# ID this rainbow?



## Wiccandove (May 19, 2012)

I picked up 2 of these rainbows from Menagerie, being sold under the name "Papua Rainbow". They were pretty drab looking in the tank like most juvie rainbows but now that the colors are starting to show they are beautiful reds and purples. Trouble is it seems "papua rainbow" encompasses a lot of different rainbows - can anyone tell me exactly what kind this is?

Sorry about blurry pics


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## Wiccandove (May 19, 2012)

Anyone? I'm loving the colors and I went back and got three more


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## Ashleyrezka (Sep 11, 2015)

I'm not sure, but they are nice looking! Maybe try looking through the species on this site
http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Melano.htm


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## Wiccandove (May 19, 2012)

Ashleyrezka said:


> I'm not sure, but they are nice looking! Maybe try looking through the species on this site
> http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Melano.htm


Oh geez there goes my night looking at pictures! thanks!


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## Rainbowric (Jul 28, 2013)

Wiccandove said:


> I picked up 2 of these rainbows from Menagerie, being sold under the name "Papua Rainbow". They were pretty drab looking in the tank like most juvie rainbows but now that the colors are starting to show they are beautiful reds and purples. Trouble is it seems "papua rainbow" encompasses a lot of different rainbows - can anyone tell me exactly what kind this is?
> 
> Sorry about blurry pics


I believe it to be a Melanotania australis ...note the spelling of australis ...not Australian. It is listed on the link provided in one of the post in this threads. However it does come in a number of color variations pending the location where it was originally caught. A few years back the LFS used to call them eight lined rainbowfish. Now I have seen them called all kinds of names ...even Macculocki. Not the LFS's fault for mislabelling them as I believe it is the labelled wrong right from the fish farm ...Florida? The originals can be very colorful ...I believe Jeff Burch in London may have a colony of the originals.

Cheers
Ric


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## Wiccandove (May 19, 2012)

Thanks so much Ric  I think you're spot on. I was in the LFS today and saw they one had 2 left so I nabbed them lol. Now I have 7, mixed sexes.


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