Parkinson's Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia parkinsoni) Care Guide
Melanotaenia parkinsoni is a robust New Guinean rainbowfish with a steel-blue front and orange rear, native to lowland rainforest streams.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Melanotaenia parkinsoni is a large, muscular rainbowfish of the family Melanotaeniidae. FishBase lists males to about 11 cm and females to about 9 cm standard length. Mature males contrast a steel-blue front half with a reflective golden-orange rear, and develop deeper bodies and extended fins than females.
Taxonomy
- Family: Melanotaeniidae
- Genus: Melanotaenia
- Scientific name: Melanotaenia parkinsoni
Habitat
The species is endemic to southeastern Papua New Guinea, between the Kemp Welsh River and Milne Bay. FishBase reports it from lowland rainforest streams.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 7.0-8.0
- GH: 10-25 °dGH
- School size: 8 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 4-6 years
Diet
FishBase places the species at a trophic level of about 2.9, consistent with an omnivorous rainbowfish diet. In aquaria it takes quality dry foods together with frozen and live invertebrates.
Compatibility
A peaceful but large and active swimmer, best kept in a shoal of eight or more in spacious tanks. Its size and energy suit it to robust community setups and to other large rainbowfish rather than to small or timid tankmates.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Near Threatened (assessed 2019), reflecting its limited natural distribution.
Breeding Parkinson's Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia parkinsoni)
Overview
Melanotaenia parkinsoni is a rainbowfish endemic to Papua New Guinea between the Kemp Welsh River and Milne Bay, where it lives in lowland rainforest streams. FishBase reports a maximum length of 11.0 cm for males and 9.0 cm for females, and lists the species as showing distinct pairing during reproduction. It is Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Sexing
Males have deeper bodies and more extended fins than females, with the rear half of the body taking on a reflective golden-orange tone over a dark lavender base and rosy chest. Females are noticeably plainer. The intense colour of mature males makes pairing easy to judge.
Conditioning
As an omnivore the species takes dried, frozen and live foods; conditioning a group on varied live and frozen foods brings females into condition and intensifies male display before spawning.
Breeding Setup
- Use fine-leaved plants such as java moss or nylon spawning mops; no substrate is required.
- FishBase gives a spawning-water profile of pH 7.5-7.8.
- FishBase lists a preferred temperature range of 26-30 degrees C.
- Gentle air-driven filtration keeps the water oxygenated.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
FishBase records distinct pairing for this species. As a rainbowfish it scatters adhesive eggs over fine plants or mops, the eggs hanging from the medium by small threads, and continues to deposit eggs over a series of days rather than all at once.
Egg & Fry Care
Spawning media can be moved to a separate tank for hatching. As with related rainbowfish, the small fry begin on infusoria-type foods and move onto free-swimming foods such as brine shrimp nauplii once large enough.
Common Challenges
This is one of the larger rainbowfish, reaching up to 11 cm by FishBase, so provide ample space for the adults and a long, well-planted spawning tank. Its natural home in lowland rainforest streams points to warm, alkaline water within the FishBase ranges to support active spawning, while clean water and small first foods are key to fry survival.