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Rainbow fish
Posted December 7, 2009
Rainbowfish
Most rainbow fish originate from Australia and belong to the family Melanotaeniidae, while blue eyes are found on New Guinea and belong to the family Pseudomugilidae. (some blue eyes can be found in Australia and virse versa) A number of experts argue that rainbow fish and blue eyes should be placed in the same family due to their similarities and bordering geographical distribution.
This article will focus on rainbow fish, but much of the information is true for blue eyes as well as the two groups are very similar and have similar requirements. In addition to obtaining general information it is always a good idea to research the specific species of rainbow fish or blue eye fish you’re interested in before brining it home.
Rainbow fish are today quite popular but it has not always been that way. Up to quite recently rainbow fish were a rare sight in aquariums. It is a bit surprising that they didn’t gain popularity earlier as they are hardy, easy to breed commercially and in the home aquarium, and very colourful. Some species are very small and can be compared to small tetras while other can reach a length of 8 in / 20 cm.
Rainbow fish do great in community aquariums with other peaceful species but should not be kept with aggressive fish. They can be kept with semi aggressive species such as angelfish if the aquarium is big enough and there are areas of dense vegetation for them to duck into. The safest course of action is to keep them with other species of a similar size as they can have a hard time competing with larger fish for food. This is especially true for the smaller species of rainbow fish.
Rainbow fish are schooling fish and should ideally be kept in groups of at least 10 – 5 fish but can be kept in groups of 6 and up. You should never keep less then 6 rainbow fish. The fish will feel more secure and display a more vibrant behaviour and a more colourful exterior when kept in a large enough school. They will also display more colour if there is more than one male in the tank.
Rainbow fish prefer an aquarium that is heavily planted in some areas but still have a lot of open space to swim in. They also like an aquarium that has a lot of moss (like java moss) on the bottom for them to deposit their eggs on. It is important to keep the aquarium well covered as they are excellent jumpers.
Never judge a rainbow fish based on how it looks in the store; look at pictures of adult schooling rainbows of that particular species online instead. Pet store usually offer young rainbow fish and young specimens often have dull, camouflaging colorations. They will become much more beautiful as they mature in your aquarium. It is also common among fish stores to keep rainbow fish in less than optimal conditions which reduces the coloration of the fish even further.
All rainbow fish species have similar demands in regards to desired water chemistry, temperature, breeding habits etcetera. There are however some differences and it is therefore advisable to research the exact species you want to keep.
Different species needs different size aquariums, and the length of the aquarium is the most important factor (depth is less important) when determining if the aquarium is suitable for rainbow fish.
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