Rainbow fish Schooling

Hello all,
I had a question to ask about Rainbow fish schooling if any rainbowfish experts out there can hopefully give some advice. I got my 55 long set up, and currently have some rainbows in the tank, 5 BosemanI (2 male 3 female) and 3 yellow rainbows ( 1 male 2 females) My LFS has a single sad looking red rainbow that has been without a school for a few weeks, my question is mainly would he(or she) school with the current rainbows I have? he would be the only red rainbow as I haven't found any more. The two rainbows I have seem to not mind schooling together. As I type this my a bosemanI is chilling with the yellows, but I know their colors are fairly similar, while the red rainbow would stick out. If he would school well I would love to take him home to make him happier with some companions.
Thanks!

 

ive introduced just one at one time before and they did get along I do not know if I'm the exception to the rule though hehe

 

All Rainbows are schooling fish, in as much as they seem to be more secure, and relaxed in the company of others.
As for the Red Rainbow actually " schooling " with the the other Rainbows, I really would not know.
Rainbows are a a loose schooling group of fish, which are mainly " shoaling " as opposed to " schooling ".
The difference being, that shoaling is when they kind of mingle together, and schooling is when 1 fish will go in a certain direction, and the others will follow ( like Sardines ).
The water conditions, and diet are the same for the Red, so no problem there.
My guess would be that the Red would be Ok with the other fish, however, as always monitor the situation for any signs of aggression from the Red ( or others ) toward each other.
Do some research on the Red as they could reach about 5" / 6" in length when mature.

 

Thanks Guys! Ill just go ahead and add him then. I think he should act like my others, hopefully anyways haha The other two species are not too selective about who they swim with, they sometimes swim in the middle of my black neon tetra school too.

 

So I have a 60 gallon aquarium and I am going to get rainbow fish. I have most of my stocking planned out but I am a little bit split on rainbow fish. Is it possible to have different species on rainbow fish in numbers smaller than 6, like 3 Praecox rainbow fish, 2 BosemanI rainbow fish, 2 turquoise rainbow fish, 1 red Irain ranbowfish.

 

No

 

What about rainbow fish all in the same genus

 

Nope. They really prefer to be with their own kind. (Color variants don’t count)

 

So then what type of rainbow fish should I get, could 4 of 2 different species be acceptable or should I just get 6 of one species

 

6 of one species

 

Ok, so what species would you recommend

 

It depends on what the rest of the stocking is. My person favorites are the Melanotaenia fluviatilis . They’re a decent size and the males have stunning colors.

 

Those do look nice, maybe I will get those, as for the rest of the stocking I am getting 1 angelfish, 1 3 spot gourami, 4 porthole catfish, 2 golden wonder killifish, 6 kuhlI loaches, 2 ram cichlids.

 

I wouldn’t keep rainbows with angelfish. In most cases, your angelfish will be stressed in starved as they are stressed by fast moving fish and the rainbows would easily outcompete them

 

It depends on what the rest of the stocking is. My person favorites are the Melanotaenia fluviatilis . They’re a decent size and the males have stunning colors.

Goodness, do they really look like this? You have any pictures?

 

Well I am thinking of using black worms for feeding

 

Mine look more like these


Those look amazing but I have no idea if they’re really fluvantis

 

So maybe instead of a angelfish I could get 6 of another species of rainbow fish, could that work

 

You don't have to keep them in groups of 6 and I have angels in a tank with 1 g.pseudoincisus, 4 b.madagascarensis, and 6 m.parva, they are never bothered.
Jdhef keeps mixed males and has done so for at least the few years I have been on fishlore.
Rainbows are will mix just fine but having full schools reduces possible damage from fighting males. Some species are better than others for mixing and you need to be careful of cross breeding.

Keep in

 

Can 3 Glossolepis incisus school with 3 or 4 Melanotaenia boesemani? I love both, but I don't have space for two schools of big rainbows. If not, which one would you pick for a planted tank with glass catfish?

 

They need to school with their own species. I'd go with the boesmani's personally, but it's up to you!

 

They need to school with their own species. I'd go with the boesmani's personally, but it's up to you!

Yeah, I guess I'll get the boesmanis. Ty!

 

I think 3 & 3 would be fine. If you look in my signature you can see I don't have any schools larger than 3. My schools that are smaller than 3, are smaller than 3 because some had died off and my LFS didn't have any to replace them with. But in my experience, it is more important to have at least 3 when introducing them to the tank. Once they settle in and get confortabe, they seem fine in schools less than ever 3.

 

I think 3 & 3 would be fine. If you look in my signature you can see I don't have any schools larger than 3. My schools that are smaller than 3, are smaller than 3 because some had died off and my LFS didn't have any to replace them with. But in my experience, it is more important to have at least 3 when introducing them to the tank. Once they settle in and get confortabe, they seem fine in schools less than ever 3.

That's great, I asked becouse 3 didn't seem like that small of a school. Also, do you know anything about glass cats? I'm really worried about the way I'm going to feed them. I have other rainbows (neon dwarf) and they are very fast and eat on the surface. I do not know if the glass cats would manage to eat without having to overfeed the rainbows. Also, the tank is going to be planted, and the internet says that the GCats like a low light. but I do not know how to keep it low and at the same time high for a good growth of the plants

 

What’s your tank size? If you have a good size, I won’t do a school of 3. When they “school” with other fish, it’s a sign of stress. They should only stick to their own school.

 

What’s your tank size? If you have a good size, I won’t do a school of 3. When they “school” with other fish, it’s a sign of stress. They should only stick to their own school.

240 lts (64 gallon)
It's not stocked yet though.

 

That's great, I asked becouse 3 didn't seem like that small of a school. Also, do you know anything about glass cats? I'm really worried about the way I'm going to feed them. I have other rainbows (neon dwarf) and they are very fast and eat on the surface. I do not know if the glass cats would manage to eat without having to overfeed the rainbows. Also, the tank is going to be planted, and the internet says that the GCats like a low light. but I do not know how to keep it low and at the same time high for a good growth of the plants

If the rainbows are eating at the surface, after you sprinkle flakes on top for them, take a small pinch of flakes in your fingers and stick your fingers into the water and let them go after a couple seconds. They will sink much faster for the glass cats while the rainbows are attacking the food at the surface.

Get a huge school of glass cats. If not for them, for YOU! They look spectacular in large schools.

 

If the rainbows are eating at the surface, after you sprinkle flakes on top for them, take a small pinch of flakes in your fingers and stick your fingers into the water and let them go after a couple seconds. They will sink much faster for the glass cats while the rainbows are attacking the food at the surface.

Get a huge school of glass cats. If not for them, for YOU! They look spectacular in large schools.

Yeah! I love them. I'm getting 10 in my 64g plus the rainbows, an l183 pleco, and i'm still thinking what to get as a Bottom dweller. Love corys, but already have some, and I was thinking of a rainbow shark, but as someone told me yesterday on another post, it's not a good idea the shark with those glass cats

 

Also, do you know anything about glass cats? I'm really worried about the way I'm going to feed them. I have other rainbows (neon dwarf) and they are very fast and eat on the surface. I do not know if the glass cats would manage to eat without having to overfeed the rainbows.

I've never kept glass cats, but yeah it may be tough to get food to them. Rainbows are aggressive eaters. In fact I can't eat in the same room as them for fear they will jump out of the tank and into my plate.

Also, the tank is going to be planted, and the internet says that the GCats like a low light. but I do not know how to keep it low and at the same time high for a good growth of the plants

I'm not a live plant person, but there are floating plants that you could use to filter the light from your tank light. I just don't know the name of that plant.

 

I've never kept glass cats, but yeah it may be tough to get food to them. Rainbows are aggressive eaters. In fact I can't eat in the same room as them for fear they will jump out of the tank and into my plate.


I'm not a live plant person, but there are floating plants that you could use to filter the light from your tank light. I just don't know the name of that plant.

Thank you!

 

240 lts (64 gallon)
It's not stocked yet though.

64 gal!!! Nice!!! You can easily have a good 3-4 schools of fish.

 

I think 3 & 3 would be fine. If you look in my signature you can see I don't have any schools larger than 3. My schools that are smaller than 3, are smaller than 3 because some had died off and my LFS didn't have any to replace them with. But in my experience, it is more important to have at least 3 when introducing them to the tank. Once they settle in and get confortabe, they seem fine in schools less than ever 3.

Another question. For cycling i'm going to add my 20 gallon sponge plus fish AND seachem stability (the 7 days treatment) (and prime)while my new filter cycles. Is this ok? Which and how many fish should I add first? (Beteween 10 gcats, 6/7 rainbows, Starlight pleco, 8 mexican dwarf crayfish (also need to know if dwarf crayfish seems like a good bottom dweller for my tank))

 

Hmmmm...I'm not sure I can answer that. The first part sounds okay, but I'm not sure how many fish you should add first.

I don't think I would ever put a crayfish in with fish. I believe sooner or later, he will eat the fish.

 

Hmmmm...I'm not sure I can answer that. The first part sounds okay, but I'm not sure how many fish you should add first.

I don't think I would ever put a crayfish in with fish. I believe sooner or later, he will eat the fish.

They are dwarf crayfish though. The ones that grow 2 or 5 cm
Either way I guess I'll figuer out what bottom dwellers to get sooner or later. You've been very helpfull! Thanks a Lot!

 

You are welcome. I'm glad you found my advice helpful.