IDing rainbowfish (species and gender)
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I want your unbiased opinions, so I won’t say what other people on other forums think.
Check them out:
“Aurora”:
http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc43/AC101Atlantis/?action=view¤t=oldfish1.jpg
“Indy”:
http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc43/AC101Atlantis/?action=view¤t=newfish1.jpg
If you got the slightest suspicion, post them them here please.
– Atlantis
Atlantis,
I’m no rainbow expert, but the second one “Indy” looks a lot like what I’ve been calling my “female dwarf (praecox) rainbow.” Can’t see the first one “Aurora” clearly, but even what I can see looks ‘different’ (whatever that means) from Indy, and also not like what I call my red-finned “male dwarf (praecox) rainbow.” I’ll put px of my two up tonight and see what the vote says about them.About a year or so ago, the yellowish-finned (female?) dwarfs at our local lfs’s here started showing up with different appearances: the bright “lemon” yellow fins of the fish before gave way to a paler, washed-out fin, and the yellow in the newer fish seemed to have more of an orange character. The site you point to in another post here mentions that most or all are captive bred — shift through generations?
Atlantis I have a topic with most of all my fish, including the male and female praecox, check it out and see if yours match. Also rainbows are easy to breed with similar species so yours could be a hybrid.
Alright, enough sources have confirmed Miss Indy as a dwarf praecox. Great
Aurora’s still a mystery though. Definately do not think he is another of the same as well though. Looks way to different.
Hope he’s not a hybrid. Makes it more difficult to figure out.
Pretty sure Aurora’s male however, considering from where I’m sitting they seem to be doing a love dance of sorts.
It’s actually quite impressive and beautiful…
But fish! First the zebras, then the neons, and now you two! What kinda place do you think I’m running here? :roll:
– Atlantis
Atlantis,
keep an eye on the *shape* of Aurora as the fish grows over time. As males age, they develop a distinct hump on their back — see crazedpuffer’s male. If Aurora is near adult size for whatever species he is, I’d vote female based on shape.So here’s what I’ve been calling praecox in my tank:
(First time linking photobucket px — let’s see if it works…).
To my knowledge (unfortunately limited to local lfs labeling!), the red-finned larger one is male, and the smaller yellow-finned one is female.
Keep in mind a flash was used, so the steel blue opaque color of the sides is greatly enhanced relative to more ‘natural’ lighting, which makes their bodies look somewhat more translucent, and white to silver. I normally only see the blue when they flash sideways just right under the overhead fluorescent tube light.What do the more knowledgeable rainbow folk among us think for ID?
Keep in mind a flash was used, so the steel blue opaque color of the sides is greatly enhanced relative to more ‘natural’ lighting, which makes their bodies look somewhat more translucent, and white to silver. I normally only see the blue when they flash sideways just right under the overhead fluorescent tube light
Yeah, from the looking up I’ve been doing that’s def. a male and female praecox L777
I didn’t get such a good photo of mine, but on a Rainbowfish forum they said my confirmed praecox was bad quality…but she’s definately still young, and in my eyes, gorgeous.
They can’t figure out what the other is still. Or what a mix of… But there’s one kinda like it in a planted aquarium at my work, so when one of the super fish-geeks is around I’ll ask.
– Atlantis
I currently have several hundred praecox and none show the combination of body profile and caudal fin colour that yours does. There are however several slightly different populations of praecox so perhaps your fish is from one I’m not familiar with. Certainly take the opinion of the specialist rainbowfish keepers over mine.
My experience of rainbowfish is limited to the common species so I’m afraid I have no idea what your other fish is.I currently have several hundred praecox…
WOW! I’m impressed. They must take up a whole lotta tank space eh.
Did ya breed and raise those?
– Atlantis
@atlantis_child wrote:
They must take up a whole lotta tank space eh. Did ya breed and raise those?
They are a very prolific species. I have two 4ft tanks full of young praecox although some will be gone soon.
There are some here (with young platys & galaxys)
The adult male
How long does it take for the fry to grow to be able to sell anyway? And how till maturity?
Don’t have room for rainbowfish breeding at all. Just curious.
Yeah, my “male” doesn’t have that hump on the top that most rainbows have. There are some without, but I haven’t found one that looks like mine. The stripe isn’t particulary common either.
– Atlantis
It’s interesting that you all are interested in this fish too. I wonder if people who like Celestial Pearl Danios also happen to like the Dwarf Neon Rainbow Fish (Melanotaenia praecox). I happen to be a big fan myself and have 6 of them (3M, 3F) in my main 20G tank as the dominant school.
There’s something about their silvery blue scales, red/yellow fins, and their swiftness and grace. Remind me of dolphins.
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