# rainbow fish



## hixy (9 Mar 2008)

hello folks can i keep rainbow fish in a planted aquarium and how many.   my tank is 300 litres with a juwel jumbo filter plus an ehiem 2080 external.

thanks hixy


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## Ed Seeley (9 Mar 2008)

Rainbows are great fish.  I've got a shoal of 22 Pseudomugil gertrudae in my RIo 180.

How many you keep will depend on what species you want as they vary massively in size, but whichever one you choose keep them in a shoal.


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## hixy (9 Mar 2008)

Thank you eds,think i need to get rid of my discus as to many in my tank.I do like rainbows do they breed easily.


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## Ed Seeley (9 Mar 2008)

Mine were spawning the afternoon they went in the tank, but I haven't seen any fry in the tank (the shrimp must be eating the eggs as the adults aren't supposed to eat them) so will have to put them in a breeding tank to raise some.  As mine are one of the tiny species I'll need to go through the hassle of feeding them infusoria too!


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## Themuleous (9 Mar 2008)

Raindows would be ideal, I love the yellow they give.  In a 300lt you could have loads 60-70 if not more!

Common Australian rainbows (the yellow ones) found in the shops include Gertrude that ed has, threadfin Iriatherina werneri and forktail Pseudomugil furcatus

Sam


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## hixy (9 Mar 2008)

Themuleous said:
			
		

> Raindows would be ideal, I love the yellow they give.  In a 300lt you could have loads 60-70 if not more!
> 
> Common Australian rainbows (the yellow ones) found in the shops include Gertrude that ed has, threadfin Iriatherina werneri and forktail Pseudomugil furcatus
> 
> Sam



60 or 70 didnt think i could keep that many,the ones i have seen in the shop were about 3 inches long. will have a look on net to get some info.thanks every one


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## Ed Seeley (9 Mar 2008)

You're looking at the larger Melanotaenia and Glossolepis spp. that are seen in the shops.  These are great fish too, but obviously you couldn't keep 60 of them!     Sam was talking about the smaller Blue eyes and Threadfin Rainbows.

If you want a good look at different Rainbows, try here.
http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Melano.htm


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## Themuleous (10 Mar 2008)

Yeh sorry should have clarified that statement!  You'd not get 60 red rainbows in!! 

Sam


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## gixer (10 Mar 2008)

Great fish,

I've got 4 Melanotaenia praecox 2 male 2 female.







Really active fish, they chase each other round the tank at warp speed 9, so not really a good fish you have a fish of nervous disposition.
I have since read the ideal is 2 females to each male, but my 4 do seem to get on great.

The speed these fish come to a stop after a flat out blst has to be seen to be believed 





Cheers
Mark


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## gixer (10 Mar 2008)

Mine was a bit of a crap pic, here's a better one:


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## Themuleous (10 Mar 2008)

Dwarf neon rainbow if memory serves.  Nice fish, colourful too 

Sam


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## Joecoral (10 Mar 2008)

Themuleous said:
			
		

> Dwarf neon rainbow if memory serves.  Nice fish, colourful too
> 
> Sam



Yup. _Melanotania praecox_


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## hixy (10 Mar 2008)

Does anybody know where i can buy Melanotaenia praecox from i am in the midlands near stourbridge and also it says  that they like water which is slightly hard as my water is very soft would this make a difference


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## Ed Seeley (10 Mar 2008)

hixy said:
			
		

> Does anybody know where i can buy Melanotaenia praecox from i am in the midlands near stourbridge and also it says  that they like water which is slightly hard as my water is very soft would this make a difference



I was about to say that if you've got soft water (out of the tap? you lucky thing!) then you might be best sticking to one of the Pseudomugil species as most of those tolerate acidic conditions better from what I've read and in my experience of them, but looking on the Rainbowfish website they list a number of Melanotaeniaas as coming from acidic to neutral conditions.  They don't list the natural conditions for the Dwarf Neon though (typically!).


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## Joecoral (10 Mar 2008)

i live in a soft water area and have had 15 _M. praecox_ in my rio180 for several months and they're all doing fine


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