# Rainbowfish, all about them



## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I want to know the ins and outs of the different species, and what rainbows you guys are keeping.

I assume they both act and look better when kept in groups of the same species as opposed to a mix of things. I'm thinking about grabbing a group of them for my 75, just not sure what species I'd want to have around again.


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## blink (Feb 22, 2012)

http://peter.unmack.net/tappin/Rainbowfishes.2011.pdf


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## EddyBearr (May 28, 2013)

Melanotaenia Lacustris (Turquoise Rainbowfish.)

Survived in a 10 gallon quarantine (and circumstantially made a long-term tank. A full 8 months in there) tank at a 2.5-3inch size. 10 of them.
3 of them died after the filter malfunctioned so circulation went down, so I'd want to say they need high oxygen and are sensitive to ammonia.

They survived in nitrites of over 100 PPM just fine (long term). They even tried breeding. When I introduced some java moss, they became beyond happy and two tried to claim breeding spots at once.

In my group of 7, I have one obviously dominant male, one secondary male, and 2 more which "might be males, but obviously are low on the hierarchy." The dominant male is the largest rainbowfish.

They do school with each other, and they seem to avoid eating flakes after they're starting to sink (but obviously will get right at it.) Mine seem to dislike eating chunks from a bloodworm brick, and seem to dislike eating anything that has gone lower in the tank.

Having moved them into a 45 gallon tank, they are now much happier.

The colors on the turquoise rainbowfish are the best, in my opinion. The vivid blues, and then anything from yellow to pink as well.

Mine are extremely hardy and tolerant, but extremely active, and got injured from a somewhat sharp decoration I had (healing shortly after taking it out.) They're naturally fast nature might make them susceptible to scratching along things.

Finally, they're pretty smart. They constantly watch me for food, and recognize their food container.

I feed them a quality flake food made of spirulina and krill, with bloodworms sometimes.

I can't think of anything triggering them to want to breed. They just started getting in the mood (or at least the males did. The females hadn't been interested.)

They've been in their 45 gallon for a week or so, so we'll see what else there is in the coming months.

That's probably all I have to offer.


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## 0live (Jun 8, 2013)

I have 7 threadfin rainbow fishes. Really neat little fish. The females have developed a beautiful honey blonde color and the males seem to do nothing but show off for the ladies.


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## Bruce_S (Jul 26, 2012)

I'm currently keeping several Melanotaenias: turquoise, splendida, trifasciata, herbertaxelrodi, boesemani, and praecox, all of the "floridensis" races . . .

I've fallen pretty hard for the 'bows, bright colors, active swimming, clean lines - oh, and did anyone mention how _quickly_ those colors can change? The only things I can remember seeing which changes colors so fast are cephalopods. (Octopus and squids) I've seen a turquoise rainbow go from blue-green to metallic pumpkin orange and back to blue-green in less time than it took you to read this sentence.

My 'bows aren't at all fussy about food. Frozen blocks? Yum! That's cause for a feeding frenzy that'd look good on "Shark Week". Flakes? Micro-pellets? Charge 'em at the surface and take 'em like a trout! Big algae wafers? Wait directly above them, half an inch from the substrate, while the corys & plecos work 'em over - then periodically grab them and thrash 'em, picking up the smaller bits before anyone else has a chance!

They're pretty in the evening, but at their best in the mornings.

Praecox are the smallest of the ones I've got, full grown at about 6-8cm, trifasciata will grow the largest eventually, though the biggest in my tank now is a M. splendida inornata at about 5 inches or so. (Don't let the inexpensive Australian rainbows in your LFS' tank fool you into thinking these are plain silvery fish - under better conditions, they'll reward you with purple scales and orange lines between, yellow and red fins with thick black margins. Gorgeous fish on a budget!)

HTH
~Bruce


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## dprais1 (Sep 12, 2012)

I have

5 turquoise 
5 boesemani
5 psuedoincisus
10 praecox

I feed mine white worms, brine shrimp, color enhancing flake and a spirulina flake.

Hardy as all heck, and fun to watch, especially in the morning. Slow growers IMO compared to other fish I have kept and that is with my temp cranked up to 82


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

What about the gertrude rainbow fish? I would check on which 1s live the longest.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I'm more into the bigger ones, anything that hovers around 3 inches or more in size and has that bell shape that rainbows have..

Although the blue eyes are beautiful, I just don't have a tank that I'd be comfortable putting them in.

Also, the stories and links are fantastic guys , but anyone else please feel free to add more.


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## du3ce (Jan 26, 2013)

i love bosemani's their colors are awesome


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## devilduck (May 9, 2012)

Love to see a picture of this tank! Are they all from the local breeder?



dprais1 said:


> I have
> 
> 5 turquoise
> 5 boesemani
> ...


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

How about the Glossolepsis incisus, red rainbow? Post #1121 has a nice picture with rainbow fish


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## dprais1 (Sep 12, 2012)

devilduck said:


> Love to see a picture of this tank! Are they all from the local breeder?


 
I think the last post has some poics of my tank, my camera sucks, but the fish all look great and even better as they have put on a little size.

Jim is a breeder in chicago, if you want some more info PM me.


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## NeonFlux (Apr 10, 2008)

I have several rainbows in my 55 gallon and like Bruce, I have fallen for their awesome appearance, colors, behaviors, etc. Simply put, eye candy fish! They look even more great when they start breeding/spawning and when males are showing off for females also if you have them in a nice heavily planted tank.. and I agree that they look spectacular in the early morning light too..

2 Boosemanis
1 Turquiose
1 Australian Splendid
2 Axelrodi females
1 Cerulian Trifaciata

All kept in about 77 degrees to 80 depending on room temp but usually around 77ish.

Glad to see a lot of bow keepers. They're awesome colourful looking fish.

Looking to get a bit more.. 

They are fed a variety of fish protein and spirulina flakes, freeze-dried insects such as brine shrimp, blood worms, cali blackworms, mysis shrimp, live fruitflies, live grindal worms, daphnia moina, blanched vegetables.. I feed a lot of different stuff.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

HybridHerp said:


> I want to know the ins and outs of the different species, and what rainbows you guys are keeping.
> 
> I assume they both act and look better when kept in groups of the same species as opposed to a mix of things. I'm thinking about grabbing a group of them for my 75, just not sure what species I'd want to have around again.


I have M.herbertaxelrodi, M.Bosmani, M. Nigrans (fairly rare) Great fish, always moving. 

I have also kept M.Kamaka and M. Praecox. 

The guy to talk to is Rainbowfish (Gary Lange) (on the forum) he is the U.S. guru on bows. Zimbo is another good one to talk to he in the past has actively bred them

Also when you get a chance, head on over to Rainbow-fish.org very good resource and very nice people on the forums able to help you with any bow questions. 

the trick to bows is to find a very good quality one. The ones coming from the fish farms in Florida have been bred between them so much the colors can sometimes be drab, and the chance of ending up with a hybrid is high. My Bosmani was purchased at a LFS that gets them in from a local breeder sometimes. I have NEVER seen a bosmani with this deep of an orange in his tail than the ones he can get. There are some more slender shaped fish as well like the M.Nigrans, they are slender with long fin lines. the colors are subtle, but it is also what makes them beautiful. 




blink said:


> http://peter.unmack.net/tappin/Rainbowfishes.2011.pdf


Great book! There are many of the fish in there thought that are no longer in the U.S. hobby 



Hilde said:


> What about the gertrude rainbow fish? I would check on which 1s live the longest.


 
They are jerks lol boisterous is the nicest thing to say lol. They will easily pick on larger bows. They also have a shorter lifespan so continuous breeding is needed to keep a group up.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

What are the lifespans of most rainbows? A LFS has some that they claim to e goyodor river, they want $30 a pair I believe...

Then again I want 6 rainbows so that might be a hefty price tag. Idk what the going prices on rainbows are.


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## NeonFlux (Apr 10, 2008)

HybridHerp said:


> What are the lifespans of most rainbows? A LFS has some that they claim to e goyodor river, they want $30 a pair I believe...
> 
> Then again I want 6 rainbows so that might be a hefty price tag. Idk what the going prices on rainbows are.


It varies.. 5-8 years is average or maybe longer depending on their diet, water, genes, and temperature.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

The price of bows vary, they are not that hard to breed, but are slow growing. So, that is reflected in the price.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

Another general question....I've heard that its best to keep rainbows in pairs or with more females than males, but are they like tetras in that they prefer to be in groups of 6 or more or do they not care so long as there is at least a 1:1 ratio of the sexes?


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

1:1 is a min. ratio. you can have different species In the tank, but they can hybridize. (I have never had a fry or egg survive) if you say keep a few of one species, (1 male / two female) and have a few of another specie they will work just fine.


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## Green_Flash (Apr 15, 2012)

Bruce_S said:


> I'm currently keeping several Melanotaenias: turquoise, splendida, trifasciata, herbertaxelrodi, boesemani, and praecox, all of the "floridensis" races . . .
> 
> I've fallen pretty hard for the 'bows, bright colors, active swimming, clean lines - oh, and did anyone mention how _quickly_ those colors can change? The only things I can remember seeing which changes colors so fast are cephalopods. (Octopus and squids) I've seen a turquoise rainbow go from blue-green to metallic pumpkin orange and back to blue-green in less time than it took you to read this sentence.
> 
> ...


What is your favorite sp of all the ones you have kept?


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## BHolmes (Aug 23, 2012)

*Glossolepis incisus:*
Male, 2ea


*Glossolepis incisus:*
Female, 2ea


*M. kamaka:*
2 Male, 2 Female. They look the same except the male shows a blazing white stripe over its head when its competing.


*Boesemani:*
Male, 2ea


*Boesemani:*
Female, 2ea


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## Bruce_S (Jul 26, 2012)

Green_Flash said:


> What is your favorite sp of all the ones you have kept?


Hey, Green_Flash!

If I could choose a favorite, my life would be _so_ much easier, LOL!

I will say this, though - the other day, the morning after a water change and a couple of blocks of frozen food (Emerald Entree, baby brine and bloodworm) I peeked in and my breath literally caught in my throat as I glimpsed the colors of one of my M. trifasciata. This guy's new, though, and hasn't really filled in and colored up properly ... wait ... what am I saying?! He's a youngster whose body is still pretty slim. That having been said, these guys are all Florida fish farm / LFS stock, and they're _really_ variable in color. One is dark, one is extra red with no black border in his dorsal or anal fins (like a Blyth River tri? Sorta?) one is pale - and this guy has powerful red fins with thick black margins, and glints & shimmers of blue along his flanks. (These are the fish sold as "Goyder River".) So ... maybe those ones.

This week.

~Bruce


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

So, I went with 5 Australian rainbows, pretty good size and two of them are huge.

I might get more of that species later on, but for now I'm good with it.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

HybridHerp said:


> So, I went with 5 Australian rainbows, pretty good size and two of them are huge.
> 
> I might get more of that species later on, but for now I'm good with it.


Mmmm.... M. splendida good choice. Did you happen to get them from a breeder? or were they the LFS brand. There are many different "forms" of the M.splendida with different coloring. If they are still too young to see the final colors, you can be in for a pretty nice surprise.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

They were adult sized, at least two of them where anyways, but idk the true color since it was at an auction so they were stressed out for sure.

I believe they came from a breeder as well, since it was mentioned that they where 9 months old....although they were big lol


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

HybridHerp said:


> They were adult sized, at least two of them where anyways, but idk the true color since it was at an auction so they were stressed out for sure.
> 
> I believe they came from a breeder as well, since it was mentioned that they where 9 months old....although they were big lol


 
The idea that they were from a breeder, heightens the chance that they are not the LFS type brand. Which could be a very good find! I have not had the M.splendida as of yet due to size restraints lol. I stick with the small to medium sized bows. Every time I see one of these guys though, it makes me want a bigger tank. They are a very graceful bow. 

http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/splendida.htm

in the first few seconds of the tank you can see one in the upper right swimming slowly. 

BY the by, this is Sanj's tank (member here)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RFOMV6dAUg


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

Yah, I think they will look great in my 75 with the pearl gourami's I have, and eventual congo tetras and Angels.

I'm not sure of one thing though, are we sure they would be M. spledida and not M. australis? They were only marked as australian rainbow, and I can get pics in a few days (I have the two biggest in my 75 and the 3 smaller ones in a 10 until my endli bichir is removed)


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

HybridHerp said:


> Yah, I think they will look great in my 75 with the pearl gourami's I have, and eventual congo tetras and Angels.
> 
> I'm not sure of one thing though, are we sure they would be M. spledida and not M. australis? They were only marked as australian rainbow, and I can get pics in a few days (I have the two biggest in my 75 and the 3 smaller ones in a 10 until my endli bichir is removed)


M.Australis it appears was part of the subgroup M.splendida _australis_

Looks like Adrian Tappin's book is showing that they are now considered a separate species, possibly two or three different species lol

The downloadable PDF book gives much more information on both the splendida and the australis species. How big are they? Splendida can get quite large 10-15cm where as the australis stick to 8-10cm.


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## manlyfan76 (Jun 20, 2013)

http://www.rainbowfish.info/
http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Melano.htm


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