males conduct extensive courtship displays and become very aggressive to other males/fish. Females will release up to 10 eggs at a time usually in the early morning. They can release eggs anywhere from 2 to 4 times in one morning. After they are fertilised by the male the eggs will attach to aquatic plants until they are ready to hatch approximately one week later (water temperature should be between 25°C – 29°C.
Diet
This is an omnivorous species, they will consume almost anything that can fit in their mouth, particularly invertebrates and algae. In captivity, their diet can be supplemented with high protein pellets or fish flakes.
Rainbowfish in ponds and dams
Rainbow fish are a very resilient species well suited to life in ponds and dams. They are tolerant of a wide temperature/pH range (between 11°C – 30°C and 5.8 – 9 ) and are excellent in keeping mosquito larvae at bay.
Rainbow fish are a great option for introducing biodiversity into your system, controlling mosquito populations or, because of their tendency to move around in large schooling groups, they are good sporting fish for other predatory species you may own.
Rainbowfish are frog-friendly however large males may have the capacity to eat some of their own larvae /the larvae of other fish, a good way to ensure a strong breeding population is by introducing plenty of vegetation to your pond in order to provide larval fish with ample hiding places.
