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| Glossolepis multisquamatus - photo© Neil Armstrong |
(Weber and de Beaufort, 1922)
Sepik Rainbowfish
Description
Body colouration is overall greenish with a rosy glow across the sides. There is a series of narrow stripes between each scale row and the fins are usually clear or greenish but sometimes nearly black.
Distribution
Weber's specimens were collected by early Dutch explorers from the Idenburg River (= Taritatu River) in the Mamberamo region of West Papua (see remarks).
Habitat & Ecology
This species is found on the floodplains of the large northern rivers of New Guinea. Their natural habitats include swampy lagoons and small tributary streams containing an abundance of aquatic plants. They are usually found around sub-surface vegetation, submerged logs, and branches, or among reeds and other shoreline vegetation. May reach a maximum size of 15 cm, but usually less than 12 cm. With a body depth of 6-8 cm, adults become very deep bodied especially the males.
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| Glossolepis multisquamatus [Lake Kli] - photo© Günther Schmida |
Remarks
In 1979, while collecting in the Sepik River, Gerry Allen collected a number of live rainbowfishes and brought them back to Australia, where they were subsequently bred and distributed in the hobby. He later identified them as Glossolepis multisquamatus. Unfortunately, due to the limited number of wild specimens initially collected the quality of existing hobby stocks has deteriorated considerably, and most specimens available in the hobby no longer look like the original fish (particularly Australian stock).
In 1992, Heiko Bleher collected a number of Glossolepis specimens from the Mamberamo River area in West Papua. It is unclear whether these specimens represent an undescribed species or perhaps just a colour variation of Glossolepis multisquamatus. The interesting thing is that they may be the real Glossolepis multisquamatus and that the Sepik fish previously distributed in the hobby may in fact be a new species.
We will have to wait some time before someone in the scientific arena has a good look at these fish before we will know for sure. Therefore, it is advisable not to interbreed these two varieties. The Mamberamo fish is currently being bred and distributed in Australia under the common name of "Red-eyed Tiger Rainbowfish". In Europe, it is generally known as Glossolepis sp. (Mamberamo).
© Copyright Adrian R. Tappin
Updated January, 2007.
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