Lake Kutubu Turquoise Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia lacustris), Tank-Bred!

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The Lake Kutubu Turquoise Rainbowfish is one of the most distinctive and beautiful rainbowfish species and it makes a great addition to the planted or community aquarium!

The Lake Kutubu Turquoise Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia lacustris) is an exceptionally colorful species that is beloved for its deep blue, turquoise, and yellow coloration. It is a very active fish that lives in schools in Papua New Guinea’s Lake Kutubu and the connected River Soro, both of which are calm bodies of water. As with most larger rainbowfish, both males and females are very colorful, but mature males are deeper-bodied with the most intense coloration. 

The Lake Kutubu Turquoise Rainbowfish is peaceful with most other fish species, although its size and activitiy can be intimidating to particularly shy fish. It is likely to prey on dwarf shrimp, but it is generally safe to keep with peaceful invertebrates that are too large to be considered prey. The most intense coloration will be displayed when this fish is kept in schools of 6 or more, including multiple males, in a planted, spacious aquarium to ensure that subdominant males are not overly harassed by dominant males. As with many rainbowfish, darker substrate will also often result in better coloration. This fish is very adaptable, but should not be kept in soft, acidic water. 

While this fish will easily accept high quality dry foods, it should also be fed plenty of small frozen or live foods for optimal health and coloration.