lone turquoise rainbowfish

[Pipedreamer86]

Ok so i got a shoal of 6 turquoise rainbowfish over a month ago. One of them was a real bully and apparently killed the rest of his shoal. Since they are gone his colors are brighter and he os eating voraciously and seems to be very happy. I thought these were schooling fish in my research. I am wondering if anyone has a similiar experience or if i should attempt to up the school again

 

[sp0ng3r]

They are schooling fish... but I would leave him be.

You have 2 options here.
1) if you do not mind having a single rainbow, leave him as the king of your tank.
2) If you actually want a school of rainbows, give him away or back to the store, and try a new group.

Finally, be sure that he was actually killing the other fish. Make sure your water is clean, healthy, free of disease, and the correct temperature (they like it generally cooler). Other than that, it is really your call. I have kept single rainbow fish before that have no issues at all. Every once in a while, you get a fish who does not follow the rules. It sounds like you have one of those.

Now for my story:
I had a Praecox (Dwarf Neon) who did the same thing. I had him for years, and all of a sudden, he flipped out when we moved to a new house and attacked everything else in the tank tirelessly. Huge fish, small fish, Plecos, Corys, the other Rainbows, everything. I quarentined him, and put him back in a week later after a time out, and he still did the same thing. I eventually did not want to risk it, and took him to my local fish store. They were sooo happy to get him because he was huge and beautiful. It was a sad day, but it is nice to see him in their display tank....(mocking me).

 

[George9]

Ok so i got a shoal of 6 turquoise rainbowfish over a month ago. One of them was a real bully and apparently killed the rest of his shoal. Since they are gone his colors are brighter and he os eating voraciously and seems to be very happy. I thought these were schooling fish in my research. I am wondering if anyone has a similiar experience or if i should attempt to up the school again

What were the sexes? All males are going to kill eachother. Go for 3:1 f:m ratio next time. I have an aggresive rainbow too and I've found that he will pick on any other rainbow that's the same size as well.

 

[Pipedreamer86]

I am not sure the sexes, i am honestly not sure how to sex them, my water parameters were/are good 0 am 0 trite never let my trates above 20 with regular testing. The fish were not sick. They had markings of being harrassed. It happened almost over night. I lost the first two. The second two a few days later, but it wasnt until these that i saw visible aggression. He would chase them around endlessly. It doesnt make since though that he flipped like that, the first month i had them they schooled and played together and all was good. He doesn't bother the other fish though, he just doesnt like other rainbows. I dont mind him being solo as long as that isnt an issue like it can be for some schooling fish.

 

[sp0ng3r]

Some fish live a solo life. If he is eating well and seems active, I personally would just keep him alone.

Might be an issue if you want other rainbows though. But it sounds like you just got one with a "bad attitude". The way I see it, if you put him in a school, it is a matter of time before he is alone again because he will kill his other "school" mates. So even if he "needs" to be in a school, he will make sure he is not. I would let him be, and just keep him as a single focal point for your tank. (I refer to it as a him, but im sure this one is a male, based on behavior)

Keep him fed, but not with more rainbows.

 

[Pipedreamer86]

That sounds like a plan. His colors are bright and he has a voracious appetite, i dont think hes lonely lol. As long as he doesnt bother my other fish he is welcome to live out his manic life in my tank lol.

 

[sp0ng3r]

Maybe he was reinacting 300?

Yeah, he is fine it sounds like. I wouldnt worry too much about it. The important thing is that he leaves the rest of your tank alone.

Enjoy your fish, and as sad as it might be, at least he has a story behind him.
If anyone asks why he is alone, just say that your tank is the coloseum and you pitted him against 5 other competitors. Fight to the death, and to the victor goes the spoils, which happens to be this tank (and a life of solitude)!