Rainbow fish... questions...

[Magnum Man]

so shopping rainbow fish, & it seems there are literally 100's or 1000's of varieties, some look remarkably close to others... typically, are they mostly found in nature that way, or are a lot of these cross bred, since it sounds like most will interbreed???

right now, for example, I'm looking at Emerald Rainbows (Glossolepis wanamensis)... they look a lot like they could be a Boesemani cross... so in the case of the Emerald, where it appears to have a "scientific" name, is that saying they were found in nature that way, or could it be a name assigned to a common cross???

just trying to learn a little more, since I find the "rainbows pretty interesting, & am thinking of adding a 2nd tank for the little guys...

 

[Magnum Man]

Looking at a few books on them as well... I'm finding a few used paperbacks for sale...

one by Derek Lambert, & one by Gunther Schmida

any other recommendations, or comments on these 2 authors

 

[Wills]

I don't think there are hundreds of species but certainly a diverse group. There are a couple of line bred strains in the hobby like short bodys and an albino strain of Millenium Rainbows but overall they are pretty natural and not hybrids. The Emerald Rainbows are definitely a natural species - as you say Glossolepis Wanamensis, for contrast Boesemani are Melanotaenia boesemani so a totally different family and species.

Generally if a fish has a scientific name it means its a valid species found in the wild - eg Parrot Fish and Flowerhorns don't have scientific names this is because the fish in the wild are of scientific interest and have been part of research and documentation away from our hobby. Similarly Swordtails, Platies and Guppies, lots and lots of varieties but all the same scientific species.

I'm really curious why you approached this in such a suspicious way?

 

[Magnum Man]

Not trying to bait anyone... I just never had them, when I had fish before, so they are new to me... just seems like quite a few of them look like others, or combinations of two others... since I was told that most can cross breed in an aquarium... maybe some actually did in nature???

I have one tank now, a 55 gallon, with...

Melanotaenia boesemani
Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi
Bedotia madagascariensis

and a couple reds... not positive if they are Glossolepis incisus, or another of the reds ( mine have the silver scales on their sides )

and few others that probably don't belong there, but have been there for a year...

I have a 45 gallon tall I want to set up next, & have been thinking about the smaller varieties

 

[Colin_T]

If you find a rainbowfish sold at a shop and it doesn't have a scientific name and doesn't look like the fish in the link below, then it's probably a cross breed. A lot of fish farms around the world are hybrising rainbowfish to supposedly get better looking fish. But they are fuplie stupid because rainbows are already nice looking fish.

Most rainbows can cross breed and certainly anything in the Genus can hybridise with each other and produce fertile offspring. If you want to breed them, move the breeding fish into their own tank so you get pure offspring.

There are lots of rainbowfish where the same species come from different river systems and have slightly different colours or markings. These fish are normally sold as a species with a river system (eg: Melanotaenia trifasciata - Goyder River). A lot of shops don't give a river system with rainbows and you need to be careful about what you get. If you buy from a good breeder, they should have the river system for each species they keep.

The following link was written by Adrian Tappin, one of Australia's and the world's leading authorities on rainbowfish. It has all the known species of rainbowfishes from Australia and New Guinea. Bookmark it and refer to it if you have any doubts about the fish you are getting.

Melanotaeniidae and Pseudomugilidae

A website dedicated to Rainbowfishes of Australia and New Guinea

rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au

 

[Magnum Man]

thanks... that's an incredible reference

 

[Colin_T]

Most juvenile rainbowfish don't look like the adults so be careful buying young uncoloured fish. They start out silver and after a few months start to develop juvenile colouration. They get adult colours when about 6-12 months old, depending on how they are grown.

 

[Magnum Man]

I just looked through quickly, for reference pictures, to see if they looked like my fish...
I didn't see Bedotia madagascariensis... is that not a true rainbow, or because that is supposed to be from Madagascar, those fish on not on that site???

I noticed that, as all of mine have been purchased as juvenal fish the Madagascar's are the only ones to color up yet... actually I did not know they preferred softer water than the others???

 

[Magnum Man]

another point I can make, is it's not my goal to breed them ( I'm just looking for pretty fish ) & because I have to mail order almost all my fish, I suppose I could buy from some dealers that really understand the geographic areas the fish come from... but most I have bought from in the past, I would question that they actually have a scientific name, or they just got them from "some" breeder that attached that name... so at least I'm skeptical, of what my fish will look like as adults, & if they would actually be of a pure breedable bloodline

 

[Colin_T]

The link for Adrian Tappin's rainbowfish only has Australian and New Guinea rainbowfishes and does not include Madagascan or Celebes rainbows.

You could buy eggs from breeders like Gary Lange and grow the fish up yourself. Eggs travel well and most take 4-7 days to hatch. You would get pure species then and not have to worry about hybrids.

 

[Magnum Man]

@Wills "I'm really curious why you approached this in such a suspicious way?"

are you kidding??? just about any time I post a new thread, I get beaten up, by someone... so I've gotten pretty warry about new postings... either I don't have enough of..., or I never should have bought that fish in the 1st place... or those 2 fish can never be in the same tank, or I have the wrong gravel... you get the idea...

@Colin_T there are a lot of knowledgeable members here, & I don't personally know anyone... a few members have not been too critical, but I think Colin_T gives correct info, without criticizing the original poster... IMO, he's one of the best you have here...

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I think Colin_T gives correct info, without criticizing the original poster... IMO, he's one of the best you have here...

Never trust a werewolf he'll eat your cat behind your back....

 

[Wills]

@Wills "I'm really curious why you approached this in such a suspicious way?"

are you kidding??? just about any time I post a new thread, I get beaten up, by someone... so I've gotten pretty warry about new postings... either I don't have enough of..., or I never should have bought that fish in the 1st place... or those 2 fish can never be in the same tank, or I have the wrong gravel... you get the idea...

@Colin_T there are a lot of knowledgeable members here, & I don't personally know anyone... a few members have not been too critical, but I think Colin_T gives correct info, without criticizing the original poster... IMO, he's one of the best you have here...

I didn't mean it in a way to criticise you but it was the way you named the authors of the books and asked for opinions on their reputation etc?

 

[Magnum Man]

In those cases, they are used books, that I was thinking about buying next pay check… there is only limited numbers of them, so if they sold before I can buy them… my loss and obviously some books are better than others, and there is a lot of misinformation out there both on the www, and In print

 

[Sgooosh]

Never trust a werewolf he'll eat your cat behind your back....

can confirm! he loves fish and also loves (eating) cats!