Common & Latin Name: Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia lacustris)
Care level: Easy
Max Size: 10cm
Diet: Omnivore
Temp: 22-26°C
PH: 6-7.5
Purchase size: 4cm
The Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish is a peaceful Shoaling species from Papua New Guinea. They are one of the bluest fish you'll ever find in the hobby and ideally suited for community aquariums due to being a more noteworthy size than small tetra and such, but incredibly peaceful. Their lack of interest in eating smaller fish is partly owing to the disproportionately small head in comparison to their body. They are simply unable to swallow most other species of fish. In shops they are largerly overlooked as the juveniles can appear quite drab, but once they're settled in a planted aquarium, they soon colour up and make one of the most beautiful fish you'll ever own. Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish will adapt to a wide range of parameters as long as they're not in the extremes.
Ideally they should be kept in shoals of six or more individuals in a tank that's at least 4ft long. The tank should be planted towards the back and the sides with an open swimming area in the middle. Tank mates can be any peaceful community species such as rasboras, tetras, dwarf cichlids, barbs and even some larger peaceful species of cichlid.
Food can be offered in the form of good quality pellets and fresh or frozen fish foods such as mysis, brine shrimp and bloodworm.
In the wild, this species is considered vulnerable due to human activity in the lake they come from as it is the only place on earth that they are endemic to. Fortunately all specimens available in the hobby are tank bred.
If you have any questions about keeping this fish, please contact us and a member of our friendly store team will be more than happy to answer all of your questions
Why not check out our photos of some of the best livestock we've had in store over the years!
