Melanotaenia pygmaea

9. March 2016

For the first time ever we obtained this charming rainbowfish from a breeder. The specific name “pygmaea” refers to a small body size. In fact our fish are full in coloration. They are currently about 4 cm long (total length). According to literature the maximum lengthin males is about 7 cm, whereas females always stay smaller and hardly ever reach 5 cm.

Melanotaenia pygmaea is known from a very small area only. The species lives endemic – this means only there – in tributaries of the Prince Regent River in the Kimberly region of the state Western Australia. The aquarium strains most probably go back to collections made in 1992 and 1994. The species has been discovered in 1974 and formally described in 1978.

For our customers: the fish have code 428634 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Angaben zum Tier
Herkunft Nachzucht / bred