Crimson-spotted rainbowfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crimson-spotted rainbowfish |
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Atherinichthys duboulayi Castelnau, 1878 |
The Melanotaenia duboulayi, also known as the crimson-spotted rainbowfish, is a cool freshwater fish. It is found only in eastern Australia. This fish has been a popular pet in aquariums since the early 1900s. It was even called the original "Australian rainbowfish."
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What is a Crimson-Spotted Rainbowfish?
The crimson-spotted rainbowfish is a type of fish that lives in fresh water. It was first found in the 1870s in the Richmond River in northern New South Wales, Australia. A scientist named Francis de Castelnau officially described it in 1878. Over the years, its scientific name changed a few times. Today, its name, Melanotaenia duboulayi, helps scientists tell it apart from a very similar fish, M. fluviatilis. These two fish live in different river systems in Australia.
What Does the Crimson-Spotted Rainbowfish Look Like?
Male crimson-spotted rainbowfish can grow up to about 12 centimeters (about 5 inches) long. But they are usually less than 10 centimeters (4 inches). Females are typically smaller. These fish have a slim body that is flattened on the sides.
They have two dorsal fins (back fins) very close together. The first one is much smaller than the second. Their fins can be clear, yellowish, or red. They often have red spots and dark edges. During mating season, the males' fin edges turn very dark, almost black.
How to Tell Males and Females Apart
Larger male fish have brighter colors. Their second dorsal fin and anal fin (bottom fin) have longer rays at the back. Females have rounder dorsal and anal fins. Their fins are also smaller and do not have the dark edges.
Special Features
A bright crimson red spot can be seen on the fish's gill cover (called the operculum). Their body color is usually silvery-blue or green. It can also be deep bluish or yellow. Each row of scales has narrow yellow lines. These lines are covered with orange to bright red colors. The fish's colors can change a lot depending on where they live.
How Does the Crimson-Spotted Rainbowfish Behave?
The crimson-spotted rainbowfish is an omnivore. This means it eats both plants and animals. They especially like to eat small invertebrates (like insects) and algae (a type of plant). If you keep them in an aquarium, they will happily eat fish flakes.
These fish like to swim in open water. They might form small groups around sunken logs or plants growing just under the water.
Spawning and Babies
Spawning (laying eggs) happens before the summer rains. The eggs stick to stringy plants under the water or to the roots of floating plants.
Helping with Mosquito Control
Scientists have studied how well different fish eat mosquito larvae (baby mosquitoes). The crimson-spotted rainbowfish was found to eat more mosquito larvae than other fish tested. This makes them a good choice for helping to control mosquitoes.
Crimson-Spotted Rainbowfish as Pets
When the crimson-spotted rainbowfish was first described, scientists said its colors were "most beautiful." They noted a wide stripe of amazing blue along its sides and two bright scarlet bands on its upper body.
This fish became popular with people who keep aquariums around the world. In 1927, a man named Amandus Rudel sent some to Germany. From there, they went to North America. In 1930, some even escaped into the Mississippi River!
Today, crimson-spotted rainbowfish are still very popular aquarium pets. In Australia, breeders try to keep different local types of the fish pure. They also release these fish into Australian dams to help control mosquitoes. They use fish from local wild groups to make sure the unique types of M. duboulayi are not lost by mixing with fish from other areas.
