Eastern Rainbow Fish?

[fry_lover]

I am thinking about some of the slightly larger Rainbow fish to go along with my x4 Red Rainbow fish (Glossolepis Incisus)

In my local Maidenhead Aquatics today they had some what they labeled "Pigeon Blood" Rainbows, after ages searching around on Google i found one reference to this term for Rainbows and i think they (Maidenheads) are referring to what's usually more commonly knows as Eastern Rainbow fish, which are one of the larger growing Rainbow Fish.

I know there is not much different in size generally amongst Rainbow Fish, but i am looking for ones that "in theory" max out at about 4.5 to 6 inch, although i might not get the full size, i certainly want my Rainbow fish to push past 4" in the longer term as they will be housed with some Senegal Bichirs (who are young at the moment) in a 5x2x2

So, has anyone else come across "Pigeon Blood" Rainbow Fish before? I cant even remember the colouring properly to be honest, but here is a link to a piccy of an Eastern Rainbow fish (Melanotaenia Splendida) which i think is the same as a "pigeon blood"

http/filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/Speci...ry.php?id=13102

 

[Lateral Line]

I've never heard them called Pigeon Blood before, but a quick search turned up a few sites which were, indeed, referring to M. splendida with that moniker, here for example. There are 4 sub-species of M. splendida, of which M. splendida rubrostriata is the "reddest" - could be that they have.

M. splendida can grow up to 150mm but tend to max out short of that, 120mm being more typical.

 

[Colin_T]

I've never heard of pigeon blood rainbows either and I'm in ANGFA
I have heard of pigeon blood discus.

Many of the Melanotaenia rainbows will hit 4-5 inches in a big tank, eg: M. trifasciata, herbertaxelrodi, splendida group (as mentioned above), & a couple of others which I can't remember right now. With M. rubrostriata they can vary considerably depending on where they come from. Some river systems have pale versions and others have intense colouration. M. splendida inornata (checkered rainbow) and M. splendida splendida (eastern rainbow) will probably be fairly common overseas. I don't think the other splendida rainbows made it out of Australia in any large numbers.

Check out ANGFA.org.au

or

http/members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/

 

[fry_lover]

I've never heard them called Pigeon Blood before, but a quick search turned up a few sites which were, indeed, referring to M. splendida with that moniker, here for example. There are 4 sub-species of M. splendida, of which M. splendida rubrostriata is the "reddest" - could be that they have.

M. splendida can grow up to 150mm but tend to max out short of that, 120mm being more typical.

Hi

Thanks for your very helpful post, am i correct in thinking the x4 sub-species of M. splendida are

M. splendida rubrostriata
M. splendida australis (my Maidenhead Aquatic LFS are selling "Australian Rainbows" i wonder if this is them?)
M. splendida inornata
M. splendida splendida

 

[fry_lover]

I've never heard of pigeon blood rainbows either and I'm in ANGFA
I have heard of pigeon blood discus.

Many of the Melanotaenia rainbows will hit 4-5 inches in a big tank, eg: M. trifasciata, herbertaxelrodi, splendida group (as mentioned above), & a couple of others which I can't remember right now. With M. rubrostriata they can vary considerably depending on where they come from. Some river systems have pale versions and others have intense colouration. M. splendida inornata (checkered rainbow) and M. splendida splendida (eastern rainbow) will probably be fairly common overseas. I don't think the other splendida rainbows made it out of Australia in any large numbers.

Check out ANGFA.org.au

or

<a href="http/members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/" target="_blank">http/members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/</a>

Thanks Colin

That link you put, i stumbled across it the other night and made it a "favourite" it's a great site, i could really see myself getting into Rainbows, especially with me getting my 5x2x2 in a week or so (already ordered it) - they are great, up and down the tank all day long, my Reds (Glossolepis incisus) are currently in a 48x20x20

The way my Reds interact with each other is fantastic, i have a group of 4, and will get 2 more during the week.

I want x6 Reds and x6 Others (considering strongly the Splendida, not sure what sub-species)

Thanks for your help you two, i see that there isnt an awful lot of Rainbow fish posts about



I have this list of identified Rainbows that appear to the be the largest growing (although not much larger than other's i guess)

All but the Trifasciata, i have at local LFS

By each fish is the average max size from using several different Google searches, i appreciate the Rainbow fish likely wont attain max size in aquaria, so perhaps, max size MINUS 2cm is what i'll end up with in a 5x2x2 ?

S. rubrostriate 13.2cm
Trifasciata 13.0cm
Parkinsoni 12.8cm
S. splendida 12.0cm
Lacustris 11.5cm
S. Australis 10.2cm

What do you think is a good bet to achieve at least 4 inches (10.2cm) ?

I really like the look of the Parkinsoni and Lacustris especially.

What do you think about keeping a shoal of 12 Rainbows in a 5x2x2 with my (currently) 6-7" Senegal Bichirs? Too risky? 6 of the Rainbows will be Reds......

 

[Colin_T]

There used to be five species in the Melanotaenia splendida group. They were M.s.australis, inornata, splendida, tatei & rubrostriata. Around the turn of this century a group of scientists did some DNA testing on rainbowfish and found out that M.s.australis was completely different to the others in the splendida group so they reclassified them. Now the 4 species in the splendida group are M.s. inornata, splendida, tatei & rubrostriata. M.s. rubrostriata is from New Guinea but the others are from Australia. M.s. tatei is from inland Australia and is rarely seen even in its homeland.

Rainbowfish should get to maximum size in a good size tank. A 5x2x2 should be adequate to get them to full size. The height of the tank (2ft) helps in this matter considerably. In shallower tanks (18inches high) most end up about 4 inches max. In taller tanks they develop deeper bodies and grow larger.
The fish you have listed will all hit 4 inches in your tank. The lacustris tend to be the smallest of the ones you have picked out. If they are good quality fish they will hit 4 inches as well but poor quality individuals that have been inbred struggle to get that big.
The parkinsoni will hit 5-6 inches but are narrow than the others. Rubrostriata will get to 5inches and becomes really tall in the body.

12 rainbowfish in a 5x2x2ft tank with a couple of birchir should be fine. I used to keep 15-20 rainbowfish in 4ftx14inx18in tanks. I just did a 50% water change each week and they were happy.
Just watch the birchirs and if they start taking chunks out of the rainbows then move them but I can't see it happening. One of the shops around here managed to breed birchirs and had fish everywhere and they didn't bother anyone in the tanks. Because the rainbows are deep bodied fish the birchirs will probably ignore them completely.

With the G. incisus the males are red but the females are silver or bronze. If you have a couple of females as well as the males you can breed them and sell the young. They are really easy to breed.

If you want contrasting colours in the fish then get 6 incisus and 6 lacustris. Then you will have red and blue with white. It should look stunning with some tall plants in the bckground.

Rainbows need lots of vegetable matter in their diet so its a good idea to have live plants in the tank or feed them on peas, pumpkin, zuchinni, etc and a vegetable flake.

 

[Lateral Line]

but poor quality individuals that have been inbred

A big problem with this and other groups I'm afraid. Hybrids are also causing a lot of confusion as "new species" seem to appear with uncanny regularity.

 

[Colin_T]

We don't have too many problems with hybrids in Australia. I think it is because ANGFA has members everywhere and if we see any mutants/ hybrids we complain to the shop about them. And since most of the rainbowfish customers here are purists the hybids don't get much chance. Having said that tho they do still somtimes turn up. There is one shop that gets them regularly and most of the ANGFA people boycot the shop when they do. Then when we decide to go back and visit the shop they ask why we haven't been around for a while and we tell them we don't want shops selling mutants. That usually gets rid of the hybrids for another year.
The shop does know better but they just say they want nicely coloured fish for the customers. They do it deliberately and are cutting their own throat in the process.

 

[fry_lover]

I ended up getting two more Reds (Glossolepis incisus) nice and deep bodied. This makes x6 altogether now.

I also got x4 of what were termed "pigeon bloods". The store said they are a type of Splendida, but couldnt be more specific, once they settle in and give a better representation of their colouring i will take some pics and perhaps people can help me correctly ID them, but they are nice and deep bodied like the Reds i got today.

Some of the LFS were selling reds, but they were so skinny! Very torpedo shaped even though they were the same length as the Reds i got from another store.

 

[Colin_T]

Some of the LFS were selling reds, but they were so skinny! Very torpedo shaped even though they were the same length as the Reds i got from another store.

The reds (Glossolepis incisus) could be females or young males. They don't normally get to full size (in height) until they are a couple of years old. Females will stay narrow (torpedo shaped) whereas the males get very deep bodied. Males are also red and females are a brown or bronze colour.

 

[Lateral Line]

We don't have too many problems with hybrids in Australia.

I'm afraid we do. I don't know if it because the group as a whole are less "known" in Europe then in their native areas, or simply that the breeders see a bigger market here. Every year a "new species" of rainbow appears, none ever look like the true species and I'm afraid a good number of these are hybrids.

The Blue Eye group is so awash with hybrids here that it is almost impossible to find true species, (apart from furcatus which is common enough).

 

[Colin_T]

It's really disappointing that people find the need to hybridise fish. If they don't like the way they look they shouldn't keep them. And if they do it for the money then they are greedy as s-holes. Rainbows are colourful enough as it is, hence the name rainbow. They don't need to be tampered with.
You wouldn't see neon tetras being crossed with something else, why do it with rainbows.
And one of the worst things about the rainbowfish hybridisation is that people like lateral line who want true species can't get them. And we aren't allowed to export native fishes from Australia to supply the European markets, how crap is that.

 

[Lateral Line]

You wouldn't see neon tetras being crossed with something else, why do it with rainbows.

Although you do see sports of Neons being line bred. Diamond head, lutino and albino. They are being line bred to take colours out, I mean, what?

 

[fry_lover]

You wouldn't see neon tetras being crossed with something else, why do it with rainbows.

Although you do see sports of Neons being line bred. Diamond head, lutino and albino. They are being line bred to take colours out, I mean, what?

some peeps got too much time on their hands!!!! he he, although i guess ultimately it's about ££££

 

[Lateral Line]

Yeah, people buy them, an even bigger what?