Arfak’s Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia arfakensis
Family: Melanotaeniidae
Distribution: Melanotaenia arfakensis live primarily in the streams, but also in the lagoons and swamps, on the Prafi Plains of Western New Guinea. The Arfak Rainbowfish preferred habitat includes tributaries rich in soil and sediment deposits, submerged logs, branches, and sub-surface vegetation.
Now listed as “Vulnerable” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Melanotaenia arfakensis is under dire threat due to an increased level of unsustainable land clearing and introduced species in the nearby Arfak mountains.
PH: 6.5 – 7.5
Temperature: 24°C – 28°C (75 – 82F)
Hardness: Approximately 0-6gDH – based on the Prafi River tributaries.
Description: The male Arfak Rainbowfish can be roughly 10 cm (4 inches) long while females are usually less than 8cm. The body is a gorgeous light mauve with silvery reflections, a bluish mid-lateral band and yellow-orange stripes between each horizontal scale row. The males are usually more vibrantly coloured and deeper bodied than the females.
As these fish are not common aquarium species, the details of this rainbowfish’s social habits, general temperament and gender traits are sketchy. Despite this, we can draw educated behavioural estimations from other rainbowfish varieties, such as Boeseman’s rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani) or Duboulay’s Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia duboulayi) that are more commonly exhibited in aquariums. This leads us to infer a fish that is social, peaceful, and hardy in nature and who revels in abundant aquatic plant life in which to play hide and seek.
Diet: It is advisable to provide your Afrak Rainbowfish with a varied diet of dry and live food. An ideal mixture of brine shrimp, insect larvae and high-quality flake food would make for a happy fish.
Breeding: Melanotaenia arfakensis have never been bred in an aquarium. In their natural environment, this species distinctly pair, are open stream egg scatterers and do not guard their eggs. It is not known how they would react in a captive environment.
In general, rainbowfish should be bred in a separate spawning tank. You should lower the pH slightly and provide your fish with abundant vegetation. Rainbowfish are known to go wild during spawning so to avoid excessive stress, breed two or more females with
three or more males at any given time. This reduces the incidence of aggressive chasing. Additionally, it is advisable to remove the parents in order to prevent the young from being eaten.
Tip: Try to mimic its natural environment as closely as possible in the aquarium.
Comments: The Arfak Rainbowfish is not a common aquarium species and little is known about its specific requirements. All information here is based on its natural habitat or general information from other closely related rainbowfish species.
In general, Rainbowfish are highly adaptable, interesting and active little fish well suited to aquarium life. Their passive, community-loving nature makes them ideal for a medium to large tank.
Article/Books:
Today’s Essential Guide to Growing Aquarium Plants: The Aquamaster Series
Culturing Live Foods: A Step-By-Step Guide to Producing Food for Your Home Aquarium
Setting up a Tropical Aquarium Week by Week
Recommended Compatible Species:
Rainbowfish are a great community species in terms of their temperament and therefore live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, CorydorasCatfish (particularly Corydoras Sterbaiand Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppyand Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio(particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio) and also many Killifish make great tank mates. One thing you should take into consideration when housing rainbows with these recommended species is the water quality. Temperature and Hardness are similar but P.H. can be quite different, although it is not ideal, if you keep your water at a P.H. of 7 this should keep your community happy.
Rainbowfish are schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably no less than 10-15. Mix it up with enough females to give them a rest when the males are on the chase, but provide enough males to bring out their vibrant colours when they are in competition for female attention. Whilst this is beneficial to the health and wellbeing of the fish, a large school is rewarding for the aquarist because a school of iridescent Rainbowfish is more dramatic to the eye than a few shy fish peeking out from behind dense vegetation.
Originally posted 2009-11-03 23:08:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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