Taxonomy & naming
This is an undescribed form: no scientific name, authority or type material stands behind it, and its identity and range are not documented in the sources the atlas uses. Imperial Tropicals says the fish was originally considered a variant of Melanotaenia affinis and that recent genetic studies show it to be a separate species. No scientific name has been published for it. The seller also calls it the bongo rainbowfish, after the village near the collection point.
Morphology
Imperial Tropicals credits the line to collection by Gary Lange and US breeding, and credits non-Imperial photos to Jimmy Walker showing the fish over a darker substrate. The listing text the atlas holds gives no further colour description.
Habitat
The seller names a village called Bongo near the collection point. Melanotaenia rainbowfishes are small to medium freshwater fishes of Australia and New Guinea (genus-level).
Feeding
Melanotaenia are omnivores that take small invertebrates and plant material (genus-level). Imperial Tropicals advises a quality flake food with supplemental proteins such as baby brine shrimp.
Mating
Melanotaenia are egg scatterers that deposit eggs among fine-leaved plants (genus-level). Spawning of this form is not documented.
Breeding
Melanotaenia eggs are laid in weedy areas, often mimicked by a yarn mop, and hatch in about 7–10 days (seller figure for the genus). No captive-breeding record specific to this form is held by the atlas.
In the aquarium
Imperial Tropicals advises frequent water changes and says the fish tolerate a wide variety of water parameters and show nearly continuous spawning attempts when the water is kept clean. These are seller statements only. The seller calls the fish extremely rare in the hobby.
Conservation
No IUCN assessment exists for this undescribed form. Its range and numbers are not documented, so its conservation status cannot be stated.