Wild kids

Common name: Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish
Scientific name: Melanotaenia duboulayi
Photo: C. Bento, Australian Museum

Freshwater

Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish

Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish are bony fish. They have three stages in their life cycle: egg - juvenile - adult.

Rainbow fish and other native freshwater fish are bred so people can keep them as pets.

Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish have silvery, blue-grey sides with a shining yellow colour. They have a red spot behind their eye on their gill cover. Males often have red spotting on their fins.

Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish live east of the Great Dividing Range between southern Queensland and northern New South Wales . They are often found in streams, rivers, dams and ponds.

Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish eat insects, tadpoles, plants and worms.

Larger fish, giant water bugs and water spiders, turtles and water rats all like to eat Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish.

Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish breathe by using their gills to absorb oxygen from the water. Water enters through the fish's gills and flows past a rich blood supply. The oxygen passes from the water through the thin gill membranes into the fish's blood.

When Crimson-spotted Rainbow Fish breed, each female will lay several eggs a day in the breeding season. Eggs are then fertilised by the male. Sticky threads help the eggs stick to plants in the water. About one week later the eggs hatch.