Males br ighter than females. Back mottledblack. Except the caudal, fins yellowish orange. Flankbars alternately brown tinged with yellow and greywhite.Two bars on caudal fin with fin margin hyaline.Some with 1-3 bars or a forked bar. Dorsal fin with 4-5horizontal rows of spots. Females lighter and less bright.Flank bars vary from weak to obvious, lighter ones widerand darker ones narrower. Iris iridescent green. Peritoneumblack. Females with longer pelvic fin. At temperaturesof 37-40°C, with clear water but a strong sulphurodor, on stone and pebbles covered by blue-green algae.Maximum age 5 years, total length 45 mm and weight2.6 g. Temperature constant and day length may then beimportant in triggering reproduction in December toMarch, when they spawn. Maturity in first year at a sizeof 3 cm. Absolute fecundity 70 eggs with a diameter of1.7 mm. Males territorial. Food include algae and insectlarvae.