FW Rainbowfish Stocking: Need more information. 6/30/2009
I have a 55 gallon tank with 2 clown loaches, 1 gold Gourami, and 6 Rainbowfish.
<What kind of Rainbowfish?>
How many more rainbow fish could I get?
<It really depends on the species you have, not to mention what types of filtration you have set up.
Do read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/atheriniforms.htm
>
Thanks
<MikeV>

Freshwater fish selection and compatibility
Dither Fish for Firemouth Cichlids 3/18/09
Dear crew, I am selecting fish for a 55 gallon (48" x 13" x 20") aquarium.
I am considering either the Firemouth Cichlid Thorichthys meeki or the Bolivian Ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus as the center piece of the tank.
My main question is, if I choose Firemouth could I also keep a school Dwarf Rainbowfish Melanotaenia praecox or is this fish too small to be compatible?
<The rainbows would make an excellent dither fish for your Firemouths.>
If I were to have a pair of Firemouth Cichlids and a school of Boesemanni Rainbowfish Melanotaenia boesemanni, how many could I safely keep using a Fluval 304 (rated 260 GPH) and an air-driven sponge filter for filtration?
< Filtration and water turnover is fine. The limiting factor is the nitrate levels. Those are reduced by water changes. When the nitrate levels go over 20 ppm then a water change is needed. If the nitrate levels go much over 20 ppm then you need to do more water changes or have less fish in the tank.
The rainbows love to be in schools so start with at least 6.>
I'm afraid that a minimal school of 7 M. boesemanni might be too crowded in my tank, especially if the cichlids are mating/rearing fry.
< The fry will always be at risk when you have a group of dither fish. Fry than wander away from the protection of the parents will be quickly eaten.>
If I choose the Bolivian Rams instead, would it be feasible to keep perhaps 2 mated pair in this tank? Thank you for your expertise, Evan
< Two pair of Bolivian Rams can easily live in a 55 gallon tank.-Chuck>

Various Questions (FW Community; stocking), Rainbows,  – 02/01/09
Hello Crew,
<Hello James,>
Hope things are going well for all of you. I have several questions please. As of yet I have not fully decided what type of fish I am going to keep but have narrowed it down some. I have considered a school of Rainbowfish as the "focal point" of the aquarium and have read that male Rainbowfish show their colors better in the presence of females. What
ratio of male/female would you recommend to bring out the male's color? If I keep all males will they get along and will there be that much color difference without females?
<With Rainbowfish there are two things to remember. The first is they only show their full colours when mature. In the shops they are young and usually very "blah" in terms of prettiness. Secondly, you need about equal numbers of males and females. Partly this is to stop bullying problems, but also its because the males develop their full colours to flirt with the females. When kept on their own, their colours are never as good.>
Also, I have considered angels as the "focal point". I know it is recommended to get at least 6 small ones so they can grow up together and avoid aggression towards each other and other fish as well,. I would rather start out with larger ones, but I guess I can't. Do angels grow fairly fast?
<Angels grow very fast, and should be more or less full size within a year.
You don't need to start with tiny specimens, but anything up to around 5 cm/2 inches standard length (i.e., nose to caudal peduncle) will be immature and consequently safe to keep in a school. You can also buy matched pairs of Angels from breeders -- but these are often very expensive!>
I have considered several thick-lipped gouramis to add in case I go with the mostly rainbow tank to add some slow swimmers for balance. Can a small number of all males be kept together without aggression or do females need to be with them? I thank you so much for helping me with these questions and hope you have a wonderful day.
<Colisa labiosa is an excellent fish. To be honest, the males and females are pretty similar in colouration (unlike, say, Colisa lalia) so I'd always recommend equal numbers of both. Males are waspish, and often a bit sedentary, staying close to their favoured nesting site. Females may lack a little colour, but they're more active because they aren't territorial, so they'll be moving about and easier to tame. (I like fish I can teach to be hand fed!).>
James
<Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Various Questions (FW Community; stocking) 2/1/09
Thank you Neale, As far as the angels needing to be smaller and introduced at the same time in to stop aggression, is that aggression towards each other or other fish in the tank?
<Mostly towards each other, though adult Angels can be bullies and are predatory.>
Also with the rainbows you mentioned equal numbers to stop bullying.
Again, is this bullying each other or other types of fish?
<Within the group.>
Also Neale, I have read that many species of fish other than angels in a community can look and act fairly health but carry diseases easy for angels to catch.
<Indeed a risk with any fish, hence the value of quarantining. In practise, the risk of anything other than Whitespot tends to be low, except with regard to "epidemic" diseases such as Neon Tetra Disease and Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus. Angelfish themselves are more likely to host diseases than catch them; farmed specimens at least are reputed to carry diseases that affect wild caught cichlids, particularly Discus and Angelfish.>
Should this be a large concern?
<It should be borne in mind, yes, but don't lie awake at night worrying about it!>
And lastly (God bless you for your patience with me!) if I decide to go with 6 or 8 rainbows as my main focal point could you recommend a slower swimming fish that could compliment the faster rainbows?
<Hmm... I tend to stock this way: for every two fast schooling fish in the middle, choose one surface dweller and one bottom dweller. I find this gives you a balanced tank. Angels and Rainbows work exceedingly well together, but you might add Silver Hatchets or Celebes Halfbeaks to the top, and at the bottom any Corydoras, Ancistrus or perhaps something like Cherry-Fin Loaches would be fun. If the tank is big enough Red-Tail Sharks work well with these fish as well.>
Also the same question in opposite for the angels being the main focal point. Any fast movers that would compliment them nicely?
<The Rainbows are what you want here. The more specimens, the better. Here in England, mixing Melanotaenia boesemanni and Glossolepis incisus is very popular, and the results in big, deep tanks is stunning. While they don't
school together, their colours are complementary.>
Thank you again for all you advice to an ignorant prospective fish keeper like me. James
<Happy to help, Neale.>

Re: Various Questions (FW Community; stocking) 2/1/09
Thank you again Neale, if I used both Melanotaenia boesemanni and Glossolepis incisus would I have to buy 6 of each type since they do not school together? Thanks again.
<They are as different as humans and chimps, so no, they don't school together. Six of each, please. And equal numbers of males and females!
Trust me on this! Cheers, Neale.>
Thank you again for all your help.
James
<You're welcome. Neale.>

Malaysian Trumpet Snails and Male to Female fish ratio 11/04/2008
Hello all, Hope things are going well for you today. Kind of gloomy and rainy here. I am considering adding some Malaysian trumpet snails to a 75 gallon fw aquarium. I have read of all of the benefits they can provide, but do I have to worry about them not getting enough detritus for their food source and dying?
<No risk at all. In fact overfeeding is why people end up with crazy numbers of these snails. In a clean tank you basically get a healthy constant number limited by food availability.>
Also, I have read that if this type of snail dies there is no requirement to remove it as it will not foul the tank. Is that correct?
<Pretty much.>
My other concern is with male to female ratio of certain fish. I am planning on stocking my tank with gouramis for a slow moving fish to occupy the top as well as banded Rainbowfish for the middle. Please tell me how many males to females of each of these I need please.
<Rainbowfish are best kept in equal numbers of males and females. The ratio of Gouramis depends on the species. Colisa spp. are often kept in pairs without problems, and the same can be said for Trichogaster leeri and Trichogaster microlepis. Trichogaster trichopterus is a bit more tricky; males are quite short tempered. They're best kept one to a tank, with as many females as you want. In a big tank you could keep multiple males, but make sure there are at least twice as many females.>
Thank you so much for all you do to make aquarium life better for people like me.
James
<Happy to help, Neale.>