Edit Melanotaenia lacustris
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Name
Scientific name
Melanotaenia lacustris
Described by
Not recorded
Family
Melanotaeniidae
Common names
Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish
Photograph credits
All 2 credited
Summary
The Lake Kutubu rainbowfish, Melanotaenia lacustris, is a rainbowfish endemic to Lake Kutubu and the River Soro in Papua New Guinea. The la…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
120mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 120 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Minimum height 30 cm, Water movement Low: still or sluggish water
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 20–25°C, pH 7–9
Hardness
10–20dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Peaceful
Social needs
A shoal or group
Community suitability
Not recorded
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Papua New Guinea
Writing
Etymology
Not written yet
Distribution
Papua New Guinea, Southern Highlands Province. Endemic to Lake Kutubu and the River Soro, which flows out of the lake.
Habitat
Lake Kutubu is one of Papua New Guinea's largest lakes, measuring around sixty square kilometers in area. It was formed when debris from an erupting volcano bl…
Aquarium size
An active species requiring an aquarium measuring at least 120 ∗ 30 ∗ 30 cm - ~108 litres.
Maintenance
This species, like most rainbows, looks most at home in a planted aquarium. Provide areas of dense vegetation, along with some open areas for swimming. Other d…
Water conditions
Temperature: 20 – 25 °C pH: 7.0-9.0. It will not do well in soft, acidic conditions. Hardness: 10-20°H
Diet
Like most of its congeners, it's an unfussy, omnivorous species and will accept most dried, frozen and live foods. Regular feedings of the latter will help to …
Behaviour and compatibility
Very peaceful but can disturb smaller or slow-moving fish with its rapid movements and relatively large size. Good tankmates include other similarly-sized rain…
Sexual dimorphism
Mature males are larger and exhibit brighter colouration than females. They also develop a much deeper body than females as they grow.
Reproduction
As with other members of the genus, this is not a difficult species to breed, being an egg scatterer. The fry, however, can prove somewhat tricky to raise. The…
Notes
Unfortunately the prisitine environment form where this fish comes is being threatened by overfishing (much of it for the aquarium trade) and industry, with an…
References
References
No references