Aggressive Rainbow

[Gooner]

Hi,

I have recently introduced two Red Rainbows into my tank (30 gal) and one of them is being rather aggresive towards a few Rosy Barbs.
Not sure of the sexes of the Rainbows but the other one is very placid. I belived them to be of a peaceful nature (obviously not).

Also in the tank are, 1 x Blue Acara, 1 x Krib, 2 x Blue Ram, 1 x Gold Ram and a few bottom dwellers whom all get along very well, suprisingly I know, but I will keep an eye on them because things can change.

My question being, Is it normal for a Red Rainbow to be semi aggressive towards Rosy Barbs? Or any other fish to that matter.

Cheers,

Gary.

 

[kcalbat]

my guess would be that rainbowfish are a schooling species that are happier in groups of six or more so a natural pecking order would be established and any aggression will dissolve within the group. That way your aggressive little friend will be too busy rounding up his own friends, impressing the ladies, and just being a school fish to pick on your rosies.

 

[SG-1]

Its normal, Rainbow/Redtail Sharks can be either nice, or extremly agressive. My RTS chases my Jack Dempsey relentlessly, if that dosent say it all I dont know what does.

 

[alexdallimore]

I have a couple of red rainbows and unlike my blue rainbows and parkinsons rainbows they do have a tendancy to act territorial. Apparently they can be quite aggressive towards the females of their own too.

 

[DarkEntity]

Like most fish, if you keep them incorrectly (for want of a better word) then they will more than likely act differently than expected. Rainbows are a shoaling fish, so really you should have 5 or more, once you get the shoal they will setup a pecking order within themselves rather than bully other fish.

 

[Barracuda518]

I will say what everyone else has already said. I keep my Rainbow fish in groups and have more females then males (2-3 females per male). This allows for the male to divide the chasing and natural behavior over more then one female and not stress out a single female. Just my opinion.