Can I keep rainbows?

[Owlbehere]

I was looking at Melanotaenia lacustris or Boesemani (sp). I have been reading about them but would like your opinions on them. I have a 60g that is 4ft long. I was thinking of a canister filter and HOB.

Still in thought but if I know what type of fish I'm looking into it will help with decor.

I get 30% off soon and will pick up the canister filter then.

[Amazon]

Rainbows would be a great addition to your tank.

[rich311k]

They would do very well in there.

[Oscar_freak12321]

Yep, go for it.

[Owlbehere]

Could they go with giant danios? How many if each would be suitable? I think that rainbows would look lovely in that tank... Oh and paint the back black... I'm getting excited.

[Oscar_freak12321]

They would go fine with giant danios. The number of them is really up to you.

[Dave66]

You could have a larger group of smaller rainbowfish, like Iriatherina werneri and/or Melanotaenia praecox. In a planted 60 gallon, you could have two dozen praecox with 18 werneri, or vice versa. You'd have to build the schools slowly, just a few every other week, because though rainbowfish are generally hardy, they do not tolerate fluctuations in water quality, like an ammonia surge by adding too many fish at once.

Neither species would bother the danios.

Dave

[Owlbehere]

Dave thanks for the info on adding the rainbows a little at a time! I didn't see that anywhere when I was reading. Iriatherina werneri Is beautiful but I've never seen them around here. The two I listed are the only ones I have seen. I may have to go online for those... A daunting thought at the price of shipping. But not out of the question. With the planted tank I would have to either wait a while to get the stuff or go with low light low tech plants. :)

[Red]

agreed, tank would be fine!

[Oscar_freak12321]

To see a few more rainbow species, try here.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=830+886

[Owlbehere]

Well I'm starting to come up with a plan. Probably start with planting it slowly and then start adding rainbows. Just need to pick which I would like to go with and order them slowly. (as budget allows) And pick what else I would like to add. Maybe Cory and Giant Danios... Just a growing plan.

[Oscar_freak12321]

Have fun! Sounds like it's going to be a very active tank!

[Owlbehere]

I'm actually browsing that site now :)

[Owlbehere]

I'm starting to get conflicting info. What PH can rainbows and plants tolerate?

[Oscar_freak12321]

It's not critical. The regular 7 or 7.5 should be fine. As for plants, I'm not the one to ask.

[Owlbehere]

Mine is closer to 8.0. Our articles say that the larger bos's can take 8 but the smaller ones prefer 6-6.9. I know you can acclimate some fish but I would hate to have a fish that prefers 5.5 in 8.0

Oh why must my water ph be so high :(

[MCHRKiller]

I have some plain ol' Austraillian rainbows living in my tap at about 7.6pH and they are doing fabulous. I have 6 and they are in with 7 tiger barbs, 6 Harlequins and a kissing gourami and a few random older than dirt tetras from over the years...they shouldnt have an issue with danios either IMO. Chucking some peat fiber into your filter would probably drop it enough to be in alot of rainbows preferable range of up to 7.6...but Ill be honest pH isnt that much of a pending issue in captive bred fish as most fish are being spawned and reared in this type of water.

[Owlbehere]

I feel I may be safer with the larger rainbows. But we shall see. What about plants?

[rich311k]

Most plants will be fine in your water. Light is of far more importance to them. There are a few plants that need softwater a bit of research should help you out with that.

[MCHRKiller]

I would stick with any of the easy growers, my rainbows have never bothered them nor has my tap. Good choices are swords, vals, crypts, rotala rotundifolia, ludwigia repens, most hygros, ferns, mosses, and even floaters like frogbit and water lettuce.

[Owlbehere]

Thanks for the recommendations! Will deff look into those and check into lights. Lighting will be hard because that tank is tall. I know have a nice "research" list of fish and plants. I will probably have more questions in the future though.

[MCHRKiller]

For most of those plants with an average substrate depth of 3" you could get away with something in the 90-110watt range. I just have 96watts on my 55G(same foot print just a tad shorter) and even my Rotala is a nice pink tint and my Ludwigia is vibrant red even into the lower regions of the tank...and this is just with T8s. If you were to get say a Nova 108watt HOT5 setup(which im eyeballying for my own tank) which has 108watts youd actually be getting a better lighting as T5s have a higher output than the T8s, and that fixture is pretty cheap drsfostersmith.com has em on sale for under $110. If you just wanted some real basic plants like ferns, anubias mosses and crypts you could get away with a standard double bulb T8 fixture to :22:

[Owlbehere]

hmm food for thought. I just might consider that. Well I have some time to think and save up. I need to add more to my other tanks though... My schools are a little small. And I need to set up my room to keep the other tank in it. But more time helps with making the best decision.

[Lady Hobbs]

I agree with Daves choice of praecox and would have some boesemani......and would scrap the giant danios.

[Owlbehere]

That sounds good Lady Hobbs!