TankBud

Gary Lange's rainbowfish

Melanotaenia garylangei

Also known as Wapoga dwarf neon rainbowfish

FreshwaterFish

Gary Lange's rainbowfish (Melanotaenia garylangei)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
3.5 in
9 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg depositor · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Melanotaeniidae
Origin
Wapoga River region, Papua, Indonesia

Overview

Gary Lange's rainbowfish is a mid-sized, peaceful fish for a planted community tank. It is a good next step after the easiest fish.

Did you know

The species honors Gary Lange, an American aquarist whose repeated collecting trips to New Guinea brought many rainbowfishes into the hobby. Having a fish named after you is a rare tribute, usually reserved for scientists rather than hobbyists.

Caring for the Gary Lange's rainbowfish

Keep Gary Lange's rainbowfish in a school of at least six, so the fish shoal and the males display. A tank of 29 gal (110 L) or more gives a group room to swim. Add plants, driftwood, some tannin-tinted water and open swimming lanes.

Keep the water at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C), soft to moderately hard, with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Bright light triggers the males' morning display. Feed them well on quality flake and small granules, with live and frozen daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm for the best color.

Gary Lange's rainbowfish are peaceful and mix happily with other calm fish of a similar size. They are not demanding about company.

They are moderately hard to breed. They scatter adhesive eggs onto fine-leaved plants or spawning mops over several days. The small fry need very fine first foods.

Good to know

Melanotaenia garylangei is a rainbowfish in the family Melanotaeniidae, described by Graf, Herder and Hadiaty in 2015. It colors up young, and displaying males carry a blue sheen over golden flanks. It is also called the Wapoga dwarf neon rainbowfish.

In the wild

Gary Lange's rainbowfish comes from small rainforest creeks of the Wapoga region in Papua, Indonesia. The water is clear but often stained the color of weak tea by leaf litter.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Gary Lange's rainbowfish is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Gary Lange's rainbowfish need?

A Gary Lange's rainbowfish needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Gary Lange's rainbowfish need?

A Gary Lange's rainbowfish is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a Gary Lange's rainbowfish eat?

A Gary Lange's rainbowfish eats quality flake and small granules. Live and frozen daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm bring out its best color.

How big does a Gary Lange's rainbowfish get?

An adult Gary Lange's rainbowfish reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).

Does a Gary Lange's rainbowfish need a group?

Yes. A Gary Lange's rainbowfish is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a Gary Lange's rainbowfish breed?

Gary Lange's rainbowfish scatter adhesive eggs onto fine-leaved plants or spawning mops over several days. Breeding them is of medium difficulty, and the small fry need very fine first foods.

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