Product Details

Kali Jakora Rainbowfish – Melanotaenia jakora

Overview:

The Kali Jakora Rainbowfish is a rare West Papuan rainbowfish with a subtle but beautiful sparkle, showing blue-white scale highlights, soft grey to pinkish body tones and delicate colour through the fins. Formerly known in the hobby as the Sparkle Rainbowfish or Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Jakora”, Melanotaenia jakora is a smaller, peaceful shoaling species for aquarists who appreciate natural-looking rainbowfish. It is best kept in a mature planted aquarium with clean water, a proper group and calm tank mates.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Kali Jakora Rainbowfish
Other Names: Sparkle Rainbowfish, Jakora Rainbowfish, Kali Jakora Dwarf Rainbowfish, Melanotaenia sp. “Kali Jakora”
Scientific Name: Melanotaenia jakora
Fish Type: Rainbowfish
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

Melanotaenia jakora is native to western New Guinea, in Papua Barat Province, Indonesia. FishBase records it from a small rainforest creek crossing the road from Meyado to the village of Jakora, where the water was dark with tannins and the substrate was muddy, with little or no submerged aquatic vegetation. Recorded habitat measurements included 26.4°C, pH 6.4, very low conductivity and hardness below measurable levels.

In the aquarium, this means the Kali Jakora Rainbowfish is best treated as a clean-water, soft-water rainforest species rather than a hard-water rainbowfish from open lakes or limestone streams.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Kali Jakora Rainbowfish have a slender to moderately deep body with a reflective, sparkling sheen that gives the fish its older “Sparkle Rainbowfish” name. Males may show blue-white highlights, soft pink or peach tones and delicate fin colour, especially when displaying. Females are usually more understated but are important for natural group behaviour and male colour development.

Adults are usually around 5–7 cm, making them smaller than Boesemani, Wapoga or Three Stripe Rainbowfish, but still active enough to need proper swimming space.

Aquarium Suitability:

This species suits mature planted aquariums, peaceful rainbowfish displays and soft-water community setups. It looks best with darker substrate, plants, wood, botanicals and shaded areas, while still leaving open midwater swimming space. It is not suitable for tiny nano aquariums, aggressive communities, very hard alkaline water or rough setups with boisterous tank mates.

Large sale-size fish should be moved into a stable aquarium with enough room for group swimming rather than being treated as a small temporary community fish.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 120 litres for a group, with 150 litres or more preferred for a larger shoal and better male display behaviour. A tank length of at least 90 cm is recommended, as rainbowfish are active midwater swimmers even when they are not especially large.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 24–27°C
pH: 6.0–7.2
Hardness: Soft to moderately hard; soft, stable water preferred
Additional Notes: Provide clean, well-filtered water with good oxygenation and regular partial water changes. This species comes from tannin-stained, very low-mineral water, but captive-maintained stock may adapt to near-neutral conditions if acclimated gradually. Trade notes describe it as thriving in soft acidic conditions but often acclimated to neutral aquarium water.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Fish

Kali Jakora Rainbowfish are peaceful, active shoaling fish. Suitable tank mates include small to medium rainbowfish, peaceful rasboras, pencilfish, small tetras, danios, Otocinclus, Cory-type catfish suited to similar water, small peaceful plecs and calm dwarf cichlids in carefully chosen setups.

Avoid aggressive cichlids, persistent fin-nippers, large predators, very boisterous barbs and slow delicate fish that may be outcompeted at feeding time. Keep in a group of at least 6, with 8–10 or more preferred. A mixed-sex group gives the best display, as males colour up most strongly when interacting with females and rival males.

Feeding:

Kali Jakora Rainbowfish are omnivores and usually feed readily once settled. Offer quality fine flakes, small granules and small rainbowfish pellets as the staple diet. Supplement with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brineshrimp, mosquito larvae and small bloodworm. Include some vegetable or algae-based foods for balance. Feed measured portions, as rainbowfish are fast feeders and can easily outcompete quieter tank mates.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

This species spends most of its time in the middle and upper levels, moving in a loose group. Males may display with raised fins, brightened scale highlights and quick side-by-side movements, especially in the morning or after water changes. They are lively rather than aggressive, and a settled group will show far better colour and confidence than fish kept singly or in pairs.

Care Notes:

Keep in a mature aquarium with stable water quality, low nitrate and a secure lid, as rainbowfish can jump when startled. Do not keep singly or in very small numbers. Avoid sudden changes from soft acidic water to hard alkaline conditions. Locality fish such as Kali Jakora should not be mixed with similar Melanotaenia if breeding may occur, as this can lose the identity of this rare strain. Colour is often subtle at first but improves with age, diet, group structure and low stress.

Recommended For:

Intermediate

Availability:

Rare / Specialist rainbowfish strain / Captive-bred when available

Image Disclaimer:

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Natural variation in size, colour, pattern and markings can occur between individual fish.