Rainbowfish Question....

[Lonewolfblue]

I just noticed something that 2 of my Rainbowfish are doing. They are the 1 Salmon-Red Rainbowfish (Glossolepis incisus), 1 Boesemani Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani). They would go side-by-side, one facing left and one facing right, and would swim straight down vertically, at the same rate. What are they doing?

Edit:
And I noticed they do it going up as well. And also standing still.

 

[joannde]

LWB - knowing YOUR tanks, I can only assume its some sort of mating ritual !
I tried to find out the ritual doing an internet search and came up with the following - does this look like what you're seeing ?

QUOTE: Rainbowfish males are absolutely beautiful when displaying for a recalcitrant female. They tend to spawn in the morning. The male holds his fins out and swims rapidly back and forth to lure a mate. When a female responds, the pair sidles side-by-side and the eggs are expelled into or onto plant leaves or roots. Then, the whole process begins anew.
Source: http://www.goliadfarms.com/pages/fish/rainbows/spawning.htm

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I like that, lol.....

Now for the aggressor, it's the Salmon-Red Rainbowfish. He's the one that starts it, and is the one that swims around quite fast, and initiates the routine. So I'm guessing he's a male. Now he will also do it with the Turquoise Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia lacustris). But not as often. He's more interested in the Boesemani Rainbowfish.

 

[joannde]

Your tank is planted so I'd be checking for eggs if I were you ! Another quick internet check said that rainbowfish will readily interbreed ..... and then I found this:

QUOTE: The male adjacent to his chosen spawning site initiates the pre-spawning behaviour by vigorously pursuing the female while at the same time raising all his fins to show his beautiful colouration. When receptive, the female will enter the spawning site first, closely followed by the male. He presses against the side of the female and, accompanied by much trembling action from both fishes, eggs are expelled directly among the plants or spawning medium. Spawned eggs are adhesive, negatively buoyant in freshwater and average 1.5 ± 0.5 mm in diameter, are usually clear to light amber in colour and hang by a fine thread. After spawning, the female will leave, while the male remains displaying to passing females and thus defending his territory and the fertilised eggs.
Source: http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Breedbow.htm

I can't keep my fish alive and you can't keep yours from mating !!! I'M JEALOUS - but I'm happy for you.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

That is exactly what they did tonight, lol. Tank lights are out, but if I see them do it again tomorrow, will get ready to snatch some eggs after they are done, lol.

 

[joannde]

Unbelievable ! LOL - you must have been a fish in a prior life or something because you certainly know what makes them tick ! Keep me posted on the eggs - looks like you might need another fry tank soon !!!!
Check that second website - lots of info on raising fry

 

[plecoperson]

Oooh-go here for all things rainbow www.bowheads.org

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Interesting site.....

I couldn't resist, lol. I got out a flashlight to take a look, lol. I saw some red things, which looked like it could possibly be eggs, with a little string attached. So I used a plastic syringe and sucked a few up that I saw, and moved them to my 10G. Will see if anything pans out with them, if they are even eggs, lol. The color isn't the same as above, but it's something that wasn't in there before.

Unbelievable ! LOL - you must have been a fish in a prior life or something because you certainly know what makes them tick ! Keep me posted on the eggs - looks like you might need another fry tank soon !!!!
Check that second website - lots of info on raising fry

I still believe it's the water here, lol. If I moved to the other side of the river, it's a different town and different county. My kh is 60 and gh is 70. Across the river is 200+, lol. Quite the difference between the water on both sides of the river, lol.

 

[RoK]

I don't think 2 different genera of fish would mate together. It just seems a bit odd to me. It's likely just showing off and/or aggression.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Well, I went back to one of the previous sites, and here's how you can sex them.

Rainbowfishes can be sexed by their colour and finnage. Males are generally very colourful, have extended finnage, while females are pale by comparison, and have smaller or more rounded appearance in the fins. Males by and large have a somewhat longer first dorsal fin, which slightly overlaps the second dorsal fin origin when depressed. By contrast, the depressed first dorsal fin of females fails to reach the second dorsal fin origin or barely reaches it. In addition, males generally are larger and have a deeper body than females. In some species, males change colour during the spawning ritual. These physical changes make it relatively easy to identify sexually mature males. However, female characteristics such as plumpness of the abdomen are subjective and can be misleading. If you are unable to sex your fish, then have someone with more experience do it for you.

The Salmon-red Rainbowfish did change colors while doing this. He was going between kind of a salmon color to yellow and back. The Boesemani Rainbowfish has not changed color at all. And if the finnage is also true, then it's in fact a she. I haven't looked over the 3rd rainbowfish, as the lights went out, will have to do that later. But that one has not changed any colors either, I don't think. If I remember, will check out the finnage tomorrow evening.

 

[Zezmo]

I would say for sure what you have seen in spawning behavior. I have successfully bred a few types of these larger rainbows.

The "Salmon Red" which is most likely a Glossolepis incisus is an awsome fish that in the presence of a female will display all day long. The male, of most rainbowfish, has a "flasher" on his forehead. For the salmon red, it is yellow or orange, and runs from the tip of his nose to the begining of his dorsal fin. When in the breeding mood, this will rapidly flash on and off. Turqoise Rainbows have a white flasher, Splendid rainbows have a purple flasher (or blue or green-depending on the exact splendia sub-species), Parkensoni's as far as I can tell do not have one. While your fish are breeding, they need lots of good food. Extras bloodworms are nice. I also bought mine live small crickets. They loved em, and bred like crazy afterwards.

It is no longer possible to export Rainbowfish from Australia to the USA. So all fish in America are tank bred from the original animals that came over before the ban. Because of this it is considered important to not mix Rainbowfish strains, and maintain purelines. These fish will hapily interbreed. If you have mixed species in a tank. Enjoy the spawing, but perhaps do not try and "save" any of the fry. If any do survive, absolutley, never sell them. Crossbreeds should stay with you, and not be sold or bred further. (IMO of course)