At 09:43 AM 4/18/97 -0400, you wrote:
>I recently purchased several M. praecox to eventually put in my 75 gallon
>community tank. I bought several extra in case I lost any during their
>acclamation to my conditions. I lost about half of the fish I bought while
>they acclimated in my five gallon quarantine tank (replaced most of them with
>store credit). When they got to about 3/4 inch in length I put the five
>remaining fish in my 75 gallon tank(two females and three males). Within two
>or three days I lost the weakest female and over the course of the next three
>months I've lost the remaining males. Now all I have left is the female.
> Are M. praecox a particularly sensitive rainbow species? The pH in my tank
>runs between 5-6 the alkalinity is low, <20 ppm, nitrates/ites 10-20 ppm,
>ammonia/um 0-0.5 ppm water temp 78-82 F. I have a well planted aquarium,
>stocked with Congo, lemon, and cardinal tetras, Angels, Siamese algae eaters,
>otocinclus, bettas, kuhli loaches and a pearl gourami. I noticed one of the
>M. praecox swimming spastically shortly before its death another stopped
>eating but the rest have gone without any overt symptoms. I'd like to add a
>few rainbows to my tank but I'm a little hesitant based on my experience.
> Any suggestions?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Chazz
>
>