Ornate rainbowfish

About

Found in the coastal lowlands of southeastern Queensland and northern New South Wales, this small Australian rainbowfish, Rhadinocentrus ornatus, has no widely accepted common name but is well known among rainbowfish enthusiasts by its scientific one. In the wild it inhabits slow-moving or almost still creeks, backwaters, dune lakes, and tannin-stained pools in a habitat type locally called wallum country. Sandy coastal terrain where the water is soft, acidic, and the color of dark tea. It tends to seek shelter among submerged branches, reed beds, and the roots of aquatic plants, so a well-decorated aquarium with plenty of cover and a dark substrate will help it settle in and show its best colors. Despite its small adult size, it appreciates a bit of space to move and does better in a species tank or with similarly sized, peaceful tankmates that won't outcompete it. It feeds on insects, aquatic invertebrates, and small crustaceans in nature, and readily accepts appropriately sized live and frozen foods in captivity. One of its real strengths as an aquarium fish is its willingness to breed under captive conditions, scattering eggs among fine plants daily during the breeding season. Intermediate experience is recommended, mainly because of its specific water chemistry requirements.