Care
The adaptable Crimson-spotted Rainbowfish is found in a wide variety of habitats, from acidic inland forest creeks to alkaline coastal rivers, swamps and lagoons - all of these tend to be clearwater habitats with significant seasonal variations in temperature and water chemistry. Within these habitats, these fish are found in open water near to the shelter of vegetation or debris.
This is a peaceful species, ideally suited to planted community aquaria, and should be maintained in groups of 6 or more due to their shoaling nature. The aquarium should be as spacious as possible, as these are fairly active fish. The juveniles of many rainbowfish species can often look a little drab compared to the adults, and as such are sometimes overlooked in the shops. However, once settled into the security of the planted aquarium, these young specimens will begin to colour up, gradually revealing their stunning adult beauty. Rainbowfish will generally not bother smaller tankmates, as their mouth/throat is too narrow to be able to swallow them. This species is occasionally seen in the shops, and is well worth looking out for on account of its peaceful nature, attractiveness, small size, and ease of maintenance. Given their wide temperature tolerance, they can be kept alongside a range of temperate species in an unheated aquarium and will benefit from a winter rest.
Given their hardy nature, it's not surprising that this species was introduced to the aquarium hobby almost a hundred years ago and is the original Australian rainbowfish of early literature. Their adaptability led to a feral population being discovered in the Mississippi river downstream from St Louis in 1930, with captured individuals being sent to the Shedd aquarium in Chicago.
Feeding
Offer a range of foods to promote the development of the best colouration. These fish are enthusiastic feeders and will take flake, micropellets, small frozen foods such as mosquito larvae, daphnia, brineshrimp etc. and relish live foods.
Breeding
A separate breeding aquarium should be set up with a substrate of marbles. A small air-driven sponge filter (with a mature sponge) should be added to give gentle circulation and filtration. A conditioned group (3 females, 2 males) should then be acclimatised across to the breeding aquarium, which should be furnished with plenty of fine-leaved plants/Java moss clumps. After a time, a male will swim in front of a female, displaying to her. He will then begin to drive the female over the plants, utilising the whole length of the tank. The relatively large eggs will be scattered over the plants a few at a time, usually totalling around 20-30 per day. These fish are known as 'continual spawners' which means that the spawning activity takes place over several days/weeks. This can present problems to the aquarist in that some adult fish may begin to consume the eggs as they are scattered, although this may not be a problem if the adults are kept well fed. However, many fishkeepers have found the eggs to be remarkably tough and have had great success in siphoning them out into another aquarium (containing matching water from the spawning tank) or else using spawning mops, which, when having caught a number of the eggs, can be moved to a separate tank (again with matching water) and replaced with a new mop, as and when each series of eggs are deposited. The eggs will usually hatch in 8-9 days (dependent on temperature) and once free-swimming, the tiny fry can be offered infusoria, moving onto larger foodstuffs as they develop.
