Rainbows Eating Wisteria?

dwag88

dwag88

AC Members
Jun 15, 2007
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Chattanooga, TN
I have a 7 gallon hex tank that I grow wisteria in. The stuff grows so quickly (even under a 15 watt $5.00 walmart light bulb) that I constantly trim. I took a large portion of it today and put it into my 45 (its a little over 2 wpg, but its deep so I'd say its on the low end of moderate lighting). I had only just gotten it rooted when my voracious pigs (aka rainbows) attacked it and started ingesting the thinner leaves at the top of the plant. Rainbows and planted tanks are supposed to mix right? The tank I bought the wisteria out of at the LFS had rainbows in it, and they never bothered it. Anybody else ever have problems with vegetarian rainbows?
BTW, there are two boesmani, two yellow, and two red rainbows in this tank. The only fish that didn't seems to want to eat my wisteria were the reds.
 
Strange...wisteria's a variety of hygro (difformis, I think), right? I keep all the rainbows in my sig with an amazon sword, sunset hygro, another hygro that looks like a plam tree, l. sessilflora, and some other small low light plants, I haven't ever seen them touch any of them, although sometimes they'll nibble on veggies I throw in for the plecos & snails. Maybe you could try veggies to help curb their craving for your plants.
 
That seems a small tank for those fish unless they are fry most bows require a 55g minimum.

If the bows don't have greens in their diet they will eat your plants. Generally speaking they will eat duckweed and riccia first. Without any greens they are forced to make due and will eat your plants.
 
mr.key said:
That seems a small tank for those fish unless they are fry most bows require a 55g minimum.

If the bows don't have greens in their diet they will eat your plants. Generally speaking they will eat duckweed and riccia first. Without any greens they are forced to make due and will eat your plants.
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In my current living space I am limited to a three foot tank. My stand will accomodate a 65 gallon now, but if I wait till next spring, I will be moving and can get a 4 foot tank. When this happens, they will be moved to a 75. These guys are still pretty small right now, between 2-3 inches.

I put in a pinch of bloodworms and the nibbling of the wisteria has stopped for now. I have some fresh cucumbers in the fridge, I guess I'll start putting a small piece in once in a while for them to nibble on.
 
6 rainbows in a 7 gallon? :omg:

maybe they were trying to hitch a ride on the plant thinking it will take them to bigger and better things :lol2:
 
SquirrelOsO said:
6 rainbows in a 7 gallon? :omg:

maybe they were trying to hitch a ride on the plant thinking it will take them to bigger and better things :lol2:
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You misread. I moved the plant from the 7 gallon to the 45 gallon where the rainbows are. I would never put fish that big in a 7 gallon tank thats nuts!
 
dwag88 said:
You misread. I moved the plant from the 7 gallon to the 45 gallon where the rainbows are. I would never put fish that big in a 7 gallon tank thats nuts!
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i thought that didnt sound right lol
 
well I checked back again tonight before the lights went off, and the male yellow rainbow was still nipping away at it. He's already had some flake food and bloodworms today. I'm gonna try cucumber tomorrow and see if they take to that.
 
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