I originally wrote this article a couple of years ago for another publication. The beauty of this hobby is that you never stop learning. I thought I would update it based on my current ideas and share it with the members of ANGFA. I am sure you will find some useful information contained within it so we have decided to publish it in our bulletin.Originally I wrote this article based on 4 years of observation and now it is fastly approaching seven. Hopefully I can clear up some of the questions I am frequently asked by my "experience research" The comments contained within are purely my own and if they differ from yours then I encourage you to write an article as well. ( I sure seem to be preaching that an awful lot lately HINT HINT)
Water Conditions
This is a subject than can be argued over for quite some time and you could probably build Rome in the same amount of time. I will touch a few of the ideas and beliefs I have in this section.
Water quality is of the upmost importance for healthy rainbows. Water changes of at least 15% a week are a must. I am amazed how few hobbyists do this when it is one of the 10 commandments in the art of fishkeeping. Personally I do 50%. Think about It.. the water is their "air". Just like humans will perish in contaminated conditions, so will the fish.
Water hardness is a life or death mater as well. Too hard of water causes premature death due to the extreme stress it can cause. Some fish affected by too hard of water are M. praecox, M. duboulayi, M. trifasciata, P. gertrudae, R. ornatus M. splendida. I. Werneri and R. ornatus are probably the most sensitive that come to mind. I am using anything over 450 PPM for my basis for comparison. Of course any rainbow would be best kept well under this hardness.
Some rainbows which seem to have a tolerance to harder water include most New Guinea species: M. parkinsoni, C. campsi, C. bleheri, M. boesmani M. lacustris G. incicus, M. herbertaxelrodi, M. irianjaya, G. ramuensis, C. fasciata and M. missooliensis to name a few and as far as the Australian species: M. tatei, M. sp. Inornata, M. fluviatilis and M. australis seem to be the most tolerable of harder water even though they are found in very soft conditions.
Rapid pH changes over a short of time should be avoided when possible. Dramatic changes can cause death within a matter of hours. All rainbows should be acclimated slowly to different pH ranges. A pH of 8.7 and 5.8 should not be exceeded with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5 being ideal in the majority of cases.
The addition of salt in the water is something I don’t normally do unless I am dealing with species like P. cyanodorsalis or P. signifer. These are fish that often live in waters with a fair amount of salinity. I presently only use the addition of salt in the water of fish not needing it as a non drug cure for fungus.
I am a big supporter of the addition of tannic acid in the water. I have some tanks where the entire bottom of the tank is layered with peat plates and gravel. I also add peat to the sumps of my wet-dry filters. A lot of the waterways where rainbowfish are found have high levels of tannins in the water and we as hobbyists should try to recreate the natural environment whenever possible. Tannins will also do wonders for the fish’s color. I use tetra blackwater extract in my fry tanks for the added vitamins. I have seen a noticeable improvement in growth of the fry where the extract is present.
Calcium is also an important component in water chemistry as it provides the "building blocks" for good bone development. In soft water and closed environments, what calcium is present is depleted rapidly thus resulting in improper growth. Typically the signs of this condition are revealed when the fry are large enough to see the fins. Fish that have had insufficient amounts of calcium will have improperly developed fins. I did in the first article suggest the use of shell grit but I no longer support this practice. The best product I have found to supplement calcium and minerals are the reef blocks used by marine aquarists. The rate of which the blocks dissolve does not affect the pH and hardness to the point where it harms the fish.
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