photo © Sean Evans
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| Common name: | Western Rainbowfish, Australian Rainbowfish / Rainbow |
| Scientific name: | Melanotaenia australis |
| Synonyms: | Melanotaenia splendida australis |
| Size: | 4" (10cm) |
| Origin: | North-western Australia. |
| Tank setup: | Peaceful planted tank with gentle water movement. |
| Compatibility: | Community fish. |
| Temperature: | 22-28oC (72-82oF) |
| Water chemistry: | Not critical: fairly soft to medium hard, pH around neutral (6.4-7.8). |
| Feeding: | An omnivore that eats mainly insects and aquatic larvae and crustaceans in the wild. Will take most aquarium
foods, which should include some live or frozen foods for variety. |
| Sexing: | Males show more colour, and have longer dorsal fins. They are also larger and deeper-bodied. |
| Breeding: | Like other rainbows, this species will spawn over fine plants. Eggs hatch in about a week. |
| Comments: |
This fish was originally known as one of several subspecies of Melanotaenia splendida, but is now considered a distinct species.
Colouration is variable in different populations.
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