Origin
Native to clear, slow-flowing streams and rainforest pools in eastern Papua New Guinea. Often found near submerged logs and plant cover.

Visual & Behavioral Appeal
A colorful body painted in powder blue, yellow, and pink, with a bold black eye spot on the tail. Males display extended fin rays and more intense hues. Their movement is slow and fluttering, resembling a mini cichlid.

Purpose
A visual anchor for nano aquariums. Peaceful and personable, they add color to the lower and midwater levels without overwhelming shy tank mates.

Importance
Highly valued for their unique appearance, peaceful nature, and relatively easy breeding. Ideal for aquarists looking for a centerpiece nano species without aggressive tendencies.

Included Resources
Requires small caves or tubes for shelter and breeding. Prefers a planted or heavily aquascaped tank with moderate filtration and gentle flow. Dense hardscape and leaf litter enrich behavior.

Best Use Cases
Nano planted tanks, peaceful community aquariums, and biotope-style layouts. Great for breeding displays and educational tanks due to their parental care.

Conservation Context
Not commonly wild-caught. Most in the trade are captive-bred. Their niche popularity supports sustainable aquaculture practices.

Ideal Aquatic Species
• Small rasboras and tetras
• Corydoras and dwarf loaches
• Amano or cherry shrimp (monitor closely)
• Kuhli loaches
• Other small gobies or gudgeons

Region (A)
• Latitude: -9.4438° S
• Longitude: 147.1803° E
(Port Moresby region, Papua New Guinea)

Region (B)
• Latitude: -6.6146° S
• Longitude: 145.9189° E
(Eastern Highlands, river tributaries of Papua New Guinea)