Can These Rainbow Fish Crossbreed

[Mikaila31]

ATM I have two male Pseudomugil gertrudae , they where in a tank with about 40 Pseudomugil signifer and threadfin rainbows. I could not for the life of me find any female P. gertrudae in the tank, but the fish where moving so fast and all looked alike, I might of missed them . Anyway I really like these three species of rainbow fish and I was wondering if they could all be housed and bred in the same tank. I don't think I will have any problems with the threadfins, but the P. gertrudae and P. signifer concern me. They seem like they are closely related. So if I try to keep these in the same tank and breed them will they end up cross breeding?

 

[Colin_T]

all rainbows from the same genus can cross breed with each other. So yes your Pseudomugils might mix n match. The Iriatherinas won't cross with the others. Depending on which P. signifer variety you have they might be too big to live with Iriatherinas and P. gertrudaes. Ross River and Giant Blue-eye will get to about 3 inches long and might bully the smaller fishes.
Any fish not breeding might eat the eggs. Iriatherina and P. gertrudae won't but the signifers might eat the other's eggs.

 

[Mikaila31]

Would it work if I inserted dividers and used spawning mops when I want them to breed. I know they will breed quite easily, but for example if I seperated the P. gertrudaes from the P. signifer with a divider and spawned them at different times then remove those eggs and raise them in a different tank. Then remove the divider when they are done spawning and just ignore any spawning that occur while they are together. Does that make sense?

Also this is the fish I bought labeled P. gertrudaes. Is this the correct name for it.

 

[Colin_T]

Spawning mops are fine but most rainbows will breed continuously so you end up with eggs in the gravel, on airline and everywhere else in the tank. If you seperated them and only removed the spawning mops from the breeding section you should get whatever species you were breeding. But there is always a chance some eggs might get mixed up. Not that it really matters too much. If they don't look like gertrudae or signifer then they are hybrids and can be destroyed. Pseudomugil eggs take about 2 weeks to hatch at 25 degrees C.

The fish in the picture (not the orange and white one) is a male Pseudomugil gertrudae but I don't know what river system it is from. They are generally sold as gertrudae from such and such river system. There are varieties from southern New Guinea and northern Australia. Females have smaller fins without the spotting.

 

[Mikaila31]

Many thanks, my boeseamis bred continuously so I figure these guys will be the same. I will put some small killis in the spawning tank if I find any unwanted eggs or fry are surviving. what ratio of males and females should I have? And can the fry eat vinegar eels as a 1st food or does it have to be smaller? Also do you know of any good sources on-line for these fish? The ones at the store are real pretty and I will probably grab a few of them, but most of them are about $10 each which IMO is pricey for such a small fish.

 

[Mikaila31]

Oh well, I have looked around on line and it doesn't seem like I can find them much cheaper once you figure shipping in. And what do you know I passed up 4 male P. signifers at an auction today. I didn't stick around to see what they went for, but I am guessing no more than $20 . I should of stayed. It looks like I will be selling my 3 male boeseamis and a lot of cherry shrimp to compensate. I read that the newborn fry should be able eat vinager eels. I am still not sure on a good ratio though?

 

[Colin_T]

A ratio for blye-eyes can be 2 females per male but for best results try colony breeding with 4 males and 6 females. If you only have 1 male they sometimes stress the females. 2 males and one quite often dominates the other. 4 males seems to work best. Have more females than males.

P. gertrudae are expensive where ever you go. They don't produce many eggs compared to bigger rainbows and there aren't as many people keeping them, hence the high prices.

Killifish and rainbows aren't really the best tank mates. Most Killis come from acid water whereas most rainbows come from neutral to alkaline water. Also male killis can be quite agro to smaller rainbows. They would probably be ok with the signifers but I would keep a close eye on them with the gertrudae and Iriatherina.

The blue-eyes will eat vinegar eels from the time they hatch but the Iriatherinas need green water and infusoria.

 

[Mikaila31]

I have talked with a club in my area, but it doesn't look like I will find them much cheaper anytime soon. I will talk to the store and see if I can work something out with them. But someone across the river in Minnesota said something about trying to raise the Iriatherinas outside in tubs during the summer. Would this be worth looking into? I live out of town, it is still somewhat residential, but we are surrounded by woods. Would this make feeding the young fry easier, if they were outside for the first month or two?