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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V4 #280
Gitte
Rainbowfish are schooling fishes suitable for community tanks and the dwarf
neon rainbowfish (Melanotaenia praecox) is one of the most desirable of this
group. However individual males of all rainbowfishes try to exert dominance
behaviour to claim the attention of the females for the purpose of spawning.
When you wish to see rainbowfish at their best and most colourful then their
displays at this time will usually include fin flaring and intensification
of colours. Some species also show an irridescent nape stripe that may pulse
on and off - the colour of this stripe varies with species.
In a small group like this where 3 males are probably competing for the
single female I think one male is dominant and is claiming the female and
most of the open water of the tank. You could consider adding several more
females or even small groups of other rainbowfish species to increase the
"herd protection" factor. It is recommended by some rainbowfish enthusiasts
that a unit of 3 females and 2 males is the best minimal group. This way the
2 males will still display well but still have enough females to keep
diverting them.
Regards,
Bruce Hansen
president at angfa_org.au
Please visit us at http://www.angfa.org.au
----- Original Message -----
From: "Aquatic Plants Digest" <Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com>
> Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 19:29:02 -0400
> From: heinesen at idirect_ca
> Subject: weird behaviour - dwarf neon rainbow...
>
> I have four dwarf neon rainbow fish in my new tank (tank has been running
> for almost 3 weeks now). There are 3 males and 1 female. Until now, they
> have usually been seen together, and are always very interested in food.
> They have been in the tank for about 2.5 weeks. Today, all of a sudden,
> something is different. When I fed them this afternoon, two of the males
> were "missing". They didn't come out to eat. I noticed them both hiding
> down behind a group of Limnophila sessiflora, not moving around too much.
> The third male and the female were feeding. After a while, one of the
> absent males did come out. The last one is still back/down there; it
seems
> to be hiding. I don't think any of the other fish have been harrassing
> him, and I don't know why he's staying down there.
>
> I thought maybe this was some kind of spawning behaviour, especially near
> the Limnophila, but he doesn't seem to be trying to entice the female to
> join him.
>
> Then I thought maybe something was wrong with the water, so I tested for
> ammonia and nitrite - - both are zero, as they have been ever since the
> tank was set up. Aside from lots of plants (and some algae), other
> inhabitants of the tank are:
>
> 2 algae-eating (amano) shrimp
> 3 black tetras
> 3 siamese algae eaters
>
> Does anyone have any wisdom to share? I don't want to find the little guy
> belly-up in the morning.
>