All fish / Melanotaeniidae

Tami River Rainbowfish

Glossolepis pseudoincisus

Also known as tami river rainbow, tami rainbowfish, false red rainbowfish, pseudoincisus rainbowfish, tami rainbow, グロッソレピス・シュードインキサス, pelangi tami, 塔米河彩虹鱼

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A deep-bodied rainbowfish whose mature males develop a tall back and an olive to silvery green body with a golden or orange sheen, while females stay slimmer and paler. It is kept as an active, peaceful shoaling fish for large planted community tanks and is less common in the trade than its relative the red rainbowfish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7 to 8

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more, ideally more females than males

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, plus some vegetable matter

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Tami River basin, northern New Guinea (Indonesia, Papua)

Breeding

An egg scatterer that lays adhesive eggs over fine-leaved plants or spawning mops across several days. Breeding is fairly easy if the parents are well fed, and the fry need infusoria or very fine foods at first before moving on to baby brine shrimp.

Good to know

Restricted to a small area in the wild and threatened by habitat loss, so keep pure stock and avoid crossing it with other Glossolepis or Melanotaenia species. Needs a long tank with plenty of swimming room as adults are fast and active.