Boesemani Rainbow Behavior

[bruceanthony]

I just bought 2 boesemani rainbows 2 days ago and put them in my 10 gallon tank, which is populated with brilliant rasboras and celestial pearl danios. At least 1 of the rainbows is a male. The other 1 is pretty colorful too, but not as much as the 1st, and I don't know enough about them to accurately sex it. Anyway, the rainbows, the 1st especially, immediately started chasing the danios. I was worried because the danios are so small, but this behavior stopped within minutes and I haven't seen it since. Later that night, I notice one of the rainbows chasing my biggest rasbora. It's almost as big as the rainbow. The funny thing is that it never tried to nip at the rasbora. It just kept trying to get underneath it. He'd get underneath it so close they were touching and he would kinda shimmy. Then the next day, I noticed the 2 rainbows fighting maybe, except again, neither one nipped or anything. They kept trying to ram into the side of each other. Like they were trying to roll the other 1 over. Besides these instances, everybody gets along fine most of the time. What are these behaviors? Should I worry? Are they just temporary due to the environment?

 

[Fishdude3233]

A ten gallon tank is too small for rainbows, do u plan in upgrading?

 

[rpgmomma8404]

Sounds almost like mating behavioral but I honestly don't know enough about those fish to know for sure. My swordtails do stuff like that all the time.

 

[bruceanthony]

I have a 30 gallon as well, but the fish store guy said they'd be fine in a 10. I guess I should move them, but the 30's pretty heavily stocked already.

 

[Fishdude3233]

I would return them those fish need 40 gallons at least. IMO

 

[Luananeko]

Boesemanni Rainbows are some of the larger rainbows so they top out around 4-5", and are schooling fish to boot. They're very active, so a 10 gallon is just way too small. The 30 gallon is a much more appropriate tank. Having less than 5 will tend to bring out the nervous/aggressive behavior you're seeing. Honestly I don't know of any rainbows that are suitable for a 10 gallon, as they're all active schoolers...

 

[cmwalters]

Boesemanni Rainbows are some of the larger rainbows so they top out around 4-5", and are schooling fish to boot. They're very active, so a 10 gallon is just way too small. The 30 gallon is a much more appropriate tank. Having less than 5 will tend to bring out the nervous/aggressive behavior you're seeing. Honestly I don't know of any rainbows that are suitable for a 10 gallon, as they're all active schoolers...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe threadfins would work.

Also, I would return those fish. They are big and active. I don't even think the 30 would work, as it's not very long.

 

[Luananeko]

Nope, Threadfins are way too active for 10 gallons too. I have a school in my 75 gallon and they're all over the full length of the tank.

Seriously Fish lists 48"x12"x12" as the minimum footprint for the Boesemani's, which translates to 30 gallons, so it in theory would work... But I would still suggest rehoming them too if the 30 gallon is heavily stocked already. If the 30 gallon inhabitants are cooler water fish that could cause problems too since the Boesemani's like it warm (80+ F).

 

[cmwalters]

Nope, Threadfins are way too active for 10 gallons too. I have a school in my 75 gallon and they're all over the full length of the tank.

Oh okay. I have seen where people have kept them in 12G longs with success. I guess the length is what really counts.

 

[Luananeko]

Yep, it's more about the length than the water capacity since they don't have too bad of a bio load The girls need space to run from the boys, and the boys need length so they can stake out their spaces.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

I agree with the above posters. A 10 gallon is way too small for boesmanis. I have a school of 4 in my 55 gallon, and in the 7ish months I have had them, they have already grown to over 3 inches each. They are incredibly fast and busy swimmers, racing from one end of the tank to the other, constantly. I honestly wish now that I had an even longer tank for them. I would return them, even a 30 gallon is too small for rainbows. Beuatiful fish, but incredibly active.

 

[Mebbid]

I hate say that even a 30g aquarium is a bit too small for boesmanis. Imho they don't really belong in tanks less than 4 ft.