# Rainbow Cichlids



## lauren_101 (Mar 21, 2012)

Do they need to be kept in groups?
I saw somewhere that they do best in groups.

And I asked the guy at a fish shop I go to if they do, and he started telling me about a different kind of Rainbow fish (praecox rainbow, boesemani rainbow). He hadn't ever heard of the CA Rainbow cichlid, which he thought was weird seeing as he works in a fish shop and they carry most types of cichlids at least once. So I couldn't get any help from him.

And the internet hasn't proven much, because none of the sites I've seen so far have mentioned it except for the one....

Anybody else have Rainbow Cichlids or know the answer? 
I'm trying to figure out if I need to get mine a friend or two. 
He's seems alright so far, but hasn't been as colorful as I think he should be...possible signs of stress from being alone? He brightens up when he's eating. He isn't being "bullied" exactly. He is the biggest cichlid in the tank, but the others don't pick on him. Sometimes they chase him from the food, but allow him to come back and eat. No nipped fins though.


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## vince0 (Sep 7, 2008)

I have five of these right now. I keep them in a 35 gallon tank. They were fine with each other until they spawned. I now have two females guarding eggs about 6 inches from each other, with a sorry looking male. Poor guy should have thought about what he was doing instead of getting involved in a three way. The other two should probaly be pulled form the tank. The two "pregnant" females are spending their time flaring at each other.

pics!










if you look on the bottom right, you can faintly see the second set of eggs on the dark log.



















FTS










Hope this helps?


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## lauren_101 (Mar 21, 2012)

Well, I guess that helps a little.

But do you *need* to keep them in groups?

And since you can tell the gender of yours, is it difficult to tell the gender of them? At what age is it more apparent(if at all)?


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## lauren_101 (Mar 21, 2012)

Here are some pictures of the one I have......he seems a lot darker than yours (but he has brightened up since he's been in the tank for awhile now, these were from the day I put him in the tank)




























*His nipped fins were from the tankmates at the shop I got him from, his fins have healed now.*

Or is he not a Rainbow cichlid....? o_o He's about two inches I'd say. Maybe 2 1/2.

He still isn't nearly as bright as yours. Maybe he is stressing from being alone.
I'd like to say he was brighter when I got him from the fish store, but I don't remember really. The glass had some algae on it.


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## GOSKN5 (Feb 23, 2011)

any updated shots?

I think it is a rainbow, just a small stressed out one from the shop... any pics since he has settled into your tank?

they do not require groups, but like a lot of fish they might show better colors when others are in the tank...

what size tank and what are the tankmates? If you have room get another one or two and let them pair off...


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## lauren_101 (Mar 21, 2012)

I'll see if I can get some other pictures of him later. He has brightened up though, especially his top half(it's more orange than yellow though). But that could be normal...from looking at some pictures online of them.

110 gallon - 3 gouramis, 1 EBJD, 1 green severum, 1 small salvini. And some Giant Danios I got and decided I didn't like...so I'm trying to get rid of them. Might have to get a gourami out, there's another one the bigger two are picking on again. started with 4, they stressed one already to death I'm pretty sure.

Everybody in the tank is young still. Lots of caves, and holey rock. Plants for eating, moss, and algae covers rocks.

Thinking about getting another. But I'd prefer to have a some of the same gender (if males don't mind other males...and females are okay with other females...) I don't really want to try breeding anybody yet. If there was any fights because of a breeding pair in the tank I currently have nowhere else to put the bullied.

So on that note, 
Is it easy to sex juvenile rainbow cichlids? Would better pictures help?


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