So now I am trying to contact the experts in order to find out what
they are, or at least what they may have been hybridised from.
The book "Rainbowfishes in Nature and the Aquarium" by Dr. Gerald R
Allen, shows a similar fish on page 121, this being Mel. japenensis.
They definitely have a silvery reflection, especially on the lower half
of the body, but the top half is noticeably darker. They have red
horizontal stripes between the rows of scales, with three, body length,
stripes above and below a dark band that run from the pectoral fin to
the base of the tail (which is not described by Allen). This dark band
is more noticeable on the female (or what I hope is female). The
dominant male's dorsal, anal and caudal fins are red. The fin colour is
less strong in the other male, but even the female (?) has some colour
in her fins.
Does anyone know of any other rainbow with a similar description to Mel.
japenensis?
All comments appreciated.
Paul