fearlessfisch
Aquarium Advice FINatic
In my old tank, I used to have a beautiful school of seven praecox (dwarf neon) rainbowfish. They were all roughly the same size, and they swam together all the time, with never any sign of aggression. In the group, their colors were brilliant, and they seemed happy in the group. When we moved across country, we had to sell them along with the other fish in the tank.
Flash forward to the new tank. I bought a school of new rainbows (same type) from the wrong LFS. A disease went through the school and killed all but four of them. Of the four survivors, one grew much larger than the others, to the point that I have wondered if he is not really a praecox at all. However, I can't imagine that he is anything else. He was identical to the others when we bought him, and he still is the right color and shape....just BIGGER.
The big fish picked on the little fish. In turn, the little fish started to squabble, too. The energy in the whole group seemed negative. In time, one more of the little ones died, and we were left with two little ones and one big one. They didn't fight as much, but the whole feeling of the group was still sort of negative....not joyful like my last school.
I finally found some healthy new rainbows and added them to the school yesterday. The five new additions are a little smaller than the two small praecox I already have, but they immediately sought out the group and began shoaling with them. When I woke up this morning, it was a beautiful sight....the seven little ones swimming and playing together just like my old school used to do.
However, the big one won't join in. He sits on the side of the tank and looks utterly miserable. I want to tell him to join in....the little ones do not pick on him at all, and they even seem to swim close to him on purpose sometimes....but he isolates himself.
I feel so bad for the guy. It is not his fault he grew to be a giant. What is wrong with my fish? Is he praecox at all?
I don't have a working camera right now to post a picture. I am wondering, though, if you have heard of dwarf neon rainbows growing to a larger size than normal. Or is there another type of rainbowfish that is very similar in appearance?
I wish I could get this guy some social skills lessons.
Flash forward to the new tank. I bought a school of new rainbows (same type) from the wrong LFS. A disease went through the school and killed all but four of them. Of the four survivors, one grew much larger than the others, to the point that I have wondered if he is not really a praecox at all. However, I can't imagine that he is anything else. He was identical to the others when we bought him, and he still is the right color and shape....just BIGGER.
The big fish picked on the little fish. In turn, the little fish started to squabble, too. The energy in the whole group seemed negative. In time, one more of the little ones died, and we were left with two little ones and one big one. They didn't fight as much, but the whole feeling of the group was still sort of negative....not joyful like my last school.
I finally found some healthy new rainbows and added them to the school yesterday. The five new additions are a little smaller than the two small praecox I already have, but they immediately sought out the group and began shoaling with them. When I woke up this morning, it was a beautiful sight....the seven little ones swimming and playing together just like my old school used to do.
However, the big one won't join in. He sits on the side of the tank and looks utterly miserable. I want to tell him to join in....the little ones do not pick on him at all, and they even seem to swim close to him on purpose sometimes....but he isolates himself.
I feel so bad for the guy. It is not his fault he grew to be a giant. What is wrong with my fish? Is he praecox at all?
I don't have a working camera right now to post a picture. I am wondering, though, if you have heard of dwarf neon rainbows growing to a larger size than normal. Or is there another type of rainbowfish that is very similar in appearance?
I wish I could get this guy some social skills lessons.
