Buying Rainbowfish?

[qwedfg]

Looking for a good place to order Pseudomugil or Threadfin rainbowfish. I've been doing a bit of reading about rainbowfish and it seems that even within species there is a lot of variety based on what river system they come from and how they have been bred once in captivity.

Also wondering how much damage these guys will put on my cherry shrimp? I've done a bit of research and it seems they seem to leave shrimp alone but probably will munch babies if they find them like all fish?

 

[Art]

@GreggZ

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Looking for a good place to order Pseudomugil or Threadfin rainbowfish. I've been doing a bit of reading about rainbowfish and it seems that even within species there is a lot of variety based on what river system they come from and how they have been bred once in captivity.

Also wondering how much damage these guys will put on my cherry shrimp? I've done a bit of research and it seems they seem to leave shrimp alone but probably will munch babies if they find them like all fish?

All rainbows are pretty good hunters, pretty much whatever they can fit in their mouths. If you have a decent sized colony I think they’d fair well for the most part.

There are some good breeders on Aquabid but I’m sure Greggz will have some better insight on who to potentially contact.

 

[Count Krunk]

I also want to know where Greggz recommends where to source ‘bows

 

[GreggZ]

The good thing is that when you are looking for Pseudomugil or Threadfin rainbowfish they almost certainly will be good stock. There are only a handful of people who are breeding them in the US, and the bloodlines are good. That is unlike some of the more readily available overbred LFS species that can sometimes be suspect.

Both species stay quite small, and most likely would be good with a solid shrimp population. Of course there is only one way to find out. With my tank of larger Bows they would be nothing but a quick snack.

As others have said most of the best breeders post availability on Aquabid. But keep in mind there are also some "shady" ones who buy from a wholesaler then resell them. So it's good to know who are dealing with. If anyone has questions post here or reach out via PM and I will give you my thoughts.

One issue on Aquabid is that they are usually selling a minimum of 8 at one time. And it's hit and miss depending on who has what available. Roseline17 (Marcel) is one of the top breeders and he usually has some interesting selections including some pretty cool Rhad's which are also small and colorful. If you want a mix of different ones you can reach out and work out a deal.

Many well known good breeders also sell through Dansfish and Getgills. They don't carry junk fish and can be trusted as a good source.

Then you have some more commercial places like Imperial Tropicals and the Wetspot. Over the past decade both have been working with breeders to bring good blood lines into the hobby.

So in the scheme of things right now it's easier than ever to find well bred Bows with good lineage. Keep in mind shipping adds up, so it's best to stick to one source if you can.

I hope that helps and reach out with any questions.

 

[qwedfg]

The good thing is that when you are looking for Pseudomugil or Threadfin rainbowfish they almost certainly will be good stock. There are only a handful of people who are breeding them in the US, and the bloodlines are good. That is unlike some of the more readily available overbred LFS species that can sometimes be suspect.

Both species stay quite small, and most likely would be good with a solid shrimp population. Of course there is only one way to find out. With my tank of larger Bows they would be nothing but a quick snack.

As others have said most of the best breeders post availability on Aquabid. But keep in mind there are also some "shady" ones who buy from a wholesaler then resell them. So it's good to know who are dealing with. If anyone has questions post here or reach out via PM and I will give you my thoughts.

One issue on Aquabid is that they are usually selling a minimum of 8 at one time. And it's hit and miss depending on who has what available. Roseline17 (Marcel) is one of the top breeders and he usually has some interesting selections including some pretty cool Rhad's which are also small and colorful. If you want a mix of different ones you can reach out and work out a deal.

Many well known good breeders also sell through Dansfish and Getgills. They don't carry junk fish and can be trusted as a good source.

Then you have some more commercial places like Imperial Tropicals and the Wetspot. Over the past decade both have been working with breeders to bring good blood lines into the hobby.

So in the scheme of things right now it's easier than ever to find well bred Bows with good lineage. Keep in mind shipping adds up, so it's best to stick to one source if you can.

I hope that helps and reach out with any questions.

Thanks for your feedback. I recently took all my shrimp out of my tank and cleaned the substrate and I had more than 100 in my 16 gallon waterbox. I am nervous to introduce fish with the shrimp as I had bad experience with questionable fish and coral in a past life. Nothing worse than seeing a fish eat all your coral (shrimp) while you try to catch them in vain! I will look up the names you provided and see what they are offering. The LFS near my house sometimes has threadfins but I don't want a mass bred fish from a fish farm.

 

[GreggZ]

The LFS near my house sometimes has threadfins but I don't want a mass bred fish from a fish farm.

Don't be afraid to ask the LFS where they get them. Sometimes it is from a local breeder.

And even large wholesale places like Segrest Farms are paying much more attention to keeping good lineage these days.

Just saying with Threadfins I wouldn't say LFS is out of the question. Try to find out what you can about them. If they have a good source most times they can order them specifically for you.