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| Chilatherina fasciata - photo© Günther Schmida |
(Weber, 1913)
Barred Rainbowfish
Description
Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of Chilatherina fasciata is their deep, laterally compressed body that increases with age, particularly in males. Two dorsal fins, very close together, the first much smaller than the second. May reach a maximum size of 12 cm, but usually less than 10 cm. Their colouration is variable depending on the locality, but is more often than not brown to bluish green on the back and white to yellowish on the lower sides with a diffuse dark mid-lateral stripe. Throughout New Guinea there are effective natural barriers that isolated various populations, thus contributing to the number of different colour variations. Males usually have several diffuse blackish bars on the lower sides, above the front half of the anal-fin base.
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| Chilatherina fasciata [Lake Wanam] - photo© Neil Armstrong |
Distribution
Chilatherina fasciata is probably one of the most abundant and widely distributed rainbowfishes in northern New Guinea. They have been found in tributaries of the Markham, Ramu, Sepik, and Mamberamo River systems. They have also been collected from Lake Wanam, near Lae in Papua New Guinea.
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| Chilatherina fasciata [Clearwater Creek] - photo© Neil Armstrong |
Habitat & Ecology
They have been collected mainly in clear, slow-flowing rainforest streams, generally inhabiting deeper pools that are exposed to sunlight for most of the day. These streams usually have a substrate consisting mainly of gravel or sand and littered with leaves and other debris. The natural pH and temperature ranges have been reported as 7.5-8.1 and 27-32° Celsius.
Sexual maturation occurs at a relatively small size, usually about 3-4 cm SL in females and 4-5 cm SL in males. Males will spawn and maintain breeding activity at 20° Celsius, but intensive breeding begins at 25° Celsius. While spawning the males colour becomes very intense and the top of the head radiates a brilliant bronze to vermilion hue. Females will deposit a small number of eggs each day over a period of around seven days. Like those of other rainbowfishes, the eggs of Chilatherina fasciata are initially clear and adhere by tiny filaments to water plants. Their development will take around 8-12 days depending on temperature.
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| Chilatherina fasciata [Mamberamo River] - photo© Neil Armstrong |
Remarks
Dr. P. N. Van Kampen first collected Chilatherina fasciata in June 1910 in a stream near Njao, West Papua. Live specimens were collected for the aquarium hobby by Barry Crockford and Gerry Allen during several trips to Papua New Guinea in the late 1970's and early 1980's. More recently, Heiko Bleher has collected live specimens for the aquarium trade from various locations.
© Copyright Adrian R. Tappin
Updated January, 2007.
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