Breeding Turquoise Rainbow (Melanotaenia Lacustris) In The Aquarium

Location

This freshwater fish lives in Kutubu Lake and the Soro River estuary. This species lives in areas with a lot of plants and flooded tree roots. It is endangered species because of the industry and fisher men.

Body description

Intensity of this species colour depends on intensity of the light. The lateral line divides the body in two colours - blue-turquoise or green above the lateral line and silvery-white-gold below the lateral line. Both areas are separated by black-navy blue, horizontal stripe from base of the caudal fin to first rays of the second dorsal fin. This species has big eyes, laterally compressed body, two dorsal fins and long anal fin. Male is a bit larger and more colourful than female. Body of the female is more fusiform compared to the male's body.

Temperament and behaviour

This is a shoal species. Fish prefers to live in a group of 8 minimum. Single fish can be shy or aggressive towards other species. Males show their best colours when they compete for female's attention or when they compete for domination. You should have more females than males or the same amount of each sex. Males can torment females during the spawning season. This is an active, peaceful, intelligent, inquisitive fish which likes to be on the move. It swims very fast from one end of the aquarium to another end. You shouldn't overfeed these fish because they may get ill (intestinal disease). So you should feed them 2-3 times per day with the amount of food that the fish can eat within 5 minutes. The food should be various.

Aquarium decoration

This species prefers a spacious tank. Aquarium should have space to swim, a lot of plants, floating plants, dimmed light, hiding-places among roots, branches, effective filtration system with medium water flow, sandy substrate. The fish needs clean water so you should systematically do a partial water changes and clean the substrate. You must cover the aquarium because this fish may jump out the aquarium. This species is sensitive to sudden changes in water parameters. You should keep these fish with similar size species e.g. danios, dwarf cichlids, corydoras, botias, tetras, barbs, angelfish, discus. You shouldn't keep them with other rainbowfish because they will mate with each other creating hybrids.

Breeding

This is an oviparous species. Breeding these fish is an easy task when they are sexually mature. You should breed the fish in a separate tank. Breeding aquarium should have slightly hard water with pH=7.5 and 22-24°C water temperature, fine-leaved plants (e.g. java moss), hiding-places for female. You should feed the fish with plenty of live food in the general aquarium before the spawning. You may also separate males from female's before spawning. Pair of the fish (the thickest female and the most colourful male with orange-yellow top of his head) you should transfer to the breeding tank. The fish spawn for a few days. Female lays portion of eggs on the leaves of plants every day but the most eggs are deposited on the first and last day. The parents can eat the eggs and offspring so you must remove them after the spawning. The eggs hatch after 5-7 days - it depends on the water temperature.