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Teleostei (teleosts) > Atheriniformes (Silversides) > Melanotaeniidae (Rainbowfishes, blue eyes)
Etymology: Melanotaenia: Greek, melan, -anos = black + latin, taenia = stripe (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Tropical; 22°C - 28°C (Ref. 2060); 13°S - 16°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Oceania: restricted in the Drysdale and King Edward River systems in the extreme northern portion of Western Australia, 500 km southwest of Darwin.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5259); 6.5 cm SL (female)

Inhabits large water courses and isolated rocky pools generally bordered with paperbark trees (Melaleuca) which have clear waters and minimal flow during the dry season (Ref. 2906, 44894). Large numbers congregate in shady pools around log snags and submerged branches (Ref. 44894). Feeds on insects and their larvae, small crustaceans and algae. Sympatric with M. splendida australis (Ref. 2906). Prefers the following aquarium conditions: pH=7, H=10, 24°C water temperature; is an egg layer and a peaceful community fish (Ref. 6398).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Allen, G.R., 1989. Freshwater fishes of Australia. T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey. (Ref. 5259)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Endangered (EN) (B2ab(iii)); Date assessed: 01 February 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of potential interest; aquarium: potential

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators

Ecology
Ecology

Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
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Abundance

Life cycle
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Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
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Eggs
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Larvae
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Distribution
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Anatomy
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Otolith

Physiology
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Swimming type
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Visual pigments
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Toxicity (LC50s)

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Genetics
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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00514 - 0.02450), b=3.04 (2.87 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.0 ±0.37 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Melanotaenia gracilis Allen, 1978