# Red Rainbowfish (*glossolepis incisa*) The Red Rainbowfish is a colorful fish that loves to swim in schools. Its bright colors can make any aquarium look like a rainbow! - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Habitat:** They live in freshwater rivers and lakes in Papua New Guinea. - **Also known as:** Glossolepis, Red Glossolepis ![Red Rainbowfish](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Glossolepis_incisus_mnl_thomnight_001.jpg&width=800) Photo: Thomnight ( Thomnight ), CC BY-SA 2.0 de · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glossolepis_incisus_mnl_thomnight_001.jpg) ## Appearance The Red Rainbowfish is famed for its shimmering, deep red body, particularly the males, while females are more subdued with a silvery-pink hue. Its deeply compressed body and prominent dorsal and anal fins give it a distinctive, athletic profile, shining brightly under the water. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Atheriniformes - **Family:** Melanotaeniidae - **Genus:** Glossolepis ## Interesting facts - Females are often silvery-pink, letting the bold males steal the show with their fiery red! - Male Red Rainbowfish get much brighter and more colourful as they grow older! - Their dazzling scales sparkle like tiny jewels, reflecting a rainbow of light underwater! - These lively fish love to jump, sometimes catching insects flying just above the surface! ## Special abilities - **Color Flash:** Red Rainbowfish can intensify their vibrant red color because of special cells, signalling readiness to breed. - **Agile Jumper:** Red Rainbowfish has powerful tail muscles that helps them leap out of water to catch insects or escape danger. - **Schooling Safety:** Red Rainbowfish can gather in large groups because of their social nature, that helps them confuse predators and find food together. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-15 cm - **Weight:** 0.01-0.03 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-6 years - **Swim Speed:** 8 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 4 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding These omnivores enjoy a varied diet of tiny insects, larvae, and plant matter found in their freshwater home. - **Primary Foods:** Insect larvae, Zooplankton, Algae, Aquatic plants - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Snakehead Murrel (*Channa striata*) — A larger predatory fish in their habitat. - **Eats:** Bloodworm (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Feeds on their larvae found in sediments. - **Depends on:** Tapegrass (*Vallisneria spiralis*) — Provides shelter and a foraging ground for food. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red Rainbowfish? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red Rainbowfish? 10-15 cm ### How much does Red Rainbowfish weigh? 0.01-0.03 kg ### How long does Red Rainbowfish live? 3-6 years ### What does Red Rainbowfish eat? These omnivores enjoy a varied diet of tiny insects, larvae, and plant matter found in their freshwater home. ### How fast can Red Rainbowfish swim? 8 km/h ### Where is Red Rainbowfish usually found? They live in freshwater rivers and lakes in Papua New Guinea. ### How does Red Rainbowfish hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Gamble Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gamble-park) — British Columbia, CA · Park ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Red Rainbowfish: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-rainbowfish)