>Since I seemed to have started all this recently I would like to make
>some responses to comments.
>
>First of all when talking about fish diet it seems that lumping all
>fish into the same dietary needs is unrealistic. What may be good food
>for a plant loving fish like a molly and a fish that roots around in
>the gravel like a botia are probably widely different. So when mention
>is made of what "fish" need in their diet and studies of their needs,
>I think taking into account which fish the studies have been on may
>have some impact on the way keepers of different fish should interpret
>the results.
>
>On rainbow diets, Adrian mentioned:
>
>>>I have been told that a "so far" unpublished research report will
>show that
>rainbowfishes consume greater quanities of terrestrial insects than
>any
>other food item.<<
>snip,snip,
Rainbowfishes are in the first place opportunistic feeders and I believe
that most of the problems encountered with the rainbowfish group is
primarily related to diet. Even an old report on diet of rainbowfishes many
years ago showed that their diet consisted of 40% terrestrial insects, 37%
small aquatic crustaceans, 18% aquatic insects and 5% algae, pollen, seeds
and miscellaneous organic matter.
Another thing is in many locations where you find rainbows there isn't a lot
of small aquatic life for them anyway and on occasions I have often wondered
what they may eat.
I think its a pity that we have never surveyed the aquatic life when out
collecting fish. Perhaps its not too late and next time anyone goes
collecting - take a plankton or fine mesh net with you to see what is
there??? Also most collecting, particularly northern areas of Australia, are
only done during cooler months when the water & humidity levels are low. We
just don't know what the conditions are like during the monsoon season.
I had the pleasure of visiting Wim Heemskerk and his Father in Holland last
year and I must admit that I have never seen more healthy, colourful
rainbows and blue-eyes anywhere I've been. (that'll cost you Wim ;-) They
generally do water changes twice a week and their diet consists mainly of
live food collected locally. This live food seems to contain a host of
freshwater beasties.
Although they do regular water changes their water conditions are very
similiar to urban water supplies found around the populated cities of the
world and certainly not "natural". Apart from their obvious fishkeeping
skills I have come to the conclusion that this only confirms the opinion
I've had for many years regarding diet.
The reality however is that not everyone has the luxury of collecting live
foods so we have to use substitutes and/or formulate an artificial diet and
this is where the problems start. On the other hand - trying to provide a
self sustaining population of edible morsels in an aquarium is I think
impossible as the fish will soon devour the source ;-)
Adrian.
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Adrian R. Tappin
Home of the Rainbowfish
http://www.ecn.net.au/~atappin/home.htm
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