Rainbow slender
Melanothenia slender or Iris slender, the scientific name Melanotaenia gracilis, belongs to the Melanotaeniidae family. Unpretentious and easy to keep, compatible with many other types of fish, and also has a beautiful body color. All this makes it a good choice for the beginner aquarist.
Contents
Habitat
It comes from the territory of Kimberley County, located in the North-West of Australia. It lives in the basins of the Drysdale and Carson rivers, which flow into the Timor Sea. Prefer regions with a slow current, keep close to the coast. During the dry season, they often find themselves in isolated water bodies.
Description
This species is one of the smallest Melanotenii. Adult individuals reach a length of no more than 7.5 cm. The body is more elongated, in comparison with other Rainbows. The color is gray-blue, the fins are translucent red-orange. A wide dark stripe stretches along the entire length of the fish from head to tail. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed, males are somewhat larger than females and have brighter colors.
Brief information:
- The volume of the aquarium – from 70 liters.
- Temperature – 22-28°C
- Value pH — 7.0–8.0
- Water hardness – medium hard (10-20 dGH)
- Substrate type – any
- Lighting – subdued
- Brackish water – no
- Water movement is weak
- The size of the fish is up to 7 cm.
- Food – any food
- Temperament – peaceful active
- Keeping a flock of at least 6-8 individuals
Food
Fish are undemanding to the diet. They will accept most popular foods (dry, frozen, live). It is recommended to combine different products. For example, flakes and granules should be served with bloodworms or brine shrimp. This diet will allow the fish to show their best colors.
Maintenance and care, decoration of the aquarium
The volume of the aquarium for a small flock of fish should start from 70 liters. The design is quite simple, it includes a rocky substrate with several snags. However, the fish will feel quite comfortable among dense plantings of aquatic vegetation.
Maintaining high water quality is essential. A productive filtration system, along with a weekly replacement of part of the water (15-20% of the volume) with fresh water, will ensure acceptable conditions for keeping. It is also worth remembering that the slender iris does not tolerate excessive movement of water, so the internal flow should be minimized.
Behavior and Compatibility
Aggressive and peaceful fish, get along well with other rainbowfish and other non-aggressive species of similar size. The content in the group is at least 6–8 individuals of both sexes. It was noted that males in the presence of rivals demonstrate a brighter coloration than when kept alone.
Fish diseases
Health problems arise only in case of injuries or when kept in unsuitable conditions, which depresses the immune system and, as a result, provokes the occurrence of any disease. In the event of the appearance of the first symptoms, first of all, it is necessary to check the water for the excess of certain indicators or the presence of dangerous concentrations of toxic substances (nitrites, nitrates, ammonium, etc.). If deviations are found, bring all values back to normal and only then proceed with treatment. Read more about symptoms and treatments in the Aquarium Fish Diseases section.
