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Celebes rainbowfish (Telmatherina celebensis) — Telmatherinidae

Celebes rainbowfish

Telmatherina celebensis

The Celebes rainbowfish (Telmatherina celebensis) is a freshwater fish of the family Telmatherinidae that grows up to 7 cm.

Length
6.8 cm
Water
Freshwater
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Celebes rainbowfish is a colourful freshwater silverside relative (Telmatherinidae) endemic to Lake Poso and surrounding waters on Sulawesi in Indonesia. The species grows to about 7 cm and has a slender, translucent body that in males flushes strikingly yellow-and-blue, with elongate fin rays. It lives in schools in the clear lake and eats small zooplankton, insect larvae and algae. Through introduced species it is under pressure. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Celebes rainbowfish?

The Celebes rainbowfish has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly blue.

Where does the Celebes rainbowfish live?

The Celebes rainbowfish lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Celebes rainbowfish get?

The Celebes rainbowfish grows to a maximum of about 7 cm.

Is the Celebes rainbowfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Celebes rainbowfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Celebes rainbowfish edible?

Yes, the Celebes rainbowfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Celebes-regenboog sourced
English name
Celebes rainbowfish sourced
Scientific name
Telmatherina celebensis
Family
Telmatherinidae
Other names
Celebes rainbow sourced

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
6.8 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Blue sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Telmatherina

More from the family Telmatherinidae

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