# Aggressive Rainbowfish?



## InsaneoMan (Jun 21, 2008)

about a week ago i bought a pair of Boesmani Rainbows for my 20g tank on the recommendation of my LFS owner (who i would trust completely, hes been in the hobby almost 40 years). the past couple of days i noticed that one was getting kind of bullied by the other, and now it has a chunk of its tail fin missing, which could only be from the other rainbow. any suggestions on what i can do to help lessen the aggression?

their tankmates include:
6 Black Phantom Tetras
2 (soon to be more) Kuhli Loaches


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## KarlS (Feb 19, 2008)

I always go by my _"Fish Bible" _for on the spot advice of tank size and it reads that I good size tank for these guys is 75G. Now I realize this may sound way too generous of a size for just two of these them but maybe that's your problem. I had a similar problem (aggression) with my two Angels; the bigger one was picking on the little one. What I did was buy a few more and it really seemed to spread out the aggression from the dominant Angel and all is well now. Maybe you need a few more being that it's a schooling fish & the 75G my book talks about is compensating for the number of fish recommended.


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## InsaneoMan (Jun 21, 2008)

ok thanks. ill talk to him about it when i go in to get some more loaches i guess, unless anyone else has some input.


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

Hmm...well, even if he's experienced, I'm not sure what he was doing telling you it's ok to have bosemanii rainbows in a 20g tank. They get to be pretty big and are fast swimmers so they should really be in at least a four foot tank. They should also be in a larger school of six or more fish.


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## KarlS (Feb 19, 2008)

iamntbatman said:


> Hmm...well, even if he's experienced, I'm not sure what he was doing telling you it's ok to have bosemanii rainbows in a 20g tank. They get to be pretty big and are fast swimmers so they should really be in at least a four foot tank. They should also be in a larger school of six or more fish.


 
This is something that I forgot to mention, they get to be about 5.5 - 6" might be cramped for them... Maybe some Dwarf Gouramis might be an idea, they are equally as nice in color but grow to about 1/2 the size. A pair of them should do fine in your tank to the best of my knowledge. I was going to suggest Ram Cichlid's but I dont; know if the water parameters will go well with your other fish..


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## InsaneoMan (Jun 21, 2008)

well, they might not be boesmani rainbows after all. i just looked them up on live aquaria and those look nothing like my fish lol. ill try to get some pics up so hopefully i can confirm/disporve they are boesmani and then go from there.


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## InsaneoMan (Jun 21, 2008)

heres the fish


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## cerianthus (Jul 13, 2008)

Definitely not Boesmani looking at pic. As far as nipped fin, maybe simple pecking order. Rainbow fish are beautifuk fish, especially if you have 50/50 bulb on single strip or combination of day and actinic for double strip. Can even add other types fast moving top swimmer to break them up. I would be very curious to find out what it is. Who knows, you may even have very rare ones. They maybe male Juve which will have brilliant colors as they mature.


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## InsaneoMan (Jun 21, 2008)

well, it wouldnt be the frist time he got a fish name wrong :sarcastic: i would really appreciate it if anyone could tell me what it is, i cant find anything on it.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

How big are they? They might be young Boesemani and not colored up yet. You can try posting your question on the forum at bowheads.org which is a rainbowfish forum. Lot's of knowledgeable people there that might be able to help.


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## InsaneoMan (Jun 21, 2008)

id say they are about 3 - 3 1/2 inches


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## cerianthus (Jul 13, 2008)

Colors on the fin and body shape is not a Boesmani, IMO. will post when I have something.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Yup, not Boesemani looking like that at that size.


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