Freshwater
Western rainbowfish
Melanotaenia australis
Melanotaeniidae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 11 cm
- Body shape
- Streamlined
Care
- Group
- At least 6 together
- Smallest aquarium
- 122 liters
- Diet
- Missing
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Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
More about the species
Description
Habitat is highly variable which includes rivers, creeks, swamps, marshy lagoons, lakes and reservoirs. Often forms aggregations at or near the surface of rocky pools or congregates along stream margins where there is vegetative cover or submerged logs and branches.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Melanotaenia splendida australis
- Neoatherina australis
In other languages
- Vestaustralsk regnbuefisk
- Australian rainbowfish, Red-tailed rainbowfish, Western Australian jewel-fish, Western Australian sun-fish, Westralian sunfish
Articles
All articles
How many fish can I keep?4 min read
Why "one cm of fish per liter" falls short, and what adult size, schools, territory and swimming zones mean for how many fish a tank can hold.
How to set up an aquarium from Australia and New Guinea4 min read
The home of rainbowfish: water, substrate, plants and light for rainbowfish, blue-eyes and peacock gudgeons, with a long aquarium and open water in the middle.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.