LA
Australian rainbowfish males grow larger and display longer fins than
the females.
LA
More Australian rainbowfish.
LA
All rainbowfish improve with age.
LA
Young boesmani rainbowfish are now getting more affordable.
Name: Rainbowfish come
in a variety of species, sizes, and colors.
But their name more likely comes from the way they flash their
iridescent colors -- apparently at will – especially at breeding time.
Origins:
Australia
prohibits the export and import of live animals (including fishes).
However, several species of rainbowfishes “escaped” from Australia
before the ban took effect. And
it is now legal to export some tank-raised fishes and eggs.
Some rainbowfish species come from New Guinea,
Indonesia, and other countries.
LA
Rainbowfish color and display best in planted aquaria.
Water Conditions: Rainbowfish
can adapt to widely varying pH levels.
They prefer a pH above neutral.
Our 7.5 Des Moines
water works great. They also
like salt in their water – one teaspoon per gallon.
Keep it around 75o although they can stand it colder or
hotter. They love the tannic
acids and vitamins in Tetra’s Blackwater Tonic.
They don’t need this additive, but show better colors when you
use it. Rainbows seem to
prefer subdued lighting.
LA
Rainbowfish flash great colors -- when they feel like it.
Appeal: Action and color
add to the pleasure of keeping rainbowfish. Their
inexpensive price (for most of them) also adds to their appeal.
LA
Madagascar rainbowfish look entirely different.
Size: Many
rainbowfish grow to four or five inches in a big tank.
You usually find them for sale at about 1.5 to 2 inches.
They show only a hint of their color potential at this size.
LA
Young Australian rainbowfish.
Attitude: Fast-swimming,
peaceful, hearty eaters about wraps it up. Rainbowfish show off best in
planted aquaria.
Foods: Rainbowfish
will eagerly eat whatever you feed them.
They especially love frozen and live foods.
They respond very well to color foods.
LA
Young dwarf rainbowfish.
LA
This dwarf rainbowfish looks better with a little age on him.
LA
Male dwarf rainbowfish on left. Female on right. Fairly easy
to sex.
Conditioning: If you
decide to breed them, separate the sexes (if possible) and feed them well.
The female rainbowfish will get chubby from the eggs developing inside.
The males develop much brighter colors.
Start warming them up a few degrees.
LA
Male (top) and female young Australian rainbowfish.
LA
As they mature, they look more attractive.
LA
Even young boesmani rainbowfish look colorful.
LA
Boesmanis get more colorful as they mature.
LA
And some get more colorful than others.
Breeding: Mix your
conditioned breeders
in a non-brightly lit planted tank. Add
Black Water Tonic to their tank. Keep
them well fed. Rainbowfish usually
spawn every morning for a week. The
eggs stick to the plants (like killifish eggs).
Most breeders ignore the eggs.
Take out the parents after a week or they will likely eat the hatching
fry. Some people say they don’t. Some people say lots of
things. I see little reason to believe they wouldn’t eat their
eggs also. Keep them well fed.
Saving More Fry:
Make a long mop of Orlon or Nylon strands.
Attach the strands to a cork or anything that floats.
Use this as their spawning site and remove the mop when you have
enough eggs. Hatch them in
their own 10-gallon tank. Or you can do the same thing with a bunch
of hornwort -- with a lot less hassle.
Fry Foods: Baby
rainbowfish do best on infusoria.
Some breeders feed them the
powdered dry foods. After one
or two weeks feed newly hatched
shrimps or microworms.
Add big snails to
clean up the excess.
Filtration:
Baby rainbowfish fish need clean water. Use
an undergravel or sponge filter.
Sponge filters clean their water, grow extra food, and
prevent scum from building up on the water’s
surface.
Summary:
Rainbowfish make good additions to nearly any tank.
They seldom bother smaller fish.
Their speed makes them good mixers with rougher fish – even some
of the cichlids. LA.
Carolyn Coffee, Torrington, WY, December 11,
2007
I was reading your article on Australian Rainbows, and I have to say
that they can actually be quite nasty. I had to move mine from a
community tank to the cichlid tank. The rainbow actually chases the
Africans and keeps the green terror “looking over his shoulder.”
A: If they are nasty to African cichlids, that's just one
more point in their favor. I've never seen them pick on African
cichlids, but I'll add your comments to my Australian Rainbowfish page.
LA
Some Turquoise Rainbowfish:
LA
2-inch turquoise rainbowfish.
LA
Same guy.
LA
2-inch turquoise rainbowfish.
LA
3-inch turquoise rainbowfish.
LA
They like to school.
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