Favorite Rainbowfish?

[mikka23]

Wondering what people's favorite rainbowfish are? I am starting a community and so far have bosemani and red rainbows. Was at my LFS today and discovered:

Wanamensis Rainbow - had never heard of them before, look stunning online.
Australis Rainbow - looked amazing in store, despite still being young
Parva Rainbow
Lake Kutubu Rainbow
Madagascar Rainbow

I am looking to add more rainbows but couldn't decide which to go for. At the moment im leaning towards Wanamensis and Australian but looking for the opinion of people who have kept them.

 

[simonas]

I;d love a rainbow tank. the display tanks in zoos with full grown specimens are amazing. I;m surprised that we don;t have people on here with those set ups

Boesmanis are a different clas in my opinion so I would say them

 

[mikka23]

I;d love a rainbow tank. the display tanks in zoos with full grown specimens are amazing. I;m surprised that we don;t have people on here with those set ups

Boesmanis are a different clas in my opinion so I would say them

I just noticed the ebook from practical fish-keeping yesterday. Some of the species which I was unaware of are simply amazing. Boesemani are terrific though.

 

[Jamepsss]

Most Rainbows are amazing in shape and colour when they reach adult size (a long time). The young specimens usually look quite drab in the LFS.

I think it's best to stick to the most common ones because there's lot of hybrids out there. Of the ones you mentioned Lake Katubu (M.Lacustris) would be my fave. When adult these fish really are a sight to behold. One of my LFS's has some G.Wanamensis and M.Maccullochi in and I'm tempted but they're very small.

I currently have M.Australis, M.Boesemani, M.Herbertaxlerodi, M.Praecox, M. Lacustris, M.Inornata and C.Bleheri. Love them all.

 

[mikka23]

Most Rainbows are amazing in shape and colour when they reach adult size (a long time). The young specimens usually look quite drab in the LFS.

I think it's best to stick to the most common ones because there's lot of hybrids out there. Of the ones you mentioned Lake Katubu (M.Lacustris) would be my fave. When adult these fish really are a sight to behold. One of my LFS's has some G.Wanamensis and M.Maccullochi in and I'm tempted but they're very small.

I currently have M.Australis, M.Boesemani, M.Herbertaxlerodi, M.Praecox, M. Lacustris, M.Inornata and C.Bleheri. Love them all.

I was actually really surprised at the coloring of some of the rainbows in the LFS. The G.Incicus was actually very dark despite being tiny. Your tank was actually one of the inspirations to switch to more rainbows (already wanted to anyways).

Think my stocking will be similar:

M.Australis, M.Boesemani, M.Wanamensis, G.Incicus, M. Lacustris

This picture of Wanamensis got me very interested:

 

[Jamepsss]

That's a nice pic but Wanamensis are quite rare in this country and I have seen hybrids labelled as Wanamensis when they're clearly not. They are available though as the ones in my LFS I'm 90% sure are the real deal. I've never seen Parva anywhere though.

 

[mikka23]

That's a nice pic but Wanamensis are quite rare in this country and I have seen hybrids labelled as Wanamensis when they're clearly not. They are available though as the ones in my LFS I'm 90% sure are the real deal. I've never seen Parva anywhere though.

I've seen parva once before. I think the problem with them is they are very drab at a young age, completely colorles and probably harder to sell.

Is there any way to tell if its a hybrid?

 

[simonas]

James any chance of some pics of your rainbow tank? we never see them on here?

 

[Jamepsss]

James any chance of some pics of your rainbow tank? we never see them on here?

There's loads in my planted journal and my latest vid is in my signature.

 

[Sanj]

I keep about 15 different species of rainbowfish in different aquariums. I dont breed any from local LFS only those I have got from breeders in Europe.

G.dorityi i find more attractive than G.wanamensis. Wanams have great finnage, but the dorityi i think is more attracitve with bright red zig zag lines along the length of its body.

G.dorityi


I have an older video of some of my rainbows, but no update vids yet. My link

 

[Jamepsss]

I keep about 15 different species of rainbowfish in different aquariums. I dont breed any from local LFS only those I have got from breeders in Europe.

G.dorityi i find more attractive than G.wanamensis. Wanams have great finnage, but the dorityi i think is more attracitve with bright red zig zag lines along the length of its body.

G.dorityi


I have an older video of some of my rainbows, but no update vids yet. My link

Nice vid Sanj, I'm already subscribed to your channel.

Just noticed your C.Bleheri, very nice. Mine definitely isn't C.Bleheri on reflection.

 

[Sanj]

I've seen parva once before. I think the problem with them is they are very drab at a young age, completely colorles and probably harder to sell.

Is there any way to tell if its a hybrid?

Alot of rainbows are dull when young and in the case of M.parva it tends to be more colourful in the morning and becomes less intense throughout the day. Many rainbows do this and change colour depending on thier mood.

LFS in nearly all cases are unable to guarantee the quality of thier stock becuase they do not have the information required to do so. Even so called wild stock are dubious because often this means stock raised in ponds on fish farms. It is almost impossible to guarantee there is no hybridisation from mass produced fish. That does not mean the fish you see in an LFS is a hybrid. If it is boaesmani, praecox or lacustris these tend to be more true than not. Although mass produced boesmani are not awell coloured a line bred fish. M.lacustris however is a fish that has held its vibrant blues pretty well despite mass production.

M.parva has been sold on a few occasions, i have seen it several times over the last few years, but it is not your bread and butter rainbowfish like boesmani, praecox and lacustris.

 

[Sanj]

Nice vid Sanj, I'm already subscribed to your channel.

Just noticed your C.Bleheri, very nice. Mine definitely isn't C.Bleheri on reflection.

Hi james, thanks very much, I also have C.alleni (a few) but they are only 1" or so at the moment. The C.bleheri are lovely the males are constantly sparring with each other in the main tank, even so i did manage to get them to breed. They are only half their full size in that video.

 

[Jamepsss]

Nice vid Sanj, I'm already subscribed to your channel.

Just noticed your C.Bleheri, very nice. Mine definitely isn't C.Bleheri on reflection.

Hi james, thanks very much, I also have C.alleni (a few) but they are only 1" or so at the moment. The C.bleheri are lovely the males are constantly sparring with each other in the main tank, even so i did manage to get them to breed. They are only half their full size in that video.

Can I ask which breeders you use and do you live in the UK? Do you buy eggs or young fish from them? Your rainbows are stunning.

 

[mikka23]

I keep about 15 different species of rainbowfish in different aquariums. I dont breed any from local LFS only those I have got from breeders in Europe.

G.dorityi i find more attractive than G.wanamensis. Wanams have great finnage, but the dorityi i think is more attracitve with bright red zig zag lines along the length of its body.

G.dorityi


I have an older video of some of my rainbows, but no update vids yet. My link

Wow, absolutely stunning fish. Ditto to what James asked on where you source your fish.

I would in an ideal world like M.doboulayi and M.herbertaxelrodi but I haven't ever seen them for sale (G.dorityi likewise). From your comments it looks like Lake Kutubu is definitely one to get, australis and wanamensis still undecided. Likely end up getting them all