FishnFry

Hi! I wonder if anybody have kept these species. I just acquired some of these (48 to be exact) and they are super tiny. I just want to know what you are feeding them.

Any advise would be highly appreciated.

Thanks.

Amanda

48?! wow.

mathas

There's a pretty comprehensive overview of feeding rainbowfish found here, if you're in the mood for a bit of reading.

FishnFry

Yes. And I hope they'll survive.

Thanks. I'll do some reading a little later.

MaddieLynn

What size tank do you need to have to keep that many?

FishnFry

They don't get that big, just a little over an inch.

Right now, they are in QT (25g) but they'll either be in a 75 with 5 glass catfish, cory sterbais and a bunch of plecos or in the 130 also with a bunch of plecos. I am thinking of setting up a species only tank of demasoni (maybe 20 or so depending which tank, 75 or 130, I'm doing).

I have also acquired a pair of panda garra that goes in with them.

agabr123

wow, that sounds like an awesome set up!!!

Butterfly

I had the Pseudomugil furcatus which are very similar. My problem was the current in the tank was too much for them but didn't realize it until I lost them all.
Carol

FishnFry

Thanks. I just hope so.


I just turned down the filter to slow it down just in case it bothers them. So far they are very tiny but doing just fine.

Thanks for the heads up Carol.

Butterfly

Welcome! I had them in a 75g with Threadfin Rainbows(Iriatherina werneri) They were beautiful swimming together. The threadfins are still doing great a year later.
Carol

FishnFry

Glad to hear that.. How long did your furcatus live?

Butterfly

About two weeks. they just died one at a time until there were no more. but they always went back to the current.

FishnFry

Oh sorry to hear that. I didn't know they are not hardy fish.

I just hope mine will live longer. I'm hoping I'll have a nice school even if not all 48 will survive. I still hope all will make it though. It's only been 3 days since I got them. I'll keep my fingers cross.

cerianthus

Although have kept P. signifer, P furcatus, Bedotia geayi and Iriatherina werneri and other Rainbows but not these tinys.
As far as feeding, should be able to use most prepared (flakes) but small sized foods. As matures, coud add Frozen Dapnia as supplementary diet. Becareful since one cube will dust the tank which most likely wont be a probelm with 48 of them.
According to book I have, it recommends soft and slightly acidic water(around 6.5). Dont go on changing if tank water is different. ALways GRADUAL GRADUAL changes with any fish.
Better off in species tank due to fragile nature of the fish (tiny size), need open swimming room.
3 color variants depending on its original locations.

FishnFry

Right now I'm feeding them crushed flakes and shrimp pellets and sometimes Golden Pearls. I'm thinking maybe some frozen food that are small enough for their little mouth. Little buggers are all over the tank looking for something to eat.

I just noticed a couple of them are starting to show their fins and I'm pretty sure they are males. Very interesting to watch though as they look like they have tiny wings on their backs.

cerianthus

Yea! Dont they, like flying fish or buttely fish? If possible Frozen Baby Brine? Exactly how big are they now?

FishnFry

I don't have frozen baby brine but have frozen brine, I wonder if it's small enough for them. I also have frozen bw and a frozen emerald entree. I'm so leery about feeding frozen bw, might not be good for them.

The biggest ones are maybe an inch, most are smaller.

FishnFry

That's good to know. I think the water is around that I'll have to check tomorrow as I haven't checked lately. They'll be going in the 75 I think, and they'll be housed with 5 glass catfish, 11 corydoras sterbai and a variety of plecos (not common). Do you think they'll be safe with their tankmates?

Butterfly

Their tank mates sound just fine
Carol

cerianthus

Considering that they only grow to about 3 cm (just over an inch), they are not juvie either. Frozen should be well thaw out before use. If 3/4" or bigger, should be able to ingest BS not that I would recommend its use that much since hold very little, if any, nutritional value other than yolk sac carrying baby Brine Shrimps.
In fact, I read some article way back that the shells on Brine might be hard to digest/cause problem on some fish. Wether it is true or not, I would not know but for reason that it may have too high level of salt for most f/w fishes I dont useBS for F/W.

Off topic a bit but I find odd when one says no salt in F/W yet feed brine as part of main diet. Not that it is harmful when no salt is present in water since high salt can be dump as part of renal function thus less burden on its kidney as would be when no salt present in water, kidney has to work hard to maintain bodys salt content against osmotic pressure and/or diffusion gradient.

Anyway, It seems that male will develop 3 different colors (3 color variants as mentioned earlier, yellow or white or red) wings (pectoral fins) and pelvic fins depending on its origin (locations). It seems lovely. especially courtship coloring/behaviors.
Enjoy and let them all reach itheir maturity!!!

FishnFry

Oh Carol. I'm glad they're OK tankmates at least I don't have to change anything in the tank.

Now if I can only get them to pass the QT stage.

FishnFry

I haven't given any bs to them yet so I better be on the safe side and not give it to them, just in case problem arises.

Since they are still under quarantined, the tank light is not very good for taking pictures so I can't take any pictures to see any clear indications of which variant they belong. I do see their wings are somewhat yellowish or orangy. Its body color is not clear as of yet.

Butterfly

When i feed freshly hatched brine shrimp I rinse them in tank water before feeding them
Decapsulated shrimp might be an option for occasional feeding. They have no shell and are dehydrated and have to be rehydrated before feeding. scroll down and take a look.
http://www.kensfish.com/kensspecialtyfood.html
Carol

Butterfly

This is what the furcatus looked like. They were not quite 1 inch.
Carol

Attached Images

Pseudomugil furcatus.JPG (102.5 KB, 25 views)

cerianthus

[quote=FishnFry;540111]That's good to know. I think the water is around that I'll have to check tomorrow as I haven't checked lately. They'll be going in the 75 I think, and they'll be housed with 5 glass catfish, 11 corydoras sterbai and a variety of plecos (not common). Do you think they'll be safe with their tankmates?[/QUOTE


Except glass Cat (if debauwi cat), other should be OK. Debauwi at feeding time will probably out compete the TINYS and they probably will disturb (constantly move about) TINYS since stays around same water level.
I just learned that it will spawn similar to most seasonal Killies. A continuous spawner meaning little today and little tomorrow and on. According to book, large eggs can be stored in damp moss or peat for extended periods of time as I have tried and done with Killies. I used to pick eggs (turkey baster) each day to store with date thus older hatchling will not eat its younger sibblings.
Drove my mom crazy with the fish tank activities not to mention hatching my own mosquito larvae and other insect in backyard (some 40 yrs ago), lol.

As far as water parameters, would not worry too much as long as avoid extremes. Enjoy them as I would have.

FishnFry

Thanks for the pix Carol. Those are pretty as well.

I don't tinker with the water in my tanks anymore. I just leave it as it comes out of my tap and so they should be all close to the same.

The glass cat I got are the kryptopterus variety.

They must be identical to the boesmani when it comes to spawning. They are like laying eggs almost everyday but I wonder if the size of the free swimmers are also similar. I know the boesmanis are and it's quite a challenge to raise them that tiny.

cerianthus

Even krpts can go nuts during feeding, so keep an eye the tank.
Yes. Boesmani are also continuous scatterer. Although Kept may different Rainbows but dont recall tempting breeding any? Maybe due to wide rages of water requirements for specific Rainbows?
Was more into characins,ciclids (lot more varieties and good parental care), killies and some bottom dwellers.
As far as your Pseudos, it seems they are easier to spawn and raise, so good luck and keep us posted!

FishnFry

I will keep an eye on them once they're out of QT. I didn't really try to breed boesmanis but they just decided to do it on their own LOL.. Now I get dozens of free swimmers everyday but will just see how many I can manage. I've been into cichlids (africans) for a few years then I got rid of all when I decided for a change. They are indeed so easy both on breeding and caring for the babies. But never tried breeding demasonis as I only have 3 and then got rid of them before they even mature. Now I jsut wanted to see if I can do it, to raise and breed them. I read that you need at least 12 due to aggression. So if I can get 50 of these, I should be safer. .

cerianthus

Did not do much breeding of mbunas other than new species or color morphs since early 90s then was into Lake Tang's rare/hard to breed specimens such as C. furcifers, etc.
When you say 50, you mean 50 rainbows which seems unnecessary but again as they mature, you will get diversity of genes, especially if from few different parents thus usually stronger and more colorful(?)
If you meant 50 demasoni, no need for that many. As you said, dozen juvie demasoni should be able find mates, at least one pair. Try obtaining from 2 different breeders for genetic diversity if and when possible. I always tried to mate fish from different parents when possible.

FishnFry

I've been wanting to get those tangs for a long time but as you've said they are hard to get so I gave up on it. I did have a breeding pair of leptosomas and they bred several times for me. They do have a quite different breeding behavior. I was hoping to get lucky and find the furcifers and foais but no luck. So decided to try something else. I meant 50 demasoni (I know that's too many) but I guess if I do make an order and pay ridiculous shipping, I might as well make it worthwhile. I don't necessarily have to keep them all but it would guarantee me a couple breeding pairs plus some won't make it to maturity too due to their behavior.
And your idea of obtaining from different breeders is great and I'll try to do that if and when possible.

Thanks for all your efforts, much appreciated.