Description
Turquoise Blue Rainbow Fish Melanotaenia Lacustris
Overview
| Synonyms | None |
| Distribution | Known only from Lake Kutubu and its outlet, the Soro River, in the Kikori River drainage of the Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
| Maximum Size | 10cm (3.9″) |
| Temperature | 21-27°C |
| Water Parameters | Will acclimatise to a wide range of conditions. pH: 6.0-7.5, dH: up to 18 degrees. |
| Compatibility | Community |
| Lighting | No special requirements |
| Sexual Dimorphism | Mature males larger & much more colourful. Males also display an orange breeding stripe on the forehead when in breeding dress. |
| Feeding | Flake, granules and frozen foods |
Description
Care
Blue Rainbowfish are a peaceful species, ideally suited to community aquaria. These beautiful turquoise fish should be maintained in groups of 6 or more due to their shoaling nature. The aquarium should be at least 4ft long, as this is an active species that needs swimming space. As with many other Rainbowfish species, the juveniles can look comparatively drab to the absolutely stunning adult fish, and so are all too often overlooked in the shops. However, once settled into the security of the planted aquarium, these young specimens will soon begin to colour up, revealing their true adult beauty. Blue Rainbowfish will not bother smaller tankmates, as their mouth/throat is too narrow to be able to swallow them. Sadly, this species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN redlist, due to man’s activities on the lake that this species is endemic to. Most, if not all of the specimens offered for sale in the trade these days are captive-bred. May also be seen on sale as the Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish.
Feeding
Flake, green flake, micropellets, and small frozen foods such as mosquito larvae and daphnia.
Breeding
A separate good-sized breeding aquarium should be set up with 75% mature tank water and 25% of dechlorinated fresh water, along with a substrate of marbles. A small air-driven sponge filter (with a mature sponge) should be added to give gentle circulation and filtration. The temperature should be set at 25 °C. A conditioned pair should then be acclimatised across to the breeding aquarium, which should be furnished with plenty of fine-leaved plants/Java moss clumps. After a time, the male will swim in front of the female, displaying the mating stripe on his forehead. He will then begin to drive the female over the plants, utilising the whole length of the tank. The eggs will be scattered over the plants a few at a time. These fish are known as ‘continual spawners’ which means that the spawning activity takes place over several days/weeks, even months in some cases. This can present problems to the aquarist in that some adult fish may begin to consume the eggs as they are scattered. Many fishkeepers have found the eggs to be remarkably tough and have had great success in siphoning them out into another aquarium (containing matching water from the spawning tank) or else using spawning mops, which, when having caught a number of the eggs, can be moved to a separate tank (again with matching water) and replaced with a new mop, as and when each series of eggs are deposited. The eggs will usually hatch in 5-9 days (dependent on temperature) and once free-swimming, the tiny fry can be offered infusoria, moving onto larger foodstuffs as they develop.
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