What to feed praecox rainbows

[aqua_holic]

New life spectrum

 

[Perentie1]

So that should be my main food for these fish (along with veggies and some bloodworms)? Also will this stuff work for Odessa or cherry barbs (getting some if those too)?

 

[aqua_holic]

It will be good for almost every fish you might keep. Yes that should be the bulk of the fishs diet, supplemented by whatever else you want. I would get the 1 mm size. Thera A is my preferred formula - got a mega dose of garlic in it.

 

[Perentie1]

Alright, I just checked the tank, and the shark was chasing the fish. Not sure if serious, but I don't know. The only reason is because they're invading his territory. What should I do, cause I think the rainbows have been running up and down the walls all night? Help!?

 

[aqua_holic]

They're still new - it's important to give them a chance to settle in. Too, you just added the shark so it's new too. Were it me, I would have waited until the rainbows were back up to speed before adding the shark.

 

[Perentie1]

The rainbows were up to speed, like the we're eating and exploring. Should I take out the shark because I don't want to kill the rainbows or do you think it will just take time!

 

[aqua_holic]

According to post 5, it's been 2 days now. In my experience that's not long enough.

I would continue to monitor it before looking to take any fish out. In my experience things quiet down after a few days. If the chasing becomes incessant, then that's a problem. But the rainbows should stay in the top half of the tank, out of the sharks territory.

 

[Perentie1]

yeah, i just got back from a ton of work and errands, and things seem to be better, although i need to continue to monitor. hopefully everything should be fine.
I need to wait to add more fish, give time for tank to recover and fish to settle. but you've probably been in the hobby longer, so how long should i wait until adding some barbs and more rainbows

 

[aqua_holic]

I am particular about that - I don't add fish more than once a month

 

[Luananeko]

yeah, i just got back from a ton of work and errands, and things seem to be better, although i need to continue to monitor. hopefully everything should be fine.
I need to wait to add more fish, give time for tank to recover and fish to settle. but you've probably been in the hobby longer, so how long should i wait until adding some barbs and more rainbows

Once a month is best to make sure you don't add any new fish before the old fish have been through the full incubation period of any creepy crud they may have come in with (assuming no quarantine). If you have multiple new batches in separate quarantine tanks, you can add the separate batches within 2 weeks of each other (assuming 1. each batch had a month in quarantine, and 2. the filter biomass has kept up with the previous batch by the time the 2 weeks are up).

Obviously, above recommendation is ideal case. Sometimes due to real life conditions with special, limited fish shipments arriving you can't follow the above steps and will have to assume some risks as a penalty for rushing. Trust your instinct, test your water frequently, and do extra water changes if needed if you have to speed things up for some reason.

 

[aqua_holic]

Yeah how soon is a function of many factors so it's hard to give any rule to follow. In most cases the aforementioned 2 weeks is plenty of time for the new fish to get comfortable, AS WELL AS the old fish. They need to adjust to the new fish too. I look at behavior to determine when fish are settled in - are they eating well, and are they behaving more or less as they should. Top water fish that are hanging out in the lower half of the tank are not comfortable, for example. So while they may be eating, they're not quite there yet.

In some cases, it can take longer to adjust. The solo and paired fish tend to take longer than schooling fish, in my experience.

 

[Perentie1]

so i guess my rainbows aren't there yet. my rainbow has been hiding in his little cave (which i need to make bigger) and right now hasn't been eating (probably because of new environment). so i guess i just need to wait some more. hopefully they'll adjust soon. one quick question, when the rainbows move up more, do you think the shark will come out more?

 

[aqua_holic]

No good comes from rushing

 

[Luananeko]

so i guess my rainbows aren't there yet. my rainbow has been hiding in his little cave (which i need to make bigger) and right now hasn't been eating (probably because of new environment). so i guess i just need to wait some more. hopefully they'll adjust soon. one quick question, when the rainbows move up more, do you think the shark will come out more?

Doubtful. Sharks are very reclusive and nocturnal. I've had my Red Tail Black Shark for about 3-4 years now, and she only comes out once the tank lights turn off or if she's hungry at feeding time. During the rest of the time she just chills out under her tree stump and none of the other fish (not even my territoriality-oblivious loaches) dare bother her

 

[Perentie1]

yeah, my shark does that too. hopefully the rainbows will realize that and stay away from the bottom of that side (and come to the top too)

 

[aqua_holic]

Doubtful. Sharks are very reclusive and nocturnal. I've had my Red Tail Black Shark for about 3-4 years now, and she only comes out once the tank lights turn off or if she's hungry at feeding time. During the rest of the time she just chills out under her tree stump and none of the other fish (not even my territoriality-oblivious loaches) dare bother her

Sounds just like my BGK, only mine lives inside the tree. I had gotten some moonlights for the tank but they would be better suite to a 4 foot tank. Im gonna have to bite the bullet and go LED cause what good is keeping a nocturnal fish if you can't watch it explore the tank....

 

[Ricky 1]

Would these be ok with angels, I have some credit to spend at LFS

 

[Luananeko]

Sounds just like my BGK, only mine lives inside the tree. I had gotten some moonlights for the tank but they would be better suite to a 4 foot tank. Im gonna have to bite the bullet and go LED cause what good is keeping a nocturnal fish if you can't watch it explore the tank....

View attachment 254133

My lights turn off fairly early in the evening compared to when I go to bed, so the ambient room lighting is typically enough I get to see the shark coming out to forage around in the tank It's all about timing when you end your photo period so you still have some hours that you're awake with the lights off.

 

[aqua_holic]

My ghost knife needs all the lights off to freely swim around. But it comes out with the lights on to eat, which is always a surprise for people.

 

[aqua_holic]

Would these be ok with angels, I have some credit to spend at LFS

Yes they should do well together.