I am not sure whether that report was an average over the 4 seasons of the
year but blooms of insect hatches (both terrestrial and aquatic) vary
throughout the year and supply the Rainbowfish with a very variable diet
that would preclude any micronutrient deficiency problems.
<<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.>>
Especially in the Wallum country streams where there are very few aquatic
plants and limited amounts of small shrimp and aquatic insect larvae
evident, yet the fish always seem well nourished and in superb colour.
<<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 agree Adrian, the only problem is getting someone to -
1. do it
2.record the info
3. preserve the specimens and keep track of them if they can't ID it
themselves
4.pass on the info
It is hard enough to get people to just write up their basic findings of
fish - then when you ask for simple water parameters, substrate comments,
vegetation ( both aquatic & riparian)
etc etc they complain that if they did all that they wouldn't have time to
catch any fish ;-)
Perhaps with some justification ;-)
<Snip
<<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 ;-)>>
There is also the problem of undesirables being introduced with the
live-food especially if collected as opposed to cultured. I guess we all
should get an Invert book for our local area and use some discrimination if
we are going to bring home "beasties" from the wild and tip them into our
tanks. Although they are fascinating in their own right and perhaps more
interesting even than some of our fish.
Bruce Hansen