Posted 24 November 2010 - 03:13 PM
Hi Sticklematt,
I like to give a reply , as I do have rainbowshiners, N. chrosomus as well, bought last year 10 of them in Amsterdam, I did put them in a 200 liter tank, but now, since this spring I have 40 of them.
I learned from other people rainbow are very adaptive to temperatures, some people keep them all year round warm, which is ok, others like me keep them in winter cooler, even in summer I try to keep them on 18 Celsius, which is ofcourse trying and because of the hot weather not always possible, Also when you keep them cooler they live longer, they keep their coulers better esp.in summer, and they more easy spawn in spring with a natural rise of temperatures, in my tank they started spawning at 18 Celsius, in heart of winter they had 2 Celsius.In the hottest day of our summer their tank was 26 Celsius. I give them every week 20 liters fresh water, sometime from tap, sometimes rainwater.
I consider your tank is big enough to keep 10 of them.
I got mine also with gravel, roots, and rounded rocks and some plants like Ceratophyllum demersum, Fontinella antipyretica, which is a local plant from the Netherlands from creecks and small streams, also growing very well. What I like to advise is to restrict yourself to just some plant species for your tank, most aquatic nat habitats have also just a few species, but that species grows than in abundance, is also very nice to look at and not so "busy".
Overhere it is sometimes difficult to have the right plants from RB.shiner biotope, but I learned there are n't much plants at all, in rainbowshinercreecks.... . But ofcourse it is nice to try to make your fishes as much " at home " as you can, ofcourse. I know for sure the fishes will not bother if the plant is from their original biotope or not. In my opinion important is to have well growing plants in your tanks, otherwise algae will grow and iritate you al lot. I am using Gro-lux and warm white 83. I have just a little bit flow in my tank, just enough to make them happy.
vieuwing spawning rainbowshiners is spectacular, something, to invite your - tank- friends, and watch the firework.......... .
Mazurel