Rainbow Bonanza

[LizStreithorst]

I've done something I haven't done in a long time. I bought more fish thanks to an early Birthday gift that came with instructions for me to buy something that gives me joy. I treated myself to 2 different types of Rainbowfish.

The first group was smaller than described. They were supposed to be 1" but it's taken them over a month to reach the size of the second group, which were described as being between 1" to 1 1/2". I had actually set up a separate tank for the new ones because I expected them to be much smaller but when they arrived this morning, I saw that they were the same size as the others, so I put them together in the same 60 gallon wide. The first group are yellow and the second are blue and yellow with touches of orange. I'm posting pics in the auctions rather than pics of the babies since the little'uns are barely starting to color up.

I already have a planted tank with mostly red and orange Rainbows. It's a pretty tank, but it needed more variety. But with 18 more fish, I'll be putting another 100 gallon back into service as the new ones mature. This is what happens when I am feeling well. Here are the auctions I won.

https://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&fwrainbows1762049518

https://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&fwrainbows1764989404

[LizStreithorst]

Oops, I made a mistake. Here the ones I like best. The ones that came today.

https://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&fwrainbows1764989404

[jwcarlson]

I'm glad you're feeling well enough to expand operations, Liz
Those are good looking fish, I've only ever kept some furcata rainbows... so a dwarf variety. The big ones certainly are striking. I wish you great success with them!

[LizStreithorst]

Thank you Jacob. I won't be doing any breeding, they're just here to entertain me. The colors are beautiful and the fish themselves are always active which is one thing Discus are not.

[Second Hand Pat]

Oh man Liz, good to hear you are feeling chipper enough for some new fish. I'm pretty sure they will make you happy. Love the color
Pat

[brewmaster15]

Congrats Liz on the new fish! Looks like they will be gems. I have never kept Rainbows before but always liked the look.
Al

[AquaticNerd]

So awesome to see you getting excited for new fish! Can't wait to hear about how these get on.

[danotaylor]

Nice Liz. Can’t wait for them to grow up and give the joy their adult coloration will provide!
I have a friend here in Cinci that breeds Boesemani rainbows from Lake Aytinjo. It’s a collection point variation to most of the Boesemani in the hobby. More orange than yellow on the body. Striking fish! Here’s a pic of his tank

[LizStreithorst]

Wow Danny. Some of them are almost half red. they're stunners.

[Charlyc11]

Got to love those rainbows mine get very active. They go nuts when I feed them freeze dried adult brine shrimp and it swirls all over the tank .

[LizStreithorst]

The 60 wide these fish are in is not overcrowded but the fish are growing fast and need a longer tank. The tank they're in now is just 3 feet long and I want to move them to a 100 gallon which is 3 feet longer. Rainbow's are active fish and love swimming back and forth. I'm looking forward to the result, but not the process which will be a beast of a job for me. My strength is gone and I can no longer walk without a walker.

I ordered a bag of gravel from Lowes yesterday. Delivery only cost a couple of bucks. Way worth not having to drive there, get in a handicapped buggy, asking for someone to put it in the car for me, then getting home and not being able to get it inside. Gravel weighs a ton!

Today's job will be to get it out of the bag by collandersful, putting it on the walker, getting each collanders down to the fish room where I switch the walker for a wheeled hydraulic stool and rinsing it in the fishroom's utility sink. I have 2 step stools, one with 3 steps, the other with 2. I'll put both in front of the tank which is on the top rack, put the collander on the top step of the 3 step stool, hoist myself up the the top step of the other stool and hopefully have the muscles to dump it in.

I will be exhausted once that's done. Tomorrow I'll plant an Amazon sword and glue anubius, bolbitis, and java fern to driftwood and add them. Once the water clears the following day, I'll move the fish. What was once a 1 day project is now a 3 day (I hope) project. Ain't much good to say about old age.

[LizStreithorst]

Round 1 is done and wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. I cheated, though. Took an extra pain pill before I started.

[LizStreithorst]

All done! Driftwood, plants and fish all moved. Man, those little Rainbows are a b**** to catch. I'm plum tuckered. Hope I don't have to pay too much for my hard work tomorrow.

[jwcarlson]

Just thinking of catching a bunch of rainbows is making my blood pressure go up, Liz.

Glad you're making some progress!

[Second Hand Pat]

Liz, after you catch your breath and photo is needed. (yes, I am a demanding soul) lol
Pat