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Celebes rainbowfish (Marosatherina ladigesi) — Telmatherinidae

Celebes rainbowfish

Marosatherina ladigesi
VU · Vulnerable

The Celebes rainbowfish (Marosatherina ladigesi) is a freshwater fish of the family Telmatherinidae that grows up to 8 cm.

Length
8 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Sulawesi (Celebes)
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The Celebes rainbowfish is a small, graceful fish endemic to the Bantimurung area of southern Sulawesi (Celebes) in Indonesia. The species grows to about 8 cm and has a translucent, yellowish body with a blue iridescent lateral stripe; males have conspicuously elongated, black-and-yellow fin rays in the second dorsal and anal fins. It lives in clear, plant-rich streams and limestone springs and is an omnivore. Owing to habitat loss it is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. It is a popular aquarium fish.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Celebes rainbowfish?

The Celebes rainbowfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Males with elongated black-and-yellow fin rays; vulnerable endemic

Where does the Celebes rainbowfish live?

The Celebes rainbowfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom. Sulawesi (Celebes)

How big does the Celebes rainbowfish get?

The Celebes rainbowfish grows to a maximum of about 8 cm.

Is the Celebes rainbowfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Celebes rainbowfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Celebes rainbowfish edible?

The Celebes rainbowfish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Celebes rainbowfish (Marosatherina ladigesi) — Telmatherinidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Shigella dysenteriae at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Celebes rainbowfish (Marosatherina ladigesi) — Telmatherinidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) saraalien1, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Celebes rainbowfish (Marosatherina ladigesi) — Telmatherinidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) saraalien1, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Celebes rainbowfish (Marosatherina ladigesi) — Telmatherinidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Gary, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Celebes rainbowfish verified
Scientific name
Marosatherina ladigesi
Family
Telmatherinidae
Other names
Celebes Rainbow Fish; Celebes rainbowfish; Celebes Rainbow verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
8.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold inferred
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Natural range
Sulawesi (Celebes) verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small zooplankton, insects and algae inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced
Seasonality
Endemic ornamental fish of limestone springs; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Males with elongated black-and-yellow fin rays; vulnerable endemic sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Telmatherinidae

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