Lake Wanam Rainbowfish (Glossolepis wanamensis)

Scientific Name(s): Glossolepis wanamensis

 

Common Name(s): Lake Wanam Rainbowfish, Wanam Rainbowfish

 

Family: Melanotaeniidae

 

Species Type: Rainbowfishes

 

Maximum Size: 5 inches

 

Life Span: 6 years

 

Natural Habitat: Australian Lake Wanam

 

Minimum Tank Size: 29 gallons

 

Tank Region: Middle to top of tank.

 

Possible Tank Mates: Other peaceful community fish

 

Description: Lake Wanam Rainbowfish can reach a length of roughly 5 inches. The anterior half of the adult male is of a dusky orange shade, and this colour will gradually turn into blue or green towards the posterior. The back usually sports a metallic green colour. Dorsal and anal fins are long and their exact colour varies from specimen to specimen; turquoise shades are common but the fins can also be almost completely black.
You should be ready to nurse your Lake Wanam Rainbowfish back to health after handling and transport. Even when it has been restored to its former strength, it is will be comparatively sensitive to sudden changes in the aquarium. It is very important to keep both water temperature and water chemistry stable. Lake Wanam Rainbowfish should be kept in groups consisting of at least 2-3 females for each male. Keep the aquarium densely planted and make surer that there are a lot of hiding spots for the fish to seek shelter in. This fish should ideally not kept in aquariums smaller than 29 gallons. Keep the water alkaline, from pH 7.5 to 7.8. The water should be fairly warm, around 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Temperature Range 76°F - 83°F

60°F

65°F

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75°F

80°F

85°F

90°F

 

pH Range 6.4 - 8

pH 5.0

pH 6.0

pH 7.0

pH 8.0

pH 9.0

 

Hardness 10° - 18°

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Breeding Information: When provided with a nutritious and protein-rich diet, Lake Wanam Rainbowfish can attain sexually maturity at an age of 8 months. At this stage, the fish will normally be roughly 6 cm long (2.4 inches). If you want to breed Lake Wanam Rainbowfish in the aquarium, start by proving your rainbowfishes with a suitable spawning medium, such as densely grown java moss or spawning mops. The adult fish might eat eggs and fry and it is therefore safer to move the spawning medium with the fertilized eggs to a separate container. The incubating period is fairly long and can last over 14 days. Feed the fry infusoria and egg yolk until they are big enough to devour newly hatched brine shrimp and nibble at flake food. Don’t be nervous if the growth rate is slow at first, it will increase once the fry has attained a length of 1 cm (0.4 inch). It is important not to keep the fry in a crowded container.

 

Sexing Information: Males, have a deep, rich, and metalic greenish-blue coloring on their entire bodies. Some will show a deep reddish or rosy hue on the breast. Some will show some narrow reddish-orange lines below the lateral line, anteriorly on the fish. The upper half of the body is usually much darker. The most distinctive difference is the anal fins of the males. These are huge compared to the majority of most all other rainbowfishes. They are very large, and elongated, and can reach thickness length.

 

Diet: Omnivorous - Does well with floating pellet or flake foods.

 

Temperment: Peaceful schooling fish

 

Common Diseases: None specific to species, but does require very good water quality.

 

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Lake Wanam Rainbowfish (Glossolepis wanamensis)