Red Rainbowfish

Freshwater Fish of Australia
Part 5 of 6

Rainbowfish (Melanotaenidae)
Without a doubt the best known of all Australian native fish, Rainbows are also some of the most colorful. Exclusively from Australia and New Guinea, they have become extremely popular world-wide. The ease with which they interbreed has given rise to cross-species hybrids in recent years (a highly controversial practice in the trade). Popularly kept species include:
   Cairnsichthys rhombosomoides (Cairns Rainbowfish)
   Iriatherina werneri(Threadfin Rainbowfish)
   Glossolepis incisus (Red Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia bosemani (Bosemans Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia duboulayi (Crimson-Spotted Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia exquisita (Exquisite Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia fluviatilis (Murray River Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia gracilis (Slender Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia maccullochi (Dwarf Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia nigrans (Black-banded Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia praecox (Neon Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia pygmaea (Pygmy Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia splendida australis (Western Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia splendida inornata (Chequered Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia splendida splendida (Eastern Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia splendida tatei (Desert Rainbowfish)
   Melanotaenia trifasciata (Banded Rainbowfish)
   Rhadinocentrus ornatus (Ornate Rainbowfish)
   

Scats (Scatophagidae )
Another predominately marine fish, a few species of this family inhabit freshwater. Like the scorpionfish they should be kept with great care, as they have spines that contain venom.They require brackish water, and are often kept with Monos and puffers. The species most often seen in the trade include:
   Scatophagus argus (Green scat)
   Selenotoca multifasciata (Silver or Striped scat)
   

Scorpionfish (Scorpaenida)
Sometimes seen in aquaria, the scorpionfish is best kept by experts due to it's extremely poisonous spiney fines. It is an unusual looking fish, having bony ridges and spines covering its head.
   Notesthes robusta (Bullrout)

Silversides/Hardyheads (Atherinidae)
Although this family is large, most are saltwater species. Of the freshwater species only two are kept in aquariums, primarily because of their drab coloration.Those are:
   Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum (Fly-speckled Hardyhead)
   Craterocephalus stramineus (Strawman or Blackmast)