# Boesemani Rainbowfish for Geophagus & Discus Tank Mates?



## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

I wonder if 10 Boesemani rainbowfish are suitable tank mates for a trio of Geo winemilleri, a breeding pair of discus and 15 Corydoras adolfoi in tank 145 x 50 x 50 cm / 58" x 20" x 20" (95 G)?

I give up on tetras... 30 rummy noses mysteriously disappeared in a week... Then only 16 of 30 red phantoms left after a month...

I also wonder if the Boesemani will become the main attraction in this tank because their brilliant blue yellow color and activities, instead of the Geo and discus?


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I don't think Boesmanis like soft acidic water, which is what discus and geos generally prefer.


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

mambee said:


> I don't think Boesmanis like soft acidic water, which is what discus and geos generally prefer.


My pH is 7.2 - 7.4. TDS 220ish. And all of my tanks use the same water


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

Then go for it, but remember that rainbows are fairly large. Why not start with 5?


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

mambee said:


> Then go for it, but remember that rainbows are fairly large. Why not start with 5?


True, boesemani being large makes me wonder if they'll become the main fish of the tank instead of geos and discus?

They'll occupy the empty top level, won't they?


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## Granamyr (Dec 16, 2015)

I think Rainbow fish would be too active for discus and stress them out much like Silver dollars do if they are in the same tank as discus. Yes the Rainbows should be in the upper half of the tank most of the time but I don't think it will be a good match up for your discuss in the end. I am not saying it can't work just I think you're setting yourself up for stressing out your discus.


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

Granamyr said:


> I think Rainbow fish would be too active for discus and stress them out much like Silver dollars do if they are in the same tank as discus. Yes the Rainbows should be in the upper half of the tank most of the time but I don't think it will be a good match up for your discuss in the end. I am not saying it can't work just I think you're setting yourself up for stressing out your discus.


That's another disadvantage for getting boesemani.

I wonder what's the ideal colorful fish, big enough not to be eaten by geophagus, not too active to disturb discus and occupying the upper half of the tank?
Or if there's any such fish?


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

First, I would think the _Geophagus_ to be too active/aggressive for Discus, but obviously they are not. I do not think the activity of the _boesemani_ would scare the Discus; quite the opposite. An active dither at the surface is a sign to the fish below that it is safe to be in the open. So long as the Rainbows are not large enough to be a direct threat to the Cichlids, I don't think their activity would bother them at all.

I suggest that you might also consider the smaller _praecox[i/] Rainbows, which are blue with red fins. I think they would compliment the Discus and Geos nicely, and are still big enough to not get eaten._


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## Granamyr (Dec 16, 2015)

Mr Chromedome said:


> First, I would think the _Geophagus_ to be too active/aggressive for Discus, but obviously they are not. I do not think the activity of the _boesemani_ would scare the Discus; quite the opposite. An active dither at the surface is a sign to the fish below that it is safe to be in the open. So long as the Rainbows are not large enough to be a direct threat to the Cichlids, I don't think their activity would bother them at all.
> 
> I suggest that you might also consider the smaller _praecox[i/] Rainbows, which are blue with red fins. I think they would compliment the Discus and Geos nicely, and are still big enough to not get eaten._


_

I don't think the issue would be too much activity in general that would cause the problem. Like with Silver dollars when I had the two together the issue was at feeding time and how aggressive the silver dollars were for going after food. Rainbows are similarly aggressive in that manner while the Geos that I have had and currently do are not nearly as hyper when they are eating.

I agree an active dither is a good thing in general but aggressive feeders are what I thought would be the issue. I had to take the silver dollars out because the discus I had at the time would go towards food and then silver dollars would just blast either into them or get it before them. I don't think I've seen a geo eat quite that aggressively even my Brasiliensis was pretty mellow during feeding time and I believe those are the most agro of the geos._


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

If I sum up, the concern is whether the discus gets to have enough food, with rainbows as their tank mates?

Being with geos that are also fast eaters, I spread the FBW all over the tanks so the discus can also eat leisurely. And I drop pellets at 3 different feeding rings.

I also give them plenty of live ghost shrimps weekly, that hide at drift woods and plants, and serve as additional snacks for geos and discus.


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

Silver Dollars would have been feeding at the same level as the Geos, where the Rainbowfish are going to be feeding primarily at the surface, and most of the food that drops more than a couple of inches below that will likely be ignored and left for the fish below. I still say go for it.


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

Mr Chromedome said:


> Silver Dollars would have been feeding at the same level as the Geos, where the Rainbowfish are going to be feeding primarily at the surface, and most of the food that drops more than a couple of inches below that will likely be ignored and left for the fish below. I still say go for it.


Glad to hear it  :thumb:

The next step is then locating the mature rainbows at decent price  What number of boesemani works well in tank this size?


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

Given the size of the tank, I don't think I'd do more than 6-8 boesemani, and don't forget that the females aren't as colorful as the males. I still think M. preacox would look better, the females aren't that different from the males, and they stay smaller, so you coule probably do 10-12 easily. In the US, they are also more available than the boesemani.


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## Granamyr (Dec 16, 2015)

Mr Chromedome said:


> Silver Dollars would have been feeding at the same level as the Geos, where the Rainbowfish are going to be feeding primarily at the surface, and most of the food that drops more than a couple of inches below that will likely be ignored and left for the fish below. I still say go for it.


Really? The silver dollars I have had in the past have always come to the surface to get anything there and do it very aggressively. Often making large splashes onto the hood. Other than eating though they were great just too much aggression towards the food at feeding time. That's irrelevant to this question but it's why I compared them to the rainbows. I agree that any food that does drop past the rainbows I would expect to be ignored by them.

I also agree that the Praecox would be a better choice, hopefully those are available in Indonisia


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

M. preacox is available here. I usually see them more often in LFS.

Colorwise I much prefer boesemani with their bright blue and yellow in their whole body. While M. preacox only has red color on their fins.


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

I wonder if Boesemani still shoal actively if they are all males?


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