Native fish: Western Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia australis) in the wild

Western Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia australis) are a small Australian native freshwater fish found in the north of Western Australia and the western part of the Top End of the Northern Territory.

These fish were filmed in a rainforest spring in the upper reaches of the Finniss River near Batchelor in the Top End of the NT.  

Also visible near the surface are a few Black-striped Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia nigrans), and some some grunters cruising around near the bottom.

For underwater photography/video enthusiasts, this video is a good example of how colour and contrast drop off very quickly in water with increasing distance from the camera. It's not just depth, but distance, even right on the surface. Notice how beautiful the fish are when very close, but how their colours fade dramatically as they move away.

For more information on Western Rainbowfish see the Fishes of Australia website: https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home...

and

Rainbowfish at ANGFA Queensland: http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Au...

CAAB Taxon Code: 37245012

© Greg Wallis 2023