Melanotaenia garylangei is distinguished by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin rays IV-VI + I,12-15; anal fin rays I,16-20; in life, adult males have a blue nape and an olive green upper side, a midlateral blackish stripe covering two rows of scales of which the line above the upper scale row is regularly broken and the scales are of greenish, 1-2 red stripes above and below the mid-lateral stripe; second dorsal, pectoral, anal and middle portion of caudal fin red; and dorsal and anal fins elongated in males (Ref. 113073).