Misool Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia misoolensis

The Misool Rainbowfish was scientifically described by Allen in 1982. Its scientific name is Melanotaenia misoolensis. In 1948, 23 specimens were collected from a tributary of the Tama River on Misool Island by M. A. Lieftinck. In the early 1980s, Gerald R. Allen found the specimens collected by Lieftinck at the Leiden Museum.

Description
The Misool Rainbowfish can reach a length of at least 8 cm (3.1 inches). The fish is yellow with a whitish belly and a wide blue-black mid-lateral stripe.

Geographical distribution, habitat and conservation
The Misool Rainbowfish has only been found on Misooland Batanta, two offshore islands west of the Vogelkop Peninsula in Indonesia. The typical Misool Rainbowfish habitat is a clear stream flowing through dense jungle.

The Misool Rainbowfish is listed as “Lower Rick: least concern” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.  

Keeping Misool Rainbowfish in aquariums
The Misool Rainbowfish is fairly rare in the aquarium hobby, but easy to care for. It is peaceful and can be combined with other non-aggressive species of roughly the same size in a community aquarium. Species aquariums will also work fine.  It is highly adaptable when it comes to water conditions and will normally adapt to a pH-value of 6.0-8.5. Rapid changes in pH-value must however be avoided; pick a pH-value and stick to it. The recommended water temperature is 22-28 degrees C (72-82 degrees F).

Breeding Misool Rainbowfish
If you want to breed Misool Rainbowfish you need to provide it with suitable spawning media in the aquarium, such as densely grown java moss or man-made spawning mops. The safest course of action is to move the spawning medium with the fertilized eggs to separate rearing container. You can feed the fry infusoria and finely grounded flakes until have grown big enough to devour newly hatched brine shrimp and nibble on whole flakes.

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