Red1313

Splendid Rainbow, Melanotaenia splendida splendida

I've been googling for hours and so far haven't found any good sites for information about these guys. Anyone know a good info source on them?

Also an info that you guys have would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,

clinton1621

Here you go

http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=2524

capekate

Hi there,
I have kept these rainbows for more than a year now. Let me know if there is any questions that I can help you with.
below is a great link to all things rainbow...

http://www.australianrainbowfish.com/index.htm

Red1313

Thanks for the links everyone
Kate do you have the western splendid's or the splendid splendid's?

By the way found a good site as well http://fish.mongabay.com/species_index.htm

capekate

Hi Red
I have the Western Splendida Australis and I also have the Mel Splendida tatei, which have great coloring and longer fins.

Red1313

Different species then I'm looking at but I don't think that they'd be that different.
I was wonderng about how many of them you need since they are a schooling fish? What would be the smallest group you could go with?

capekate

I have had rainbows in a small group of three from time to time and they did just fine. For a school of them at least five is a good number, more than that, (depending on what else you have in the tank), they will just take over. As you already know they swim fast and all over the tank chasing each other and hanging out. With a large school of them, they can make other fish you have in your tank nervous.

Red1313

For a group fo three what would be the best tank size? And a pair probably wouldn't be the best number would it?

capekate

Hi Red
seeing that rainbows are a very social group, three or more would be better IMO. With two.. which at one point is what I had, you end up having one chasing the other around all the time for whatever reason. More is better with these guys.

Red1313

ok so what would be the min size tank then for say three?

capekate

Hi Red,
thats a hard call. Since having rainbows I realize how much they really do swim all over the tank and they are very fast moving fish. I have mine in a 55g tank and have been re thinking homing them in a 29 for other reasons. But knowing how much they like to swim around, Im just not sure that is a good idea. Maybe for the short term. Its just thinking that there is not a lot of length to say the 29g and thats why I havent moved my bows yet. If you were able to find a 'long' tank that is not tall, it would be great. Maybe others here have some suggestions on that kind of tank size for you.

Red1313

I was thinking maybe a 33 gal. I've got a red tail shark that I was thinking of putting in with them and he'll need a 3 foot long tank min.

jdhef

I have mine in a 36 gallon bowfront. It is 30" long.

Red1313

I was planning for 36" b/c of my red tail. A 33 gal would also allow a fair bit of room for all involved I think.