Melanotaeniidae

banded rainbowfish

Melanotaenia trifasciata

Dark lateral band with bright fins

• Tropical
• Transcontinental
• Freshwater fish
• Oceania
• Small
• Tropical fish

The banded rainbowfish (Melanotaenia trifasciata), also known as the Jewel rainbowfish, Goyder River rainbowfish, three-striped sunfish or regal rainbowfish, is a species of rainbowfish found in the northerly regions of North Australia and Queensland. An adult banded rainbowfish can reach a standard length of 12–15 cm with a deep body usually exceeding 1/3 of their body length. Like most other rainbowfish, this species varies in color depending on where they were collected, but all varieties have a distinct dark mid-lateral band and bright red/yellow dorsal, anal, and caudal fins.