Celebes Rainbowfish (Marosatherina ladigesi) Care Guide
An elegant, slender rainbowfish from Sulawesi with a translucent body and distinctive yellow-tipped fins. Males have elongated second dorsal and anal fin rays.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Marosatherina ladigesi is a species in the family Telmatherinidae. An elegant, slender rainbowfish from Sulawesi with a translucent body and distinctive yellow-tipped fins. Males have elongated second dorsal and anal fin rays. Prefers slightly alkaline, hard water and moderate current.
Taxonomy
- Family: Telmatherinidae
- Genus: Marosatherina
- Scientific name: Marosatherina ladigesi
- Other names: Celebes Halfbeak
- Origin: Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Sulawesi
Habitat
Endemic to the southern peninsula of Sulawesi (Celebes), Indonesia, where it inhabits clear coastal and lowland streams. Despite the common name, it belongs to the family Telmatherinidae (sail-fin silversides), not to the true rainbowfishes (Melanotaeniidae).
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 22-28 °C
- pH: 7-8
- GH: 10-20 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Adult size: 5-8 cm
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
- Recommended group size: ≥ 6
- Difficulty: intermediate
Diet
Classified as omnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: peaceful
- Swimming level: middle
- Compatible tank mates: Corydoras, Cherry Barb, Neon Tetra, Bristlenose Pleco
- Avoid with: Aggressive Fish, Betta, Large Cichlids
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: egg-scatterer
- Breeding difficulty: intermediate
Celebes Rainbowfish Breeding Guide
Overview
Marosatherina ladigesi is a slender rainbowfish endemic to Sulawesi. It is not a difficult species to breed, being an egg-scatterer that lays a few eggs daily over several weeks, but the early-stage fry can be tricky to raise.
Sexing
Males are the more colourful sex and develop elegant extensions to the second dorsal and anal fins. Conditioned females appear noticeably plumper than males.
Conditioning
Condition the adults as a group in a separate aquarium with plenty of live and frozen foods. As they come into condition the females fill out with eggs. A ratio of two to three females per male is recommended.
Breeding Setup
Use a breeding tank at least 18 inches long with no substrate, furnished with fine-leaved plants such as java moss or nylon spawning mops. The water should be slightly hard and alkaline with a pH around 7.5 and a temperature of about 22 to 23 degrees Celsius.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
A pair spawns over a period of several weeks, laying batches of eggs each day that are attached to surfaces by a small thread. The adults tend to eat the spawn, so eggs or mops should be removed to a separate hatching container.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs hatch in five to ten days depending on temperature. The minute fry initially require infusoria-type food before graduating to free-swimming foods such as brine shrimp nauplii after a week or so. Stable water quality is essential during these early days.
Common Challenges
The main difficulty is the small size and sensitivity of newly hatched fry, which need infusoria before they can take Artemia. Protecting eggs from being eaten and supplying the correct first foods are the two decisive factors.