The Melanotaenia praecox is an active, beautiful and hardy fish. The Praecox Rainbow, otherwise known as the Dwarf Neon Rainbow, is a peaceful schooling fish. Such as Boesemani rainbowfish, Melanotaenia praecox also known for their characteristic large eyes, black or silver band that runs through the middle scale rows, deeply forked mouths, and two dorsal fins. Males are smaller and narrower and have more of the silvery bluish tinge in their bodies and more orange in their fins. The females are larger and have more yellow in their fins.

Keeping Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish in a big school at least groups of five to seven is the best way but this also means larger tanks are more suitable for this fish - 100 liters and above. An aquascape aquarium with plenty of free swimming places available will provide a good environment for Melanotaenia praecox. A dark colored gravel substrate may intensify the Praecox Rainbow's colors. This is an active, beautiful and hardy fish. Regularly do a 20% water change without even adding anti-chlorine and they seem to cope very well with it.

The Praecox Rainbow is a freshwater fish for planted aquarium and an egg layer that spawns over a moss substrate. At a temperature of around 75°F, the fry will hatch after six or seven days. Adults should be removed from the fry after hatching. Fry should be fed small pieces of live foods such as brine shrimp.

Although Praecox Rainbows have large mouths, their throats tend to be narrow. With this in mind, foods should not be too large. The Praecox Rainbow should be fed an omnivorous diet of prepared flakes, frozen, and live foods.

They seem happy in my very hard water and at pH 8.0, and they enjoy flake, bloodworms, and brine shrimp. I recommend praecox rainbows to anyone with a smaller sized peaceful community tank, because they are gorgeous, hardy, not as large as other rainbowfish species, and they don't have any special requirements. A good freshwater tropical fish for beginners!

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The Boesemani Rainbowfish also called the " Melanotaenia boesemani " fish is a nice little creature belongs to the family Melanotaeniidae (Rainbowfishes) and creates a colorful centerpiece for any freshwater home aquariums. Firstly described by Allen and Gross in 1980, Boesemani Rainbowfish is a peaceful and very active schooling fish, so its something to be remembered when planning your tank population.

Boesemani Rainbow males have a beautiful bluish purple head that fades into a gorgeous orange and yellow posterior. Though females are not as colorful, their brilliant silver coloration is equally as stunning against any backdrop of plants or rockwork. Regardless of sex, however, Melanotaenia boesemani boasts the same distinct characteristics as other Freshwater Rainbowfish, including large eyes, a deeply forked mouth, and dual dorsal fins. Like many members of the Melanotaeniidae family, the Boesemani Rainbow also boasts the characteristic blackish-silver band of scales running laterally from gill to tail.

This peaceful Rainbow is an active shoaling fish that does best in a planted aquarium with plenty of room to swim. The uses of dark gravel subtrate may aid in intensifying the colors of the Boesemani Rainbowfishes. When maintaining a school of Boesemani Rainbow, an aquarium that is at least 4 feet in length should be used. The only complaint reported is about their habit of nipping the Hygrophila polysperma. Occasionally, their displays to each other can be a bit violent and involve nipping each other's fins.

Melanotaenia boesemani is a great fish that mingles well with other Rainbowfish species. Males display the best colors while spawning. They can tear fins and damage scales during the courting so it's best to have 2 males per female so not all the attention is heaped on the female (Males will chase each other as well as the poor female). They will rarely stress each other enough to cause any serious harm but care should be taken to check for Fungus and Childonella which can attack the spawning fish. Make sure you give them a suitable spawning mop or aquarium plants (Java ferns work well).

Melanotaenia boesemani may also spawns on moss throughout the course of several days. The fry hatch after six or seven days and require small pieces of live food and you should have a fry raising tank ready after the egg are attached. Good water conditions, good tank current and the use of spotlights (Which also highlight some amazing colors) to simulate Dawn/Dusk will encourage spawning.

Although Boesemani Rainbows have large mouths, their throats tend to be narrow. Offer foods that are not too large. The Boesemani Rainbow is an omnivore and should be fed a mixed diet of prepared flakes, frozen, and live foods. They are truly a sight to behold. Their colors are truly magnificent, maybe because of the regular feeding with live and frozen food, as well as flake food. These rainbows are almost fully grown, and if you see them swimming together it is stunning. When they are young in the petshop the colors have not yet developed to the fullest. If you do get them, be patient since they are slow growers, but the wait is worthwhile, there is nothing more beautiful than a group of fully matured boseman rainbow fish.

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One of the most popular Rainbowfish species, the Red Irian or Red Rainbow has brightly colored males and silvery females. A male fish, without a female present, may become duller in color. The freshwater tropical fish species - Glossolepis incisus was scientifically described by Weber in 1908. Around Lake Sentani in West Papua and several other lakes on the island of Irian Jaya, Red Rainbowfish is an appreciated food fish. Glossolepis incisus also known by their characteristic large eyes, black or silver band that runs through the middle scale rows, deeply forked mouth, and two dorsal fins.

Red Irian rainbow is a fish with characteristics of the conciliator and is ideal for aquarium aquascaping because the contrast of colors in an aquarium. Some aquarist usually put some aquarium fishes (to form a group). Ideally this schooling fish should be housed in a live planted aquarium, but not too densely planted that there is insufficient free-swimming space as these are active fish. The ideal aquarium is the presence of water movement in the form of stream water is relatively calm. The Red Iran Rainbow also requires a gravel substrate and you may find that their colors intensify with a dark colored gravel.

Provide your Red Rainbowfish with a good aquarium filtration system and a varied diet in the aquarium. Getting the Red Rainbowfish to eat in captivity is certainly not hard. Although Red Irian Rainbows have large mouths, their throats tend to be narrow; small foods should be fed. An omnivorous diet of prepared foods and plenty of live foods are best for the Red Iran Rainbowfish.


Breeding Red Rainbowfish

Rainbow red fish is a type of Rainbowfishes that is easy to be cultivated. Distinguishing between male and female of the red rainbow that is very easy to see color scales / her body. The Red Irian Rainbowfish can exceed 14 cm in length. The adult males are more colourful than the adult females and sport a vibrant shade of bright red over the body.

In aquariums, the Salmon-Red Rainbowfish is normally bred in groups or trios (1 male + 2 females). If you want to coax your Red Rainbowfishes into spawning, keep them in a well planted aquarium and include densely grown java moss or spawning mops in the set up. An egg layer, Glossolepis incisus spawns throughout a number of days over java moss.

Feed Red Rainbowfish more live food than normal. A female Red Irian Rainbowfish can release up to 50 eggs per day, but most females releases a much lower number of eggs. Never allow the container to become crowded; set up new containers as the fry grows bigger. The adults Glossolepis incisus should be removed after spawning and the eggs should be raised and hatched separately. The fry should be fed very small live foods.

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Rainbowfishes are another tropical fish species suited for freshwater aquarium plants. An additional plus with Rainbowfish is that they leave plants alone – they will not eat them nor uproot them. They did not grew popular among aquarists until fairly recently, which is actually a bit strange considering their beauty and sturdiness.

It's a family of small, colorful, freshwater fish that are indigenous to Africa, Australia, Madagascar, New Guinea, and other South Asian Islands. Rainbowfish can vary in size (1" to 6") and belong to the family Melanotaenia, the blue-eyed rainbows to the family Pseudomuglidae, the Rice fish to the family Orziatidae and the Silversides to the family Atherinidae. They inhabit streams, creeks, lakes, and brackish waters. Rainbow fish are normally very active swimmers, and are often very hardy and fit well in many community tanks.

Depending on the species, pH requirements can vary from 6.5 to 8.0 and temperatures should be maintained between 25 to 28° C. Good filtration and regular partial water changes are important. With a few exceptions all these fish like medium hard to hard water and the pH on the Alkaline side of neutral. Good water quality is a must and as the quality decreases the coloration on the fish tend to fade and get washed out.

Rainbowfishes is also an excellent choice for aquarists who like their fish to spawn in the aquarium. They have very similar breeding habits, their food requirements are similar, and adapt to a wide range of water chemistry. All are of good-natured temperament and will live harmoniously, more or less, with one another.

Similiar to Tetras or Rasboras, Rainbowfish is a schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably not less than 10-15. This is not only beneficial for the fish, it is also much more beautiful to look at a large school of shimmering Rainbow fish than one or a few shy individuals that spend most of their time hiding.

Keeping several males together will also make them develop more vibrant colors, since they need to compete with each other for female attention. Juveniles often show little of their stunning adult colors. The natural habitat of Rainbowfish is filled with aquatic plants and they will therefore appreciate a planted aquarium with some open space available for these active and energetic fishes to swim around in. A good plant to use is the Java moss as it is native to the region and can also serve as a spawning medium.

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