From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Red Rainbowfish
Glossolepis incisa
- Temperature
- 22–25 °C
- pH
- 7 – 8
- Min. tank size
- 250 L
- Lifespan
- 5-8 years
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- easy
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Glossolepis incisa |
| Family: | Melanotaeniidae |
| Origin: | Indonesia (Lake Sentani, West Papua) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | easy |
| Diet: | omnivore |
| Max Size: | 15.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | peaceful |
| Min Group: | 6+ together |
| Varieties: | No cultivated strains, but selective breeding for colour intensity is widespread among specialist breeders, and quality varies enormously between sources. A well-bred male is a considerably deeper red than an average farmed fish. Labels and older references give Glossolepis incisus; incisa is the correct feminine form. Wild stock from Lake Sentani is rarely available, and the species is of conservation concern in its restricted native range. Rainbowfish generally are worth knowing as a group. The Melanotaenia species — boesemani, praecox, trifasciata, lacustris and many locality forms — are the largest part of the trade, and most are smaller than this fish. Glossolepis contains this species along with G. wanamensis and others. Locality forms and populations are maintained separately by specialists, and mixing them is discouraged since the species hybridise readily in aquaria. For a smaller tank, the dwarf neon rainbowfish at 6 cm is the practical choice; for a large one, a mixed group of Melanotaenia and Glossolepis is among the best displays in fresh water. |
| Lifespan: | 5-8 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Medium
- Min Tank:250 L
- Substrate:Gravel or sand; planted with open swimming space
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe
- Filtration:Moderate to high (some current; well-oxygenated)
Red Rainbowfish (Glossolepis incisa) is a species of fish in the family Melanotaeniidae. It is native to Indonesia (Lake Sentani, West Papua). The red rainbowfish comes from one lake — Lake Sentani in Papua, Indonesia — and from a handful of connected waters, and it is one of the more spectacular freshwater fish available. The catch is that only males develop the red. Females stay a silvery olive-green, and juveniles of both sexes are plain, so a tank of young fish gives no hint of what half of them will become. Males take a year or more to colour up fully, developing a deep, arched back and a brick to blood-red body that intensifies during display. It reaches 150 mm standard length and needs a group of six to eight or more, in hard alkaline water at pH 7.0 to 8.0 and 10 to 20 dGH. Temperature is 22 to 25 °C (72–77 °F) — cooler than most tropical community tanks.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Keep in
- Groups of 6+
- Swims
- middle
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Red Rainbowfish
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