Celebes Rainbowfish Identification Guide
Recognize this Sulawesi native by its slender translucent body, blue-green sheen, and elongated black-and-yellow fin filaments.
Read the full Celebes Rainbowfish encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Slender, elongated body reaching about 3 inches (7-8 cm), more streamlined than most Melanotaenia species
- Translucent pale yellow body with an iridescent blue-green sheen along the back
- Second dorsal and anal fins drawn into elongated filaments, especially in mature males
- Forked tail with yellow lobes edged in black
- Large eyes and a fine, pointed snout
- Body so translucent that internal structures can sometimes be faintly seen through the flanks
Common look-alikes
- Threadfin Rainbowfish: also has extended fin filaments but is much smaller and lacks the blue-green body sheen
- Turquoise Rainbowfish: solid blue coloring throughout rather than a translucent yellow body with a blue sheen
- Madagascar Rainbowfish: has a single solid black stripe and no filamentous fins
Where you'll see one
Endemic to fast-flowing streams and rivers of the Maros region in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, over sand and gravel substrates. It typically schools in open, well-oxygenated water rather than dense cover, often holding station just above the current near rocky shallows.
Frequently asked questions
What feature best distinguishes a Celebes Rainbowfish?
Its combination of a translucent yellow body, blue-green sheen, and elongated black-and-yellow fin filaments is unique among common rainbowfish.
How does it differ from the Threadfin Rainbowfish?
The Celebes Rainbowfish is larger and more robust with a blue-green sheen, while the Threadfin Rainbowfish is tiny and nearly transparent.