Care
Kamaka Rainbowfish are known from Lake Kamakawaiar, one of three bodies of water which comprise the Triton Lakes in West Papua. Lake Kamakawaiar (or Lake Kamaka as it is also known) is a clearwater lake with a muddy substrate and patchy aquatic vegetation, which lies less than 5km from the coast and is surrounded by forested limestone hills. Kamaka Rainbowfish are a peaceful species, ideally suited to community aquaria. These beautiful steel blue fish should be maintained in groups of 6 or more due to their shoaling nature. The aquarium should be fairly spacious, as this is an active species. As with many other Rainbowfish species, the juveniles can look a little drab compared to the absolutely stunning adult fish, and so are all too often overlooked in the shops. However, once settled into the security of the planted aquarium, these young specimens will soon begin to colour up, revealing their true adult beauty. Kamaka Rainbowfish will not bother smaller tankmates, as their mouth/throat is too narrow to be able to swallow them. This species is seldom seen in the shops, and is well worth looking out for on account of its peacefulness, beauty, ease of maintenance, and rarity in the trade.
Feeding
Flake, green flake, micropellets, and small frozen foods such as mosquito larvae and daphnia.
Breeding
A separate good-sized breeding aquarium should be set up with 75% mature tank water and 25% of dechlorinated fresh water, along with a substrate of marbles. A small air-driven sponge filter (with a mature sponge) should be added to give gentle circulation and filtration. The temperature should be set to the higher end of the preferred range. A conditioned pair should then be acclimatised across to the breeding aquarium, which should be furnished with plenty of fine-leaved plants/Java moss clumps and floating mops. After a time, the male will swim in front of the female, displaying the mating stripe on his forehead. He will then begin to drive the female over the plants, utilising the whole length of the tank. The eggs will be scattered over the plants a few at a time. These fish are known as 'continual spawners' which means that the spawning activity takes place over several days/weeks, even months in some cases. This can present problems to the aquarist in that some adult fish may begin to consume the eggs as they are scattered. Many fishkeepers have found the eggs to be remarkably tough and have had great success in siphoning them out into another aquarium (containing matching water from the spawning tank) or else using spawning mops, which, when having caught a number of the eggs, can be moved to a separate tank (again with matching water) and replaced with a new mop, as and when each series of eggs are deposited. The eggs will usually hatch around 10 days (dependent on temperature) and once free-swimming, the tiny fry can be offered infusoria, moving onto larger foodstuffs as they develop.
