Checkered rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida inornata)

Scientific name: Melanotaenia splendida inornata Castelnau, 1875

The Checkered rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida inornata) is a freshwater fish of the family Melanotaeniidae that grows to about 115 cm (45 in). It is easy to keep, suits community aquariums and needs a tank of at least 210 L (55 US gal), water at 24–33°C (75–91°F) and a pH of 6.5–8.0. Native range: Australia, Streams and rivers around the Gulf of Carpentaria, northern Australia.

Checkered rainbowfish care at a glance

Care level
Easy
Community tank
Good
Adult size
115 cm (45 in)
Minimum tank
210 L (55 US gal)
Temperature
24–33°C (75–91°F)
pH
6.5–8.0
Hardness
8–10 dGH (143–178 ppm)
Diet
Omnivore. Accepts flakes, frozen foods and live foods.

Biology

Oceania: northern portion of the Northern Territory east of the Mary River and streams flowing into the Gulf of Carpentaria, including those of western Cape York Peninsula to the Jardine River; also Prince of Wales and Badu Islands in the Torres Strait. Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Melanotaenia splendida inornata
Family
Melanotaeniidae (Rainbowfishes, blue eyes)
Order
Atheriniformes (Silversides)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Environment
Freshwater; benthopelagic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Tropical
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

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Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Aquarium care parameters compiled, checked and converted to metric and imperial units by Guppies.za.net.

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