Photos © Sean Evans
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| Common name: | Banded Rainbow, Three-Striped Rainbow, Jewel Rainbow |
| Scientific name: | Melanotaenia trifasciata |
| Synonyms: | (none) |
| Size: | 4-6" (10-15cm), females slightly smaller. |
| Origin: | Australia: Northern Territory and Cape York Peninsula. |
| Tank setup: | Peaceful planted tank with gentle water movement. |
| Compatibility: | Community tank, combine with other lively shoaling species. |
| Temperature: | 24-28oC (75-82oF) |
| Water chemistry: | Fairly hard, slightly acidic to alkaline (pH 6.6-8.0). |
| Feeding: | Omnivore: will take flake and granular foods, which should be supplemented with live and frozen foods. |
| Sexing: | Males tend to be larger and deeper bodied, with more intense colouration. |
| Breeding: | Ideally, use a ratio of 3 males to 2 females. Males will display to the females. Spawns fairly
readily in typical rainbowfish fashion, usually in the morning. Remove eggs to a separate rearing tank, otherwise they and
the fry are likely to be eaten. |
| Comments: |
Several colour variations of this species exist in different regions, which also vary in adult size.
May eat soft-leaved plants.
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