rainbow info

[halkentjr]

hi everybody. still planning a 55 gal for rainbows. do they likely prefer a dark or light substrate?

 

[mchambers]

Rainbow cichlids or the non-cichlid rainbows? If the former, I don't think they care at all. Mine are quite happy on light colored PFS, although they like to put their eggs on dark rocks, for reasons that escape me, but seem important to them.

 

[halkentjr]

yes cichlids thanks. I'm glad you mentioned rock. I assumed they were substrate spawners. do they make use of caves?

 

[mchambers]

Mine lay their eggs on rocks, flower pots, and leaves of amazon swords. They will move the fry after the eggs hatch, into the sand or even hang them in the roots of floating plants.

Matt

 

[chriscoli]

Mine always laid their eggs on a rock or on a cichlid stone (cave) then moved them inside the cave once they hatched.

During the day, though, I'd see them occasionally bed them down into a pit in the sand.

 

[mchambers]

Interesting. Maybe I'll move a cichlid stone into my rainbow tank one of these days.

 

[hollyfish2000]

Mine never needed a cave. They were just fine with every possible surface in the tank!!