Rainbow fish ... ok in a community tank?

minka-1974

minka-1974

AC Members
Sep 15, 2009
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Surrey, England
Hi

I am still looking for a nice looking fish as a centre peice for my 50g community tank and noticed some rainbow fish in my lfs.

Would they be OK with tetras? From what I have read on the internet they are chilids so I think not but thought i would ask what people thought.

Also I read they only get to 3" ... do you agree/disagree with this? If this is correct I would have room (I think) for 4 ... is that enough or are they better in bigger groups? Would they be ok iwth a blue gourami?

Thanks for your thoughts
 
Are you talking about Herotilapia multispinosa, the rainbow cichlid? Or rainbowfish from the Australia and Papua New Guinea area?

If the latter, size depends on the species...there is more than just one rainbowfish ;)

But I think you are talking about M. praecox which is also known as the dwarf (neon) rainbowfish. They only get to about 3" or so.

They prefer groups of 5-6+ so not really a centerpiece. I don't see any problems with your stock though.
 
Rainbowfish vary in size between 3 and 6 inches. 3 inchers (dwarf rainbowfish) are perfectly safe with tetras. The larger ones (Red Rainbowfish, Boesmani Rainbowfish) will opportunisticly snap up small tetras.
 
I have 5 full grown 6'' Boesmani Rainbows with a few glowlites, bloodfins and corys and they dont bother the tetras or the corys. Mine are peaceful as long as another fish cant fit into their mouth. I did have a really aggressive one once that would stalk and attack any fish in the tank except for other rainbows, he was just plain mean. I got rid of him and have never had a problem with the others.
 
Sorry, I should have been clearer ... the ones I saw were Boesmani Rainbows from the Australia/Papua New Guinea area.

I do like the rainbow cichlids but reckoned there was no chance they would live happily with tetras ... have kept quite a few cichlids over the years and even found blue acara were too 'agressive' to keep with tetras ...if it fitted in their mouth they ate it!! (and yes they were acara not green terrors!)

When I said centre peice it wasn't necessarily one fish I was looking for so a school would be fine if I have space ... the blue gourami doesn't really work in this role as he hides most of the day!

Appreciate your thoughts and await further :o
 
I have many types of rainbows with cherry barbs, Rasbora HET's and espeis, and a large school of Rummynose tetra's. They all live happily together. Rainbows will actuall school loosely together, whereas the rummynoses and rasboras are tightly schooled most of the time. Great variation in patterns for entertainment at all times. Also, the rummynoses run at or near the bottom of my tank and the rasboras hang out in the upper two thirds. Rainbows ar usually everywhere, but like like the middle most. I do keep these in a 150 that is fairly well planted. Good mix.
 
pacpac2 "I have many types of rainbows with cherry barbs, Rasbora HET's and espeis, and a large school of Rummynose tetra's. They all live happily together. Rainbows will actuall school loosely together, whereas the rummynoses and rasboras are tightly schooled most of the time. "

So from this I guess that the rainbow fish (eg bosemams rainbow rather than 'rainbow cichlids') are a schooling fish? This sort of fits with what I learnt off the internet so I guess I wouldn't have space in my 50g planted tank to get several to keep with the following roomies:

9 neon tetra; 4 black widow tetra; 8 silver tip tetra; 1 blue gourami; 1 clown loach; 3 (or maybe 5 would be better?) corys which I have yet to buy?

Would really prefer something a little smaller than bosemans rainbows so guess I had better keep my eyes pealed for dwarf ones!

As an aside, does anyone think I could keep dwarf gourami with this lot? My blue gourami was pretty nasty to the other blue gourami I had which I ended up giving to a friend ... turns out they were both male!
 
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