rainbows & neons

[thewonderer]

hey all,
have just bought a red rainbow, a boesemani rainbow and two lake tebera rainbows. i really want to get some neons aswell but have read some threads saying that rainbows will eat anything that fits in their mouths.

As the rainbows are all around 4cm and not big enough to eat a neon yet, do you think that if i get some neons now and they can grow with the rainbows they will escape being eaten??

If not....can anyone recommend any other smallish schooling tetras that are just as stunning as neons??

Cheers, TC

[SMCK001]

cardinals are very simialar to neons but they grow bigger and cost more. i think the neons will eventually get eaten when the rainbows get bigger.

[wombat1100]

I was also going to suggest cardinals, depending on the species of rainbows you get, they would be fine with blue eyes or other small rainbows, but I would think the larger rainbows would still eat the cardinals so do your research before purchasing them.
you can get neon rainbows, not as stunning as neon tetras but still nice

[Dan]

Rainbowfishes are quite peaceful and usually not fish predators so I don't think they will eat neons or cardinals unless they are small. If in doubt, I suggest you buy slightly bigger tetras like lemons etc. They may not be as impressive but in the right conditions and in a school they are exquisite(from my experience).

[wombat1100]

[QUOTE=Dan;9285]Rainbowfishes are quite peaceful and usually not fish predators so I don't think they will eat neons or cardinals unless they are small.

In my experience with rainbows, and in fact all fish i have kept, if it fits in their mouth they WILL eventually eat it, also in every species there are bullies and they can also hassle the smaller fish to death.
I have had Salmon red rainbows that have constantly harassed the other tank inhabitants till they have died, bosmani that have done the same, these are of course the larger end of rainbows i admit.