Kamaka Rainbowfish Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

Kamaka Rainbowfish are elegant, laterally compressed fish with the characteristic deep-bodied profile of Melanotaenia. Mature males can develop vivid blue-green, turquoise and reddish-gold coloration, with the strongest colour often appearing along the flanks and around the fins. Their reflective scales give the body a bright, metallic appearance when viewed under good aquarium lighting.

They are active, peaceful swimmers that spend much of their time in the middle and upper levels of the aquarium. Like other rainbowfish, they are most impressive when kept in a group, where males display to one another by intensifying their colours and extending their fins without normally causing serious injury.

In the wild, this species is associated with tropical freshwater streams and connected waterways in New Guinea. Its natural surroundings are likely to include clear water, submerged vegetation, marginal growth and areas of open swimming space, creating a mixture of cover and current.

Kamaka Rainbowfish remain relatively uncommon in the hobby compared with better-known rainbowfish such as Boesemani and turquoise rainbowfish. Their attractive adult coloration, active nature and limited natural distribution make them a rewarding species for aquarists interested in less familiar New Guinean fish.

Kamaka Rainbowfish are native to the Kamaka region of southern Papua, in the Indonesian part of New Guinea. They come from clear, flowing freshwater habitats associated with streams and river systems in a tropical lowland landscape.

A group of Kamaka Rainbowfish should have an aquarium of at least 120 litres, with a footprint around 90 cm long by 40 cm wide; a larger tank is preferable because these are active, fast-swimming fish. Use open water for schooling, with dense plants, driftwood or rockwork around the sides and rear to provide cover. A dark sand or fine-gravel substrate helps show off their colours, while gentle-to-moderate circulation, good oxygenation and a secure lid are beneficial. Leave some access to the surface, where the fish often feed and display.

Males reach about 10 cm (4 in) in total length, while females are usually smaller at approximately 8–9 cm (3.1–3.5 in).

Kamaka Rainbowfish are omnivores and do best on a varied diet. Offer a quality small pellet or flake as a staple, supplemented with frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, mosquito larvae and other suitably sized aquatic invertebrates. Small portions of spirulina-based foods and finely chopped vegetable matter can also be included. Feeding modest amounts several times a day helps support growth, colour and natural foraging behaviour.

Kamaka Rainbowfish are peaceful community fish and can be housed with similarly sized, active species that appreciate comparable warm, neutral-to-alkaline water. Suitable companions include other peaceful rainbowfish, larger danios, peaceful barbs, rasboras, Corydoras and non-aggressive suckermouth catfish. Avoid very small, timid fish that may be overwhelmed by their activity, fin-nipping species, and aggressive or territorial tankmates. They can also be kept with other rainbowfish, although mixed groups may interbreed and produce hybrids.

Kamaka Rainbowfish are egg scatterers that can be bred in a separate spawning aquarium. Condition a group with varied, protein-rich foods and provide fine-leaved plants or spawning mops for the adhesive eggs. They may spawn over several days, so remove the mop regularly and incubate it separately to prevent the adults from eating the eggs. The eggs generally hatch after about one to two weeks, depending on temperature, and the tiny fry need suitably small first foods such as infusoria or commercial fry food before progressing to newly hatched brine shrimp.

Males are generally larger and deeper-bodied than females, with more intense metallic coloration and fuller, more extended dorsal and anal fins. Females are usually slimmer, less vividly coloured and may show a darker outline along the midline of the body.