Introduction

The first rainbowfish was described in 1843 from a collection of freshwater fishes acquired in the Northern Territory, Australia early in 1840. A single specimen ended up in the British Museum in London where John Richardson described it as a new species of hardyhead named Atherina nigrans. The differences between A. nigrans and the real hardyheads were enough for the American, Thomas Gill, to create the genus Melanotaenia for this lone species in 1862, still within the family Atherinidae. The next step was the creation of a subfamily Melanotaeniinae by Gill in 1894 to stress the differences with the hardyheads even more. However, another 70 years were to pass before Ian Munro treated the rainbowfishes as an independent family for the first time in 1964. Although a greater variety of Australian rainbowfishes were by then scientifically identified, many New Guinea rainbowfishes were still undiscovered. Gerald Allen, whilst employed with the Western Australian Museum, undertook a full generic classification of the rainbowfish family in 1980.

Australian rainbowfishes have been maintained in home aquaria at least since the beginning of the last century. As early as 1915, Albert Gale in his book Aquarian Nature Studies & Economic Fish Farming made known the hobby of keeping Australian freshwater fishes. This book covered many subjects on the captive maintenance and care of a number of species. A section of the book also explored the possibilities of commercially breeding Australian freshwater fishes for the aquarium hobby. Albert Gale was a member of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales and regularly wrote articles about Australian freshwater fishes for Aquatic Life, an international monthly magazine. This magazine was edited by W. A. Poyser and published by Joseph E. Bausman in the USA during the early part of the last century.

During the late 1920s and early 1930s large Aquarium Societies were established in major cities all around the world. Fish shipments at that time were in old-fashioned flat "German" cans, with a small neck and very wide body to give maximum air surface. As sea voyages were long and no oxygen was used, the fish generally arrived in poor condition. However, some survived the journey and were bred by experienced hobbyists. During this early period rainbowfishes were known as sunfish. When exactly this group was called rainbowfish nobody really knows. In January 1934, National Geographic Magazine (pp 93-109) published an article written by Walter H. Chute, then director of the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago USA, called "Tropical Fish Immigrants Reveal New Nature Wonders" in which appeared a reference to the Australian Rainbowfish. However, the earliest reference to the name rainbowfish that I have been able to find is in an excursion report of the Aquarium & Terrarium Society of Queensland. It was written by the then secretary, Amandus Rudel, and referred to a collecting trip on March 6, 1932. After this date, all excursion reports generally referred to the name rainbowfish. The common name of "Sunfish" was designated to Rhadinocentrus ornatus, e.g., Moreton Island Sunfish.

Amandus Rudel was a founding member of the Aquarium & Terrarium Society of Queensland, and in 1927 he introduced the Australian rainbowfish to the international aquarium hobby when he sent specimens of Melanotaenia duboulayi by steamship to Germany, and which were later bred by the Berlin Aquarium. Speaking of Melanotaenia duboulayi, Amandus said, "I was astonished at the beauty of this fish the first time I saw it. Like a living rainbow, there is no other fish which can compare with its beauty. Naturally it has been my favourite ever since." It is believed that from this initial shipment Melanotaenia duboulayi were introduced to the organised aquarium hobby throughout Europe, and then to North America. They are probably the species upon which today's common name "Rainbowfish" is based. In 1930 a number of Melanotaenia duboulayi were collected in the Mississippi River. This was one of the earliest accounts of an introduced ornamental fish found in the USA.

Amandus Rudel was also responsible for introducing another rainbowfish to the international aquarium hobby. In 1934, he sent 12 specimens of Melanotaenia maccullochi, collected by him near Cairns, in northern Australia, to Fritz Mayer in Hamburg, Germany. Four arrived alive and developed into 2 pairs. They were one of the most popular aquarium fish from Australia. In the German aquarium magazine "Wochenschrift für Aquarien und Terrarienkunde" in May 1935, Fritz Mayer gave the first account of their breeding, which was translated and elaborated upon by F. H. Stoye in Innes' "The Aquarium" in December 1936.

The hobby went into recess during the following war years, and very few aquarium specimens survived that period. The aquarium hobby didn't really recover until the late 1950s when shipment with plastic bags and oxygen, in insulated containers was developed. This, together with faster air travel, enabled the aquarium hobby to flourish and was considered one of the most popular hobbies of the period. During this growth period however, due to limited availability, rainbowfishes were never readily available to the general aquarium public.

During the fifties and sixties, most of the rainbowfishes that were being sold in the aquarium trade were a colourless assortment bred in Southeast Asia fish farms that looked nothing like the wild species, and were never very popular with fishkeepers. However, during the late 1970s and early 1980s the keeping of rainbowfishes started to increase in popularity. This was mainly due to the efforts of Gerald Allen who was employed by the Western Australian Museum. Allen's book "Rainbowfishes of Australia and Papua New Guinea" published in 1982 provided the impetus that the rainbowfish keeping hobby required. ANGFA, the Australia New Guinea Fishes Association was also formed in 1982; further promoting the keeping of rainbowfishes.

During the mid 1980s, Heiko Bleher, an intrepid aquarium fish collector started collecting the newly discovered New Guinea species, breeding and distributing them into the International aquarium hobby. This trend has continued over the past two decades, developing side by side with the increase in the discovery of numerous new species. More than 68 species have been discovered and the possibility of this number increasing in the next decade is almost certain.

Today, rainbowfish enthusiasts travel to far-off places in Australia and New Guinea to collect new and different variants. Many of the rainbowfishes that are available in the hobby today have resulted from the activities of enthusiasts out collecting. These same hobbyists generate a substantial amount of data on habitat conditions, collecting locations, colour varieties and reproductive biology.

Keeping rainbowfishes in an aquarium can be a fascinating activity for the whole family with a number of advantages over the keeping of more conventional pets. Relatively little space is required; an aquarium can be aesthetically pleasing, and the fish themselves are clean, quiet and non-demanding, given a few simple requirements. Rainbowfishes have very similar breeding habits, their food requirements are similar, and water that suits one particular species will suit all. All are of good-natured temperament and will live harmoniously, more or less, with one another. They also possess all the attributes we look for in aquarium fishes; ease of breeding, hardy, beautiful colours, peaceful disposition, and they won't destroy your plants or move the gravel around in your aquarium. They also come in a variety of sizes to suit almost any aquarium.

One of the major problems affecting the popularity of rainbowfishes is that they generally don't display their best colouration when kept under normal retail store conditions. Most pet stores maintain their fishes in bare, over-crowded aquariums. This is done mainly for economic reasons and to facilitate their ease of capture and sale. However, rainbowfishes maintained under these conditions will feel stressed and lose the beautiful colours that they are renowned for. In addition to this, too many species are offered for sale at a small size before they have developed their full adult colouration. Unless the general fishkeeper knows what they will look like when taken home they will more than likely be passed over for some other species.

Blue-eyes (Pseudomugilidae), are a close relative of the rainbowfishes, and at one time were included in the family Melanotaeniidae. They are a very attractive species, rarely exceeding 3 to 5 cm in length, and are easy to maintain and breed in captivity. They are hardy aquarium fishes despite their small size, and adapt well to captivity showing their colouration at all times. Ideally, they should share their aquarium with similar sized tankmates and be kept in small groups. Unfortunately, they are not as prolific as rainbowfishes and it is for this reason that most commercial breeders have ignored them and therefore are not generally available in the retail aquarium trade.

If you have the desire to learn more about rainbowfishes and expand your hobby, then join an Aquarium Society such as the Australia New Guinea Fishes Association. Membership in "ANGFA" offers numerous benefits for both the novice and advanced rainbowfish keeper.

© Copyright Adrian R. Tappin
Updated January, 2009