Celebes Rainbowfish
Marosatherina ladigesi · Peaceful · Intermediate care
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Species profile Marosatherina ladigesi
Origin
Southern Sulawesi (Celebes), Indonesia
Family
Telmatherinidae (Celebes rainbowfish family)
Adult size
Up to 7 cm (2.8 in)
Diet
Small flake and pellets plus small live/frozen foods (brine, daphnia, bloodworm) (Omnivore)
Temperament
Peaceful
Swimming level
Middle
Minimum group
8+ (shoaling)
Lifespan
3-5 years
Minimum tank
90 L (24 gal)
Water type
Freshwater
Size to scale
7 cm adult length, shown to scale against an iPhone 15 Pro (14.66 cm).
Natural range
Where it comes from — Southeast Asia
Southern Sulawesi (Celebes), Indonesia
Water
Singapore tap water vs its needs
Hardness: Medium to hard (9-20 dGH).
In the aquarium
How it lives in the tank
Swims in the middle of the tank
Keep in a group of 8+
Sensitivity Index — Moderate
Adaptable, but happiest with stable parameters in a matured tank.
Our own read on how forgiving this species is of water changes — not a formal standard.
Keeping & care
What this fish needs
Family
About the Telmatherinidae family Celebes rainbowfish family
Telmatherinidae, the sailfin silversides, is a small family of slender, silvery, laterally compressed fish endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (formerly Celebes) and its river and lake systems, including the Malili lakes where several genera form a diverse species flock. Most members are little-known in the hobby; the family's one widely kept representative is the Celebes rainbowfish (Marosatherina ladigesi), a peaceful, active mid-water shoaler in which males develop extended, dark-tipped dorsal and anal fins and a soft yellow-and-blue sheen. As a group they favour clean, well-oxygenated, medium-hard to hard water on the alkaline side and appreciate open swimming space.
Keep the Celebes rainbowfish in a group of at least six in a mature, planted tank with clean, hard, alkaline water (about pH 7.0–8.0, 25–28°C) and open swimming room; the males colour up and behave most confidently in the company of their own kind.
Breeding
Egg-scatterer (plant-spawner with adhesive eggs)Marosatherina ladigesi is a continuous plant-spawner: conditioned on live and frozen foods and given fine-leaved plants or spawning mops, pairs scatter small numbers of adhesive eggs daily over a period of weeks, often triggered by morning light. The eggs hang by fine threads among the plants and hatch in roughly 5–10 days depending on temperature. Adults may eat the eggs and fry, so eggs or plants are best moved to a separate tank; the tiny fry take infusoria or powdered fry food at first, then baby brine shrimp as they grow. Most aquarium stock is now commercially farm-bred rather than wild-caught.
Feeding
Recommended food
Compatibility
Best tankmates
Community
