[frogger17]

I bought a couple of fish from Petsmart. The label on the tank was Madagascar Rainbow, but I don't think they are.

Here are the pix. Could they be females? Note that one of them has speckled fins, especially the tail.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[ichthyogeek]

They certainly look like madagascar rainbowfish, at least by bodyshape. When did you purchase them/why do you think they're not madagascar rainbowfish?

If it's the color: give them time to acclimate to the tank and mature. If you bought them 6 months ago, and have been feeding them a food designed to help them color up (like with carotenoids or astaxanthin), then maybe...

It also seems like you only bought two. The chance that you bought two female fish is around 25%, which is fairly low. If you were aiming to get a male, getting 6 fish would have been better. Additionally, if I remember correctly, rainbowfish like to school, so having at least 6 would be a better idea than just having two.

 

[mjwgh2]

The two fish pictured are not Madagascar rainbows (Bedotia). Here's a link to the commercial Madagascar rainbow:
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/bedotia-madagascarensis/

Your photos are likely a mix of more than one subspecies of Melanotaenia splendida. The spotted fin individual almost certainly is or is a hybrid with Melanotaenia splendida inornata. Give them time to grow up - you may be very surprised at how attractive they are as adults (at 3"-5" long).

 

[frogger17]

They certainly look like madagascar rainbowfish, at least by bodyshape. When did you purchase them/why do you think they're not madagascar rainbowfish?

If it's the color: give them time to acclimate to the tank and mature. If you bought them 6 months ago, and have been feeding them a food designed to help them color up (like with carotenoids or astaxanthin), then maybe...

It also seems like you only bought two. The chance that you bought two female fish is around 25%, which is fairly low. If you were aiming to get a male, getting 6 fish would have been better. Additionally, if I remember correctly, rainbowfish like to school, so having at least 6 would be a better idea than just having two.

I’ve only had these a few days, so no idea how old they are. You could be right that they may still mature and change coloration/body characteristics. My initial attempt at researching Madagascar rainbows returned results that were different enough that I thought asking the community would be helpful.

I have 6 Praecox on order which should arrive early next week. Best case scenario these will school with them. Worst case, I’ll have to set up another tank separately for these guys.

Thank you for you reply.

The two fish pictured are not Madagascar rainbows (Bedotia). Here's a link to the commercial Madagascar rainbow:
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/bedotia-madagascarensis/

Your photos are likely a mix of more than one subspecies of Melanotaenia splendida. The spotted fin individual almost certainly is or is a hybrid with Melanotaenia splendida inornata. Give them time to grow up - you may be very surprised at how attractive they are as adults (at 3"-5" long).

I was only in Petsmart to purchase some Prime, but when I saw these labeled as Madagascar, I was intrigued enough to buy them. They didn’t look like any of the others Madagascars I had seen before, so I gave it a chance.

Can’t wait to see if they do change as time passes!

Thanks for your reply.

 

[frogger17]

I’ve since been able to determine that they’re Australian Rainbows. Saw them in another PetSmart correctly labeled and Googling confirmed it.

It’s also confirmed they are male and female, because yesterday they spawned! First time seeing a female actually ejecting the eggs, which were quickly gobbled up by both parents and the other tank inhabitants.

The tank they’re in is a small 10 gallon with little plant cover, so breeding them was not the intention. But this certainly does present possibilities if I want a school of them.