All fish / Melanotaeniidae

Ogilby's rainbowfish

Melanotaenia ogilbyi

Also known as ogilby's rainbow, ogilbyi rainbowfish, ogilby rainbowfish, ogilbys rainbowfish, ikan pelangi ogilby

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This is a mid-sized New Guinea rainbowfish with a silvery body and a dark stripe along the flank. Males grow deeper bodied and show yellowish or reddish tones in the fins. It is kept as a hardy, active shoaling fish that suits roomy planted community tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

7 to 8

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

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

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Northern New Guinea, Indonesia (Papua) and Papua New Guinea

Breeding

It scatters eggs over fine-leaved plants or spawning mops across several days, and the eggs hatch in about a week. Breeding is fairly easy in captivity, but the fry are tiny and need infusoria or other very small foods at first.

Good to know

It is uncommon in the trade, and some stock may be hybrids, so keep it apart from other Melanotaenia species if you want pure lines. It is an active swimmer and needs a long tank with a tight-fitting lid.