All fish / Melanotaeniidae

Dority's Rainbowfish

Glossolepis dorityi

Also known as dority's rainbowfish, dorityi rainbowfish, glossolepis dorityi, dority rainbow, グロッソレピス・ドリティ, ikan pelangi dority, 多里蒂彩虹鱼

A small, deep-bodied rainbowfish from Papua, Indonesia, described in 2015. Mature males develop a high back and a warm orange to golden sheen with reddish fins, while females stay slimmer and more silvery. It is kept for its lively shoaling behaviour and colour in planted community tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7 to 8

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more, ideally with more females than males

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and small pellets, live or frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp, some vegetable matter

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Northern New Guinea, Indonesia (Papua: Biri River tributaries, Mamberamo system)

Breeding

An egg scatterer that lays a few eggs each day over several days among fine-leaved plants or spawning mops. Eggs hatch in about a week and the fry need infusoria or liquid fry food at first; breeding is fairly easy in captivity.

Good to know

A recently described species with limited availability; keep lines pure and avoid mixing with other Glossolepis or Melanotaenia, which can hybridise.