Description
Scientific Name: Glossolepis incisus Common Names: Red Rainbowfish, Salmon Red Rainbowfish, Irian Jaya Red Rainbowfish Origin: Lake Sentani, West Papua (Indonesia)
Physical Characteristics This fish is known for its extreme sexual dimorphism (difference between males and females).
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The “Scarlet” Male: The fish in your image is a dominant male. As they mature, males turn a deep, metallic red with a high, arched back. In cooler water or when stressed, the color may fade, but it returns quickly when they are happy.
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The Female: Females are completely different—they remain a yellowish-olive or silver color with clear fins. They do not turn red.
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Body Shape: They have the classic rainbowfish shape: a deep, compressed body with two distinct dorsal fins.
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Size: They grow fairly large, reaching 4 to 6 inches (10–15 cm) in length.
Behavior and Temperament
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Schooling: They are social fish that must be kept in groups of 6 or more. A school usually consists of multiple females and 1 or 2 males. The males will display their brightest red colors to compete for the females’ attention.
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Activity: They are restless, high-speed swimmers. They need a lot of open space to zip back and forth.
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Peaceful: Despite their speed, they are very gentle and work well in community tanks with other peaceful fish of similar size (like Congo Tetras, Barbs, or Corydoras).
Care and Habitat
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Tank Size: Because they are active swimmers that grow up to 6 inches, they need a long tank. A minimum of 55 gallons (4 feet long) is recommended.
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Water Conditions: They come from a lake with specific water chemistry. They prefer hard, alkaline water (pH 7.0–8.0). They rarely do well in soft, acidic water.
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Diet: They are omnivores. To help the males maintain that intense red color, feed them color-enhancing flakes, krill, and frozen bloodworms.
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