The rainbow of rainbow cichlids

[C. Breeze]

I’ve got a bunch of vats/ ponds. That rainbow spawn I showed was outside. I love keeping fish outside. Combination of really really high quality diet, seasonal change of weather and light, and plenty of UV. I’m at 32 degrees north and 1/4 mile from the ICW, so coastal. I’ve got some gymnos out year round.

Sorry. I’m done with the hijack, I’m sure another gymno thread will happen sometime.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Very interesting, I was thinking of getting a fourth 50 gallon tub to possibly put a pair of cichlids out to for the summer for breeding. I believe that should have some interesting results. Perhaps the rainbows I'm getting from Max are one of my top candidates for such, maybe I can see if I can get them to turn orange.

 

[C. Breeze]

Pretty sure his are already outside. But don’t let that stop you!

 

[Rass]

Rainbows are the one fish I've kept that change color the most depending on mood. I've seen them slowly brighten up right before my eyes when they get excited. These are two of mine that I got from TUIC, in breeding colors. These same fish are orange to brown at other times. They are constantly changing color, but are generally about the color of a glass of orange juice most of the time.

 

[jake37]

I have a weird (naive?) question but why do these require hard water since they are SA fishes. Er I mean from my reading they require kh 12-20 or african hardness but they come from sa. I take they aren't amazon fishes - are they pond fishes that only have hard water ?

 

[ryansmith83]

I have a weird (naive?) question but why do these require hard water since they are SA fishes. Er I mean from my reading they require kh 12-20 or african hardness but they come from sa. I take they aren't amazon fishes - are they pond fishes that only have hard water ?

They are not South American fish. They are from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras in Central America.

They are adaptable fish and mine did fine in Florida tap water, pH 7.8, gH 7, kH 5.

 

[jake37]

Ok. Central america but what causes them to require hard water.... I thought most fishes from south of usa require soft water. These obviously don't but is there something specific about the water system where they are found that makes it hard water ?

They are not South American fish. They are from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras in Central America.

 

[C. Breeze]

it’s tough to remember that Central American isn’t South America. It’s North America- as far as contents go- and it’s a relatively narrow ismuth basically the whole way south f Mexico to Colombia or Venezia or Bolivia- whatever is the furthest north point where North America meets South America. Anyway- it’s narrow and it’s got ocean on each side so Central America, at least a good portion of it is highly calceous, like florida a good bit of which is built of reef. Or like other limestone rich parts of North America.
Don’t let me talk too much about geography and soil composition, as I am but a layman. I am a layman walking on dead oysters though....

 

[ryansmith83]

Ok. Central america but what causes them to require hard water.... I thought most fishes from south of usa require soft water. These obviously don't but is there something specific about the water system where they are found that makes it hard water ?

Due to a lot of the geography of Central America being made up of limestone, which contains calcium, the water is harder and more alkaline. Some of the CA cichlids also inhabit coastal areas where they may be found in brackish water.

 

[jake37]

I guess putting with angels would not be the best idea. I was thinking kh 3 gh 6 or around there. Guess i'll stick with my original idea of adding eba.