# Chilatherina Rainbowfish



## Rainbowric (Feb 11, 2012)

Now for the *Chilatherina Genus......*

I have posted pictures of the Melanotaenia and Glossolepis Genus. The dwarfs and the trifasciata all belong to the Melanotaenia Genus. You might see names of Rainbowfish i.e M. boesemani or G. wanamensis or now C. bleheri. The first letter being a capital letter designates the Genus of the fish and the next is the species name. Usually with a small letter. After the species name you might see the location of the collection of this fish. This is important as the same fish from different locations can have slight variations of color and shape.

The Chilatherina Genus is my favourite Genus. Not because of coloration but because of a number of other factors. The fish is usually long and slender making it very fast and smooth swimmer. Can swim circles around the Melanotaenia and Glossolepis. It also has personality. When I come into a room and look at a show tank I get little response from the other Genus, especially from the Melanotaenia. But the Chilatherina takes notice and comes up to the front of the tank to greet you. Maybe because like a puppy dog, wants something to eat from you! 

Several years back a fellow by the name of Kent Webster, an experienced collector and breeder of Rainbowfish told me that if you want to build the ultimate in a Rainbowfish show tank, use the trifasciata. No doubt lots of colors, had one, and yes it was pretty wild. However even though Kent had over 500 tanks of Rainbowfish his selection of Chilatherina was little, as well with Glossolepis. My first Chilatherina was a bleheri, and the Australian LFS owner insisted that I take this fish home with me. At that time my wife and I named all of our fish and so we named this pair of bleheri Fred and Ginger, after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This fish moved as swift and smooth around the tank like Fred and Ginger did around the dance floor. This Chilatherina is probably the most common, but it like all the other Rainbowfish have been severely inbred and have lost a lot of color. Once seen quite often in the LFS and still a little today, but hardly noticed being very pale and stressed with no home! My strain comes from Gary Lange who has been preserving this fish to it's best. Below is a .....

*Chilatherina bleheri*



This Chilatherina was introduced to North America by Gary Lane in the last 5 years and introduced to Alberta late 2010. Alberta Aquatic forum is loaded with pictures of this fish! You will see many different variations of color on this fish as he changes with mode and diet. More greens my yellow, more meat, darker colors. This fish is ....

*Chilatherina fasciata "Faowi Village"*



This Chilatherina was also introduced within the last 5 years, there are a couple of collection locations so the coloration can be different with them. I acquired my strain from Eric Bodrock's All Oddball Aquatics out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This fish is ....

*Chilatherina campsi "Wahgi River"*



This last Chilatherina was recently collected by Gary Lange. Was introduced to Alberta spring of 2011. Soon to become quite available as a couple of breeders in Alberta are now raising them. 
This fish is ......

*Chilatherina alleni ""Siriwo"*



I will be putting up a few more pictures in this thread very soon as I have a number of great ones!

So what do you think about the Chilatherina Genus compared to the other Genus, Melanotaenia and Glossolepis!

Which Chilatherina do you like the best?

Hope you enjoyed,
Ric


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## Rainbowric (Feb 11, 2012)

*Ok..... here are a few more shots of them!*





Couldn't quite get them all in this shot. This tank has 3 pairs of 3 species of Chilatherina. One of any of the 9 females wants to spawn and this is what happens!



*The Chilatherina bleheri used to be sold in some of the LFS at the blue/gold rainbowfish!

*

Ric


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Beautiful Rainbow. Great pics as usual!


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

even more drool! 

such beautiful pictures!


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## jkcichlid (Apr 21, 2010)

Have 4 of the c.fasciata foawi village that are now starting to color up. Where yours are red, mine are much more orange.

Chillatherina are beautiful fish, probably my favorite type of rainbow


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## Rainbowric (Feb 11, 2012)

The C. fasciata "Faowi Village" no doubt I have some where the red is orange to. But these fish change colors so much. I gave my living room tank a water change yesterday and the sun was coming in on it this morning and I caught a few really nice shots of these species. This happens quite often but never have a camera ready.

His girl is seen just above him in this shot! This is when he just starts to light up for her!



Where did she go!



I will get her attention with this display!



Things got moving pretty fast after this and I didn't have the time to get more shots

Cheers
Ric


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## Flygirl (Jul 23, 2011)

After all of the posts from Ric, I have come to definitive conclusion - it doesn't seem to matter what Rainbows one ends up choosing, they're all insanely gorgeous (especially if they were photographed by Ric first). So that being said... I want them allllllll muahahahahaha.


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