Adelaide River Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida inornata)

Remarks: Melanotaenia splendida has several subspecies, including M. splendida splendida, M. splendida australis, M. splendida tatei, and M. splendida inornata. The Adelaide River rainbow (Melanotaenia splendida inornata), also known as the checkered rainbow, comes from a small river that runs just east of the town of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Males display red-orange bands throughout the body with lime-green and red checkered fins. Males have longer fins and much more color than females.

The fish are omnivorous and should be fed a quality flake food with supplemental proteins such as baby brine shrimp. They require clean water but tolerate a wide variety of water parameters. By providing frequent water changes, you will be rewarded with nearly continuous spawning attempts. Melanotaenia species deposit eggs in weedy areas (often mimicked by a yarn mop) and the eggs hatch 7-10 days later. Eggs can be harvested for hatching in separate tanks to avoid predation. Most Rainbows show their best colors at sunrise, when the males display their bright fins for potential mates. Having more females than males will allow for proper color displays and avoid any unwanted aggression towards lone females.