FishProfiles.com Message Forums

In a 20 gallon tank with a school of neons and seven swordtails, would it be possible to add more than one species of blue eyed rainbows with threadfins.

sounds alittle full, b/c i think rainboes get big.

Actually the thread fin rainbows only get up to about 2 inches long, but are also schooling fish. I'd guess you probably would be able to have a school in your tank, thou your tank would be at maximum capacity. Also try to have a well planted aquarium as rainbows will do their best.

one species of blue eyed rainbows with threadfins.

i think it is going to be two types of rainbows. so threadfins would be ok, but idk what kind of rainbows has blue eyes.

They are not commonly referred to as "blue eyed rainbows" but rather merely as blue eyes. I have seen our in store swords and mollies consume adult pseudomugs. I would get rid of the swordtails and keep the blue eyes; after all, a twenty tall is too small to house seven swordtails.

Is it possible to keep blue eyes with larger Rainbowfish?

Rainbows are not especially predatory towards other fish, although something like a neon tetra would possibly be eaten by an full-size adult boesmans rainbow for example. Turquoise rainbows can be quarrelsome among them selves and this may disturb smaller fish.

Generally any fish longer than about 3 cms and more than 1 cm thick will probably not be eaten. Rainbows have a quite firm bite , but will not eat live fish they cant swallow in one go.
The open mouth aperture of a fully adult rainbowfish of average size is probably about 1cm. With other species rainbows, are generally very peaceful toward almost all other species, although occasionally diffent species of rainbows will fight amoung each other , especially in the mornings when displays take place or if a fish is clearing an area in readiness for spawning, although nips during this kind of behaviour usually cause minimum damage if indeed contact is actually made.I have never had a severely wounded rainbow due to mating behaviour.

Rainbowfish many ways are an ideal aquarium fish for larger aquaria, for the adults an aquarium of at least 4 feet in length is preferred, as they are constant and rapid swimmers. Smaller would probably be a bit cruel.

A bit of current in a rainbow tank isnt a bad idea, i deliberately place the spray bar to create a moderate current, often the fish will align themselves into the flow, remaining stationary within it in groups.they do seem built for effortless speed. however they do snooze motionless when lights go off, so the current should be low for night times.

As to the question of keeping blue eyes presumably you mean pseudomugil signifer - the answer is a hesitant yes, as feeding competition can be intense you would have to put in a lot of the live foods they enjoy, like mosquito larvae.Problem is the other rainbows like em too, and you may have to feed the others to capacity before the blue eyes get a look in. blue eyes often dont get larger than 4 cms long, so they might be a tiny bit fragile, especially as rainbows often attempt cross-species matings, so they may get harrassed. Its probably doable tho.

Last edited by longhairedgit at 25-Aug-2005 12:04

Last edited by longhairedgit at 25-Aug-2005 12:18

In the tank there are neon tetras and they tend to stay in the plants but when they come out they are not bothered, and I also plan to keep some young white clouds in their too.