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| Melanotaenia monticola - photo© Neil Armstrong |
Allen, 1980
Mountain Rainbowfish
Species Summary
Melanotaenia monticola males generally have a lilac blue to greenish coloured wash over the body, fading to silvery white on the chest and abdomen. Scales are edged with a coppery gold colouration. They have a very prominent black mid-lateral stripe extending from the eye to the caudal fin base. Females are similarly coloured but not quite as bright. When spawning, the colouration of the males becomes more intense. The upper part of the head and body become very dark and a vivid orange coloured nape band is flashed on and off on top of the head. They may reach a maximum size of 10 cm.
Distribution & Habitat
Melanotaenia monticola are found in a relatively small area of the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea between Mendi and Lake Kutubu. They have been collected from small headwaters tributaries in the Purari River system, including Omei Creek, a tributary of the Ka River, 15-km south of Mendi, and streams near Pimaga (about 13-km southeast of Lake Kutubu). They generally inhabit the slower flowing regions of swift flowing streams. They are usually found along grassy banks, or around sub-surface vegetation, submerged logs, and branches. Water temperature recorded from their natural habitat was 18°C and pH 7.6. However, temperatures have been known to drop to 16° Celsius.
Remarks
Melanotaenia monticola were initially collected in September 1979 by Gerald Allen and Brian Parkinson from Omei Creek. Allen gave the species the scientific name of 'monticola' (Latin: mountain dwellers) with reference to the mountainous terrain of the type locality. Live specimens were collected by Barry Crockford from Omei Creek and introduced to the Australian hobby in 1983. During the mid 1990s, eggs were collected from a small stream near Lake Kutubu and brought back into Australia where they were subsequently hatched, reared and distributed in the hobby. This is another rainbowfish that has been in the aquarium hobby for a long time but has never been widely available.
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| Melanotaenia monticola - photo© Neil Armstrong |
Literature
Allen, G. R. (1980). Two new species of freshwater rainbowfishes (Melanotaeniidae) from Papua New Guinea. Revue française d'Aquariologie 7 (2): 43-50.
Allen, G.R. (1991) Field guide to the freshwater fishes of New Guinea. Christensen Research Institute, Madang, Papua New Guinea.
© Copyright Adrian R. Tappin
Updated December, 2008.
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