Coomalie Crater Chequered RF

Melanotaenia splendid inornata (Coomalie Crater)

General information: Chequered Rainbowfish are very under rated as an aquarium fish. The Chequered Rainbowfish range extends across the top of Australia from Cape York and the Top End of the NT. At the time of writing this we have three forms under cultivation and all are very nice in their own way. The form from Coomalie Crater has been one of the most difficult to transport from its location but seem to become more robust once established in captivity. They are unusual in the colour as they have very yellow front half and very shiney green chequered pattern near the back on the tail wrist (caudal peduncle). Coomalie Crater is near the NT town of Batchelor.

Aquarium notes : Chequered Rainbowfish is a little more tolerant of lower dissolved oxygen levels in thickly planted billabongs than some other rainbowfishes, especially banded rainbowfish. It likes to be in a planted aqiarium but prefers a little current and an open swimming area. The water quality where the fish were collected during the months of May, June and August, were temperature 26.5 to 28 degrees celcius, pH 7.6 to 7.9, carbonate hardness 90 to 150 ppm, general hardness 110 to 200 ppm. The water they are cultured in is between 26 and 32 deg, hardness 50ppm, alkalinity 60ppm, pH about 7. Diet in the wild would be ants algae other aquatic and terrestrial insects and micro crustaceans. A captive diet should contain between 30 and 50 % vegetable matter. This rainbowfish is probably one of the most vegetarian of all the rainbowfishes and if it is not given some vegetable matter may start on your plants.

Distribution : Coomalie Crater is a disused mine pit. It is a small round hole that appears to have no outlet. Coomalie Creek is nearby however the fish are a little different in colour to the ones from Coomalie Creek. Coomalie Creek runs into the Adelaide River drainage.

Selling details : Sold as individuals at 4 cm or larger.

Reference: Allen, Midgley and Allen (2002) "Freshwater Fishes of Australia "