Orange Celebes Rainbow?

[Feisty]

I picked up a Orange / Black Celebes Rainbow. (They had him in a freshwater tank, although I hear these can be Brackish.)

They only had one and he might be full grown - he's a good 2-1/2"-ish. He was so unusual looking and his mouth / face is deformed (looks like his jaw is fused with his mouth open), he's super cute and Feisty. He hangs with my Giant Danios frequently and is involved in many chases, being the instigator more often than not, but they are playing. There is no nipping at all.

I wanted to find him some "friends", but in my searches at my LFS's, I only see they come in Yellow.... I am not finding really any info on the internet that tells me there are different color varieties of this fish. Has anyone see this before?

Its not just a dark yellow either, he is orange, like really orange (Harley Davidson Orange and black).

Just thought I'd throw it out there....

 

[SCGeordie]

Could it be Orange and Purple (Orange front half, Purple rear half) with a Black\dark horizontal line running from mouth to tail?
The pics I've seen of Celebese Rainbows seem to be more Yellow and Blue with long 'thready' fins. Reason I ask is yours sounds more like a Boesemani Rainbow, I have one (was two but 'lost' one and waiting for LFS to get more) and after a couple of days in the tank he started chasing my Zebra Danio instead of being chased. Boesemani's apparently are slightly more aggressive (males at least) than other rainbows.

 

[Feisty]

Could it be Orange and Purple (Orange front half, Purple rear half) with a Black\dark horizontal line running from mouth to tail?
The pics I've seen of Celebese Rainbows seem to be more Yellow and Blue with long 'thready' fins. Reason I ask is yours sounds more like a Boesemani Rainbow, I have one (was two but 'lost' one and waiting for LFS to get more) and after a couple of days in the tank he started chasing my Zebra Danio instead of being chased. Boesemani's apparently are slightly more aggressive (males at least) than other rainbows.

Thanks for the reply, I am thinking it is VERY odd myself, so I appreciate your input.

I am positive its the Celebes Rainbow. Thin, weird fin-age with the metallic-ish blue thin line in the back half running to the tail - Looks exactly the same body type, fins etc as the ones I google only difference being that where the fins on those are yellow - this one's orange....

Crazy....

 

[SCGeordie]

Well, definitely not a Boesemani then, you should try breeding it/him/her could be a money maker if the colours are passed on down the line.

 

[Feisty]

Well, definitely not a Boesemani then, you should try breeding it/him/her could be a money maker if the colours are passed on down the line.

I never thought of that. I guess I should do some research on them to see how they breed.

Thanks for the idea!

Best Regards ;-)

 

[Feisty]

Hey SCGeordie - My LFS had the regular looking "Celebes Rainbow's" for 2 for $ 3.00! I bought ALL the ones they had in the tank (12). Threw them in with my guy. So we will see how it goes. They were pretty tiny but that was a great deal! Here they go for $ 8.00 each at other fish stores at the same size as this, so I was shocked to see them for this price. I think they didn't know what they had?

Still didn't do my research, but I will. Once I can sex them, I am going to take all the males back for a credit so if there is breeding then it will be with the orange male I have. The new ones are pretty small so I am sure it will be a while.

Thanks again for the idea

 

[SCGeordie]

Thats a good deal, I managed to pick up another 2 Boesemani's at Petsmart on Sunday ($11.99 ea so not such a good deal) so that makes 3 in my community tank. They seem to be doing well so far!
I've got a 45g breeder sitting empty that I want to setup heavily planted and with only rainbowfish - maybe 3 different species 5 or 6 of each and some of my male Endlers livebearers.
I did read that the male celebes rainbowfish has better colouration and more elaborate finnage than the female so your first one could be a male.