Species Profile: Glossolepis incisus

Common Name:   Salmon-Red Rainbowfish

Species Photo by: Neil Armstrong

Description:   Female Glossolepis incisus have a yellowish olive body colour with a golden iridescence to the scales, and clear fins. The males on the other hand are brilliant, the entire body and fins are a bright salmon-red colour. Some of the scales have a silvery sheen, which creates a most unusual effect over the red background colour. Young fish are all rather dull in colour, being an overall olive greenish colour with a trace of silvery sheen. However, once the fish reach a length of 4 to 5 cm the males begin to colour up. Once the colour change begins to occur it progresses quite rapidly. By the time the fish are 7 to 8 cm long the males should have their full intense red colouration. Males are typically deeper bodied than females and have a high rounded back which gives them the appearance of having a relatively small head and disproportionately large eyes. Males may reach a maximum size of 15 cm, but females are usually less than 12 cm. Glossolepis differ from other melanotaeniids by a combination of characters which includes distinctly crenulate scale margins, a high gill raker count, spine at the beginning of the second dorsal fin taller than first spine of first dorsal fin, relatively elongate pectoral fins, a unique premaxillary dentition and characteristic profile of the head, nape, and dorsal and anal fins.

Category:   Rainbowfish

Global Region:   Asia

Distribution:   Lake Sentani

CARES Classification:   Endangered