Banded Rainbowfish – Cato River – M. trifasciata

Banded Rainbowfish – Cato River – M. trifasciata is generallyeasy to keep and suited for the beginner aquarist. Theyvary in colour and appearance depending on which waterway they are found. The Cato River is mostly blue and silver sheens with small amounts of other colours such as yellows and reds withmildly red fins.

Theyare active swimmers and prefer to be kept in shoals of 6 or more in planted yet spacious aquariums. This species inhabits the Cato River in the Northern Territory Australia.

Features ofBanded RainbowFish:

• Best kept in a ratio of two males to one female.
• Prefers warmers waters (24 – 28 degrees Celsius).
• Peaceful community fish with fish of similar size & temperament.
• A larger Rainbowfish species reaching 10-12cm.
• Maturemalesare larger and brighter in colour especially when displaying early morning.

Tank Mate Compatibility:

Banded Rainbowfish are peaceful community fish that prefer to swim in groups of 6 or more. Best kept in a ratio of one male to two females. They can also be kept with other peaceful community fish and Rainbowfish of similar size.

Heres a list of some of the best tank mates for your Banded Rainbowfish.

• Corydoras Catfish
• Bristlenose Catfish
• Platies
• Mollies
• Tetras

Feeding:

Banded Rainbowfish are omnivore. They feed on algae and spirulina based foods. Fresh vegetables such as lettuce, kale, zucchini and cucumber can be provided as well as protein rich foods such ashigh-quality flake foods, small pellets, brine shrimp, and any type of worms.

Equipment:

Aquarium:

Banded Rainbowfish are best suited to a longer aquarium as they are active and energetic swimmers. An aquarium 3ft or larger is recommended. They are also well known jumpers, thus their aquarium should be well covered.

After an Aquarium for your fish? Browse ouraquariums available here.

Heater:

Banded Rainbowfish prefer water temperatures between 24 C – 28 C. They are less tolerant of cooler waters than other Banded Rainbowfish species.

Looking for an aquarium heater? View availableaquarium heaters here.

Lighting:

Banded Rainbowfishare happiest in a dimly lit environment. We recommend LED aquarium lighting with adjustable brightness to ensure the light level can be altered for happy fish.

Need aquarium lighting? View availableaquarium lighting here.

Filtration:

Banded Rainbowfishenjoy good water quality. Ensure adequate filtration and flow in your aquarium.

Exploreaquarium filtration products here.

Substrate:

Banded Rainbowfish enjoy dark substrates that mimic their natural habitat.

View our range ofaquarium substrates here.

Plants for Rainbowfish:

Banded Rainbowfish preferspacious planted aquariums with medium to large plants, including floating plants. Plant the background with tall growing plants, leaving the foreground an open space for swimming.

• Thin Vallisneria
• Amazon Swords
• Java Fern
• Anubias
• Bananas Lillies

Interested in live plants for your aquarium? View our range oflive aquarium plants here.

Decorations for Rainbowfish:

Rock & wood can be placed in the aquarium to mimic natural habitats and provide hiding locations to retreat to.

View our large range ofaquarium decorations here.

*Images used with permission