Madagascar Rainbow fish care

Monstrous

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 25, 2013
148
2
33
Singapore
Recently I have bought 6 of these guys. 4 days into their new home and I find them not feeding as aggressively as I have hoped. Some of these fish does not seem interested with the food, be it live or prepared. Would there be a reason for this? They are kept along 2 dwarf butterfly cichlid and water condition is good
 

Progar

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 8, 2014
17
0
1
Hoover, AL
At a quick glance, good water condition for the cichlid's may not be ideal conditions temperature and pH wise for the rainbow fish. The Madagascar Rainbow prefers water temperatures ranging from 68-75 degrees F whiles the ram cichlid prefers temperatures above 77 for breeding, but 72-79 degrees is an acceptable range.

Without knowing all the parameters and temperatures in your tank, I would say try lowering the temperature gradually a couple of degrees keeping within both fish's acceptable ranges. Additionally the cichlid thrives and prefers a more neutral pH (5.0 - 7.0) while the Madagascar rainbow likes something more basic (7.6 - 8.5). Get a good reading of where you're water is at pH wise and try to find a happy medium that will make both fish as happy as possible.

And lastly, the Madagascar rainbow's are omnivores, so offer them a variety of foods over the week consisting of a meaty and green diet.

Hope this helps and good luck!
 

Ryan_R

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 27, 2008
86
1
8
Athens, OH USA
I have 12 at 82 degrees in a 125g. I feed freeze dried bloodworms and cichlid flakes. They love the freeze dried bloodworms. They're surface feeders in nature.

-Ryan
 

Monstrous

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 25, 2013
148
2
33
Singapore
Yeah, got all 6 feeding well after adding in some freeze dried bloodworms. The butterfly cichlid mentioned earlier were not ram cichlids.they are thomasi cichlid
 
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