|
 |
| Melanotaenia fredericki - photo© Neil Armstrong |
(Fowler, 1939)
Sorong Rainbowfish
Description
The basic body colour is mauve with blue reflective scales above the midlateral band. They have a broad yellow shading immediately below the midlateral band on the middle of the body (most prominent in juveniles). Mature fish sometimes show the yellow colouration only on the scale edges. The fins are mainly translucent, but the dorsal, anal and caudal may have a hint of yellow or red.
Distribution
Currently found only in a few small creeks in the vicinity of Sorong at the western end of the Vogelkop Peninsula, West Papua. It is also known from the Sampson River drainage in the north of Sorong.
Habitat & Ecology
Melanotaenia fredericki is found in clear, slow flowing streams in closed canopy rainforest. Usually found around sub-surface vegetation, submerged logs, or branches. May reach a maximum size of 12 cm, but usually less than 10 cm. Males are more brightly coloured, larger, and deeper bodied than females. Spawning females produce between 50 and 150 eggs, spawning a number of times daily for several days. Eggs adhere to fine-leaved plants or among the roots of floating vegetation which hatch around 6-7 days.
 |
| Melanotaenia fredericki [Juvenile] - photo© Neil Armstrong |
Remarks
A number of live specimens were collected by Heiko Bleher in 1992 and distributed in the international aquarium hobby.
© Copyright Adrian R. Tappin
Updated January, 2007.
|
