# Which Rainbows?



## JC_1992 (Jan 27, 2010)

I am looking to get either Dwar Neon Rainbows or Gertrudea Rainbows. Which would be better? I am also looking at getting neon or cardinal tetras and not sure what else. It is a 75gallon tank with planty of water movement and filtration. Will have plenty of plants and decor. 

Could I have a school of each of them? Like 6-8 of each maybe? 

Thanks


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/

Here is a site I like for info about Rainbows.

_Melanotaenia praecox_, the Dwarf Neon Rainbow is a good one for warm, soft water tanks (like Cards prefer). I think they handle a wide range of conditions, and may be OK in the cooler water that Neon Tetras thrive in, too. Many Rainbows are quite adaptable that way. The males can be quite pushy toward the females. I would aim for at least 2-3F to each M. They are highly active, and I would suggest something like a 3' long tank for them as a minimum, so your 75 sounds good.

I have not kept the others.
As for how many of each, this will depend on the tank size. I would rather suggest larger schools and fewer species, especially in a smaller tank. A 75 has plenty of room for more of each species. Perhaps more Cardinals. Are you also thinking of other species? More fish? Maybe some Cories or other bottom dwelling fish?


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## JC_1992 (Jan 27, 2010)

Well bottom dwellers I am planning on doing flying foxes and oto cats. Not to big on corys. So would a school of like 10 of each work maybe? 3 males and 7 females of each species? 

Also how can you tell the sex of a rainbow when they're young?


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

Sexual dimorphism is usually coloration in many rainbow species. Brighter = males

Pseudomugil (the genera of the gertrudae) can be distingushed by finnage - males have fin extensions. 

If they are really young, you can't tell. If you're getting them from a LFS or online supplier/business they are sexable. No one sells rainbows that small unless they're a breeder. Personally, I'd get them from a breeder. The neons r'bows offered in retail stores have been overbred and their coloration is horrible compared to fish closer to wild stock. I'd wait for the best fish you can get. JMO.

GL. Welcome to r'bows. Hope you get them.


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## JAXON777 (Jan 4, 2007)

If you can find them a nice school of _Melanotaenia Parva _are wonderful in a planted tank. They are the same size as the Praecox.


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## mgamer20o0 (Jul 15, 2006)

Gertrudea Rainbows are amazing but small i think they max out at about just over 1 inch. you could get a big group of them or one of the other many rainbows.


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

i wouldnt recommend the flying fox, these fish are very, verry, veeeerrry annoying to other fish and personally i hate them. as far as rainbows go the ones you mention are nice, i never tried the gertrude, but i had its cousin the blue eyed furcatas and they were awesome!! smaller tipe of fish wich would probably do well with the cardinals. bottom fish im a pleco sucker, try different smaller plecos or a bunch of ottos like you mentioned


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Ditto about Flying Foxes (_Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus_). One will claim the whole tank as territory, and will defend it against the other 'shark' shaped fish, especially other Flying Foxes. They can be pushy or worse toward other species. They are pretty, but not for a tank with small community fish (Cards, P. gurtrudae, Otos... )

If you are using that common name to mean another fish... 
_Crossocheilus siamensis_, Siamese Algae Eater, Siamese Flying Fox... is a better community fish, but still they are a bit too big to really look good with the smaller fish you list.

Several other less common fish, usually with the Latin name _Crossocheilus_ are also called Flying Fox

Juvenile Dwarf Neon Rainbows are difficult to sex. Both M and F will have yellow fins when they are young. If they are old enough for the red fins to be appearing, then these are the males.


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## 808aquatics (Sep 26, 2008)

I'd go with the gertrudae, at full size when they span their fins, they look beautiful. I have a school of them in my 40 gal.


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## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

Tagging along, redoing a 75g and am considering Rainbows .....


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

There are a lot of Rainbow fish that grow to around 3-5", will handle a wide range of water conditions, are pretty much compatible with similar sized fish down to about 1/2 their size and are very active, social fish. 
Some species might be better in hard water or soft, warm water or cool, so look up whichever ones are available to you before you make the decision. A few species can hybridize, better to avoid combining them. 

The smaller relatives, Blue Eyes and others are fine in a large tank, but also work well in smaller tanks. Some of these are more particular about the water chemistry.


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## JC_1992 (Jan 27, 2010)

Well for a begginer would Dwarf Neon Rainbows be a good choice? Are they pretty hardy?

I have the following rainbows available to me via my LFS...

Dwarf Neon
Bosemani
Australian
Celebese
Featherfin
Gertrudea
Parkinsoni
Trifasciata
Red
Yellow

Which are the best for begginers? Begginer meaning I have never kept rainbows before. I have had other tropicals, african chiclids, and multiple saltwater reefs.


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

boesmani are some of the more common and they are defenitly hardy and pretty. now, i have never ever EVER seen a gertruda at any of the pet stores in the area and they are awesome so if your conditions are good then i would say go for it!


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

JC- If you want some Melanotaenia parva gimmie a hollar. I have some juvies is grow out. They get 2-3" (small for Melanotaenia) and are red-orange in color. I've passed this species around quite a bit and everyone has had great luck with them.










If you want some of the local ones you listed, they're all pretty easy except for the featherfins. They a more docile and need less aggressive/assertive tankmates. I would also not mix the Melanotaenia species with any of the pseudomugils (the gertrudae, furcatus, and celebese ) unless you pick the dwarf neons. The other species get a little large and will likely out compete the pseudomugils for food.

GL! Welcome to r'bows!


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## Sexymax (Oct 31, 2007)

When sexing Praecox Rainbows, males will have red tails and females will have yellow.


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## JC_1992 (Jan 27, 2010)

Ok well thanks for the offer SIX but I work at a petstore so I can get a good price and with shipping it would probably be a little more exspensive than what I can get them for. But thank you. 

Alright well I'm pretty sure I am going to stick with just the dwarf neons right now and see how they do. Probably get a school of 8 or something to start.


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## taoyeah (Aug 8, 2007)

but fish in a petstore come from fish farm.Six's fish are definitely better.if you do care about the quality of the fish.


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## Cwhite (Feb 21, 2009)

I love threadfins....that is my vote!


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## JC_1992 (Jan 27, 2010)

Yes I realize the quality of fish would be better but I am setting this up for my AP Bio class and trying to keep the cost down as much as I can.


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