Rainbowfish | |
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Boeseman's rainbowfish, Melanotaenia boesemani, male. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
(unranked): | Ovalentaria |
(unranked): | Atherinomorpha |
Order: | Atheriniformes |
Suborder: | Atherinoidei |
Family: | Melanotaeniidae T. N. Gill, 1894 |
Subfamilies | |
See text |
Rainbowfishes are small, colourful freshwater fishes belonging to the family Melanotaeniidae, found in northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea (including islands in Cenderawasih Bay and Raja Ampat Islands in Indonesia), Sulawesi and Madagascar.
The largest rainbowfish genus and the type of the family, Melanotaenia , derives from the ancient Greek melano (black) and taenia (banded). Translated, it means "black-banded", and is a reference to the often striking lateral black bands that run along the bodies of those in the genus Melanotaenia.
The Melanotaeniidae is characterised by having their distal premaxillary teeth enlarged. They have a compressed body with the two dorsal fins separated by a small gap between them. There are 3–7 spines in the first dorsal fin while the second has 6–22 rays, with the first ray being a stout spine in some species, the anal fin has 10–30 rays and, again, the first may be a stout spine in some species. The lateral line is either weakly developed or absent. They have comparatively large scales and these number 28–60 in the lateral series. The pelvic fins are attached to the fish's abdomen by a membrane which runs along the length of the innermost ray and this is a feature which can be used to separate rainbowfishes from silversides (Atherinidae), although the membrane is easily torn. The majority of the species in this family demonstrate conspicuous sexual dimorphism, with the males usually being the more colorful sex and also showing an elongated median fin ray. [1]
Most species of rainbowfish are less than 12 cm (4.7 in) in length, with some species measuring less than 6 cm (2.4 in), while one species, Melanotaenia vanheurni , reaches lengths of up to 20 cm (7.9 in). They live in a wide range of freshwater habitats, including rivers, lakes, and swamps. Although they spawn all year round, they lay a particularly large number of eggs at the start of the local rainy season. The eggs are attached to aquatic vegetation, and hatch seven to 18 days later. Rainbowfish are generalized omnivores, feeding on small crustaceans, insect larvae, and algae. [2]
Melanotaenia, Pseudomugil , and several other genera of rainbowfish include species that regularly appear in the aquarium trade. In the wild, some rainbowfish populations have been severely affected by the aggressive introduced eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki), tilapia cichlids, and pollution.
Melanotaeniidae is divided into a number of subfamilies; these families have been considered by some authorities to separate families, but the 5th Edition of Fishes of the World classifies these as subfamilies of a single family as they form a monophyletic group or clade. They are therefore classified as follows: [1]
Phylogeny based off Unmack et. al. 2013, [3] with additional species from Nugraha et. al. 2015; [4]
Atherinoidei |
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Rainbowfish usually do best with tropical community fish, such as tetras, guppies, and other rainbowfish. However, two males may sometimes fight at breeding season if there are not enough females. Rainbowfish usually eat floating flakes in captivity, because in the wild they will often eat insects floating on the surface.
In a home setting, these fish need well-oxygenated water with a pH level of 6.8 – 7.2, optimal temperatures varying between 72 and 82 °F (22–28 °C), and plenty of aquatic plants to give them hiding places amid their school. If properly cared for, Rainbowfish can live up to 5 years in captivity. [5]
Axelrod's rainbowfish is a species of rainbowfish in the subfamily Melanotaeniinae. It is found in Papua New Guinea in the Yungkiri stream in the north western part of that nation. Typically its preferred habitat is a narrow stream with gentle moving, cloudy water surrounded by lush rainforest.
Chilatherina is a genus of rainbowfishes that is endemic to freshwater in New Guinea.
Melanotaenia is a genus of rainbowfish from Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and nearby smaller islands.
The Waigeo rainbowfish is a species of rainbowfish in the subfamily Melanotaeniinae. It is endemic to West Papua in Indonesia. It reaches a maximum length of around 7.5 cm. This species was described as Rhombatractus catherinae in 1910 by Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort|de Beaufort from a type locality which was given as a rivulet flowing into the Rabial River in Waigeo. de Beaufort gave this species the specific name catherinae to honour his wife, Catherine, who had assisted him on the expedition on which the type was collected.
The corona rainbowfish is a species of fish in the family Melanotaeniidae. It is endemic to West Papua in Indonesia. Only two specimens of this rainbowfish have ever been collected, both males from the Sermowai River in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, which were collected in 1911 by K. Gjellerup.
The Lake Eacham rainbowfish is a species of rainbowfish in the subfamily Melanotaeniidae which was thought to be endemic to Yidyam, Queensland, Australia but has proven to have a wider range.
The Popondetta blue-eye or Popondetta rainbowfish, is a species of fish in the subfamily Pseudomugilinae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea where it occurs at three localities around Popondetta in the east of the country. This species inhabits clear, fast flowing freshwater streams, although it has been reported from brackish water. This species was described in 1981 as Popondetta connieae by Gerald R. Allen from a typelocality of Auga Creek, about 5 kilometres south of Popondetta where Allen collected the 200 types along with Brian Parkinson. Allen gave it the specific name connieae to honour his wife, Connie, who normally prepared Allen's manuscripts for publication. This species is sought-after in the aquarium trade and is available in the European and Australian markets.
Pseudomugil is a genus of fish in the subfamily Pseudomugilinae endemic to Australia and New Guinea, where they are found in freshwater rivers and streams and bodies of brackish water.
The honey blue-eye is an endangered species of fish in the subfamily Pseudomugilinae. It is endemic to southeastern Queensland, Australia, where it is found in mildly acidic, often tannin-stained, ponds and streams in wallum habitat.
The Murray River rainbowfish, known less commonly as the Australian rainbowfish, is a species of freshwater fish endemic to southeastern Australia. The southernmost species of all rainbowfishes, these fish are very colourful, hence the name; and there is sexual dimorphism with the males being larger and more colourful than females. Murray River rainbowfish are schooling fish and will congregate near logs or riverbanks, and are a popular aquarium fish.
The Pseudomugilidae, the blue-eyes, are a subfamily of atheriniform fish in the rainbowfish family Melanotaeniidae. They inhabit fresh and brackish water in Australia, New Guinea and nearby smaller islands. Blue-eyes are small fish, typically no more than 5 cm (2.0 in) in length. Like the larger Melanotaeniid rainbowfish, they spawn all year round, and attach their eggs to vegetation.
The blue rainbowfish is a species of rainbowfish in the subfamily Melanotaeniinae which is endemic to Papua New Guinea. It is found mostly in the lower and middle Kikori drainage system.
Melanotaenia duboulayi, the crimson-spotted rainbowfish, less commonly known as the Duboulay's rainbowfish, is a species of freshwater fish endemic to coastal eastern Australia, although M. duboulayi has also been kept as an aquarium fish since the early 20th century, and is the original "Australian rainbowfish".
The black-banded rainbowfish is a species of rainbowfish belonging to the subfamily Melanotaeniidae. The species is endemic to Australia. Importantly, the species is the type species of the genus Melanotaenia.
The Pacific blue-eye is a species of fish in the subfamily Pseudomugilinae native to eastern Australia. Described by Austrian naturalist Rudolf Kner in 1866, it comprises two subspecies that have been regarded as separate species in the past and may be once again with further study. It is a common fish of rivers and estuaries along the eastern seaboard from Cape York in North Queensland to southern New South Wales, the Burdekin Gap in central-north Queensland dividing the ranges of the two subspecies.
The Vogelkop blue-eye is a species of fish in the subfamily Pseudomugilinae (blue-eyes), which itself is a part of the Melanotaeniidae, or rainbowfishes. It can be found in Irian Jaya on the island of New Guinea.
Heiko Bleher is a German researcher, author, photographer, and filmmaker. He is best known in the scientific community for his contribution to the exploration of fresh and brackish water habitats worldwide. He has discovered numerous species of fish and aquatic plant, several of which carry his name or are named in honor of Bleher's family.
Atherinoidei is a suborder of the order Atheriniformes comprising six families, with a mainly Old World distribution, although a few species are found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Melanotaeniinae the Australian rainbowfishes is a subfamily of the rainbowfishes of the family Melanotaeniidae. They are a group of small, colourful, freshwater fish found in northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea, islands in Cenderawasih Bay the Raja Ampat Islands in Indonesia and in Madagascar.
Pseudomugil ivantsoffi is a species of blue-eye from the subfamily Pseudomugilinae, part of the rainbowfish family Melanotaeniidae. It is endemic to Western Papua in Indonesia. It was described in 1999 by Gerald R. Allen and Samuel J. Renyaan from types collected in southern Irian Jaya at two locations one a tributary of the Kopi River approximately 1 kilometre of the Tembagapura Road and from the mile 39 Camp of the Freeport Mining Company in 1995.