Overview
MacCulloch's Rainbowfish can reach a length of 7 cm (nearly 3 inches). It is on of the smaller species of the genus Melanotaenia. The body of the fish is silvery white (sometimes a yellowish form of white) and decorated with 6-8 reddish-brown stripes that run along the sides. Two distinct colour forms are known, and if you want to keep really colourful Melanotaenia maccullochi you should ideally purchase specimens that hail from Papua New Guinea or the northernmost part of the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. These fishes have a more pronounced tint of yellow on both body and fins, and the dorsal and anal fins are adorned by prominent black striping. If you instead purchase specimens from coastal Queensland, you will most likely get fish that display duller colours and paler striping. In some specimens, the fin stripes are non-existent. The coastal Queensland specimens are however still loved by many aquarists since quite a few specimens compensate for their overall dull appearance by having really red fins that contrasts beautifully against the drab body. Such specimens are often sold under the name Red-finned Rainbowfish. They are not a separate species, only a variant of MacCulloch's Rainbowfish.
Care
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Colour Form: Red, Black, Silver
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 7cm
Family: Melanotaeniidae
Tank Size: 100L
Temperature: 22-28c
pH: 7.0-8.0
*Product Photo is for reference only. Exact fish may vary in size and colour.
