African Butterfly Fish? Rainbow Darter Fish?

Ellie Potts

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Has anyone kept these fish? I can barely find any information online about them but love the idea. For those who have kept them (or know someone who has) - what did you keep with them? General tank set-up? Thanks guys!
 
Rainbow darters are North American and should not be kept with African freshwater butterfly fish (Pantodon buchholzi). The butterfly fish comes from slow moving water and the darters come from fast flowing water.

Male butterfly fish have long filaments on their anal fin, females don't. They grow to about 4 inches and live near the surface. They prefer live foods but will take other floating foods. They jump so a good cover is required, as are floating plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta).

You can keep the butterfly fish with most bottom dwellers like Corydoras or Bristlenose catfish. Do not keep the butterfly fish with small fish because the small fish will get eaten. Avoid barbs and nippy fish because they chew up the butterfly fish. Basically have the butterfly fish in a single species tank or with peaceful bottom dwelling fish.

I can't offer any advice on darters because I have never kept them.
 
Rainbow darters are North American and should not be kept with African freshwater butterfly fish (Pantodon buchholzi). The butterfly fish comes from slow moving water and the darters come from fast flowing water.

Male butterfly fish have long filaments on their anal fin, females don't. They grow to about 4 inches and live near the surface. They prefer live foods but will take other floating foods. They jump so a good cover is required, as are floating plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta).

You can keep the butterfly fish with most bottom dwellers like Corydoras or Bristlenose catfish. Do not keep the butterfly fish with small fish because the small fish will get eaten. Avoid barbs and nippy fish because they chew up the butterfly fish. Basically have the butterfly fish in a single species tank or with peaceful bottom dwelling fish.

I can't offer any advice on darters because I have never kept them.
Thanks! They're super cool fish
 
I have kept butterfly fish happily with the likes of cardinal tetras and black phantoms. They tend to keep to themselves. I always made sure I had plenty of Mosquito larvae in the tank to keep them happy.
 
I have kept butterfly fish happily with the likes of cardinal tetras and black phantoms. They tend to keep to themselves. I always made sure I had plenty of Mosquito larvae in the tank to keep them happy.
This may be a very ignorant question to ask (I have no experience with mosquito larvae), but did you ever have issues with actual mosquitos growing? The tank I'm filling right now is the only one in a main room of our house and don't want to risk it :lol:
 
This may be a very ignorant question to ask (I have no experience with mosquito larvae), but did you ever have issues with actual mosquitos growing? The tank I'm filling right now is the only one in a main room of our house and don't want to risk it :lol:
No the fish ate them pretty quickly. Make sure your tank is well covered as these guys like to try to escape. If you every get a flying mosi. the butterfly fish will polish them off as well.
 
With their mouths shaped the way they are these fish are really not interested in anything that is swimming under them. They would eat fry if their were on the surface of the tank.
 

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