Zebrasoma yellow is very popular among both experienced aquarists and beginners. Belongs to the species of surgeons (Acanthuridae). It can grow under normal conditions up to two centimeters in diameter and up to 20 cm in length. It leads an active lifestyle, is very hardy, and also attractive. It has a uniform bright yellow or lemon color. Most often it can be seen at the bottom of the aquarium, where it looks for food on stones or in the ground. In the dark, the color darkens, and then, on the side, a brown spot with a white stripe becomes noticeable. However, in daylight the color quickly recovers. It happens that you come across some individuals with an almost white color or the same color as a koi carp. The dorsal and anal fins are rounded, giving this specimen an elongated oval shape. Males and females do not differ in body structure, except that males are slightly larger. The fry also have no differences from adults except for size
Catfish platidoras
This striped catfish is very beautiful. Wide alternating white and black stripes run along its entire body. The color is especially visible in young fish; with age, the stripes become less contrasting. In nature, platidoras reach twenty centimeters in length, and in an aquarium - no more than sixteen.
The body of this striped aquarium fish is arrow-shaped, cylindrical, and has a flat belly. Males are smaller than females, especially when viewed from above. Body color can be either black, dark brown, or with well-defined horizontal white stripes. The lower part of the head, as well as the anterior portion of the pectoral fins, are painted white. The older the fish, the less clear the pattern of its scales.
The head of these catfish is quite large and the eyes are large. The mouth is wide, with two pairs of antennae. To maintain platidoras, the following water parameters are required: temperature - from +23.9 to +30 °C, pH - up to 7.5. The minimum volume of an aquarium for catfish should be 120 liters. Platydoras is unpretentious in terms of keeping conditions - every month it is enough to change a third of the volume of water.
Botia clown
Macracantha (the second name for striped aquarium fish) is one of the most beautiful in the loach family. She is loved for her bright color. This type of bot is very popular among experienced aquarists and beginners, as it always looks very impressive.
A special feature of the botia is the spikes located under the eyes. They can move out in case of danger. The body of this striped aquarium fish is laterally compressed and slightly elongated. The mouth is framed by four pairs of antennae. The graceful clown bot has a bright yellow-orange body with three wide black stripes. One passes through the eyes, the second - at the dorsal fin, the third covers part of the dorsal fin and passes further behind it.
True, such a bright color is typical for young fish; as they grow older, the stripes turn pale, but this does not make the botany lose its attractiveness. This is a fairly hardy striped aquarium fish. However, experts do not recommend starting it for beginners, since it is quite large, active and needs stable water parameters. In addition, its scales are too small, which makes it very sensitive to diseases and drug treatment.
Clown fighting requires a spacious aquarium with a large number of plants and many different hiding places. Loaches are nocturnal fish, which are practically invisible during the day, but this does not apply to the clown loach. She is active throughout the day, although somewhat shy. He loves to be in the company of representatives of his own species, although he gets along well with other peaceful neighbors.
Fishes of the Red Sea - photos with names and descriptions
The underwater world of the Red Sea is full of amazingly bright and unusual fish, of various sizes, shapes and colors. Anyone who observes the underwater inhabitants of a coral reef for the first time in the Red Sea seems to be in a huge natural aquarium. The first impression is a shock from the purity and transparency of the water, the huge number of colorful and nimble fish scurrying around and the variety of shapes, colors and sizes of corals.
In the Red Sea you can meet dolphins, green turtles, dugongs, stingrays and sharks. Moray eels reach 3 meters in length and have a rather intimidating appearance, but unless teased they are not dangerous. On the slopes of coral reefs or in the rocky shallow waters of the hotel beach, you will see the funny Picasso rhinecanth, and the clownfish or heylin will lie on its side on the bottom when it meets you.
The Napoleon fish, which has a characteristic protrusion on its head reminiscent of the headdress of the Emperor of France, will allow you to touch itself and have a little photo shoot. Swimming around you will be a huge number of fabulous pseudantias, parrot fish, distinguished by their rather large sizes and shades of all colors of the rainbow, bright angel fish and butterfly fish, majestic lionfish and, of course, other dangerous and not so dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea .
The photographs presented on the site were taken by the author on the coral reefs of Hurghada (Shaab Abu Ramada and El Fanous), El Gouna (Shaab Abu Shaar), in Makadi Bay on a coral reef stretching along the Stella Beach and Royal Azur hotels and Club Azur. In Soma Bay on the Tobia Arba Reef, as well as in the El Gouna Aquarium. Some photos were provided by friends in the Red Sea fishes group of the Panoramio website. You can see the diversity of the underwater world of the Red Sea and download desktop wallpaper on the page Underwater landscapes - aquascape, and in the News section you will learn about the latest events in the tourism industry of Egypt.
Anthias
Anthiases make up a significant part of the bright and colorful fish inhabiting coral reefs, which can be seen in numerous photographs and in popular science films about the underwater world. These are mostly small and very popular fish in marine aquariums. Since they are protogenic hermaphrodites, i.e. all fish are born female, this species forms complex social structures based on the quantitative dominance of females over males, their position on the reef itself and the amount of zooplankton on which they mainly feed.
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Barabulidae
According to some sources, in Ancient Rome this fish was highly valued for its soft meat; before preparing the mullet, it was brought in a transparent vessel and shown to visitors to the establishment so that guests could see how the original silver-gray color of the fish turns into carmine.
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Butterfly fish
Butterfly fish reach sizes from 7 to 30 centimeters and have a tall body that is very laterally compressed. The most typical combination of black and yellow colors for butterfly fish, there is also a combination of black and silver, as well as bright red, orange and blue spots on a yellow background.
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Dolphins
From birth, each dolphin receives its own name, to which it responds when its relatives address it. Dolphin names are a characteristic whistle; when getting acquainted, they introduce themselves, understand calls as words, and not just as signals from their relatives. They can determine who is who without any connection with recognizing the voice of the interlocutor. While conducting experiments with bottlenose dolphins (bottlenose dolphins), scientists broadcast impersonal synthesized messages to them. Most of the dolphins turned when they heard that they were called.
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Unicorns
The first dorsal fin is usually represented by one powerful spine located above the eye or even slightly in front of it. This tenon can be secured in the raised position by a latch formed by a small second tenon.
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Groupers
In the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the giant grouper Epinephelus lanceolatus, also called the rock perch, is found - this is the largest fish from the order of perciformes from the subfamily Serranidae, its length reaches 3.6 m, and its weight reaches 400 kg.
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Wrasses
The colors of wrasse are very diverse and bright. Fish can combine a wide variety of colors in their colors. In many species, the color scheme changes throughout life; juveniles differ sharply from adults. The color of females and males is also different. Often, females are less bright and can have a completely different color than males, which is why for a long time scientists classified fish of the same species as different.
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Pufferfish
Before mating, the male pufferfish, using the pelvic and anal fins, draws a circle on the sand with radial patterns inside of amazing accuracy and mystical beauty. Then the pair lays eggs in the center of the circle, after which the male remains to guard the clutch for about a week until the fry emerge.
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Mullet
The Mullet family includes more than 10 genera and 100 species. These are torpedo-shaped, beautiful fish that differ very little in appearance and are usually silver in color. All mullets are good swimmers. They are very mobile and have the ability to jump out of the water when frightened. Some species make quite large migratory movements, but most are sedentary fish.
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Kudreperovye
Typically, these fish lie motionless on the bottom among stones or between coral branches, held in place by the powerful rays of their pectoral fins, and wait for prey. They are all predators and feed on crustaceans and fish; They often stay in places with strong currents or breakwaters.
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Body
There are no scales on the bodies of the bodies; the bare skin is covered with mucus, which contains the poison ostraciotoxin. In a state of excitement, stress or danger, poison is released in large quantities into the water. In the open sea, this does not pose a great danger to surrounding fish, but when these fish are kept in aquariums, in a limited volume of water, this feature can lead to the death of both the fish itself and other fish kept with it.
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Letrinaceae
Letrins are typical inhabitants of the coastal zone. Their favorite areas are coral reefs, rocks, piles of stones and thickets of underwater vegetation. They prefer rocky, sandy and shell soils, avoiding silted and desalinated areas.
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Snapper
Snapper live in the coastal tropical and subtropical seas of the Atlantic Ocean and the Indo-Pacific region, some species are found in brackish and even highly desalinated areas. At least one species has been successfully introduced into freshwater lakes in Australia.
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sea turtles
Sea turtles belong to the class of reptiles of the turtle family. This family includes six species of sea and ocean turtles, five of which are found in the Red Sea. For tens of millions of years, since the Mesozoic era, the structure of sea turtles has remained virtually unchanged. Sea turtles differ from representatives of their land relatives by the presence of flipper limbs covered with horny plates, of which the front ones are much longer than the back ones, and the presence of a flat, streamlined dorsal-abdominal shell.
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pipefish
This family includes fish with a very elongated body in the form of a thick needle (pipefish) or with a completely unique body shape, reminiscent of a chess piece of a horse, with a head tilted towards the body and a curled, prehensile tail (seahorses).
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Sea crucian carp
Representatives of this species have a rather tall, elongated and laterally compressed body. Many sea crucian carp are commercial species and are caught in local and ocean fisheries. Young immature individuals are often very different from adults in body shape and coloration, sometimes they are much brighter in color than their parents.
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Blenny
A distinctive feature of these fish are high-set eyes, often with supraorbital antennae, as well as thread-like or massive branched growths on the head, more noticeable in males. The meat of the blenny is edible, but not very tasty and is practically not consumed as food. These fish have one interesting feature - if you are lucky enough to catch it while sea fishing, be prepared that when you remove it from the hook or simply pick it up, it will “bite” by clenching its jaws, but not painfully. It does not pose a danger to humans.
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Moharraceae
They feed on plant foods, nibbling algae from rocks or dead corals, so they live at shallow depths. They stay in groups and often visit places with strong waves, where they pick up fragments of plants torn off by waves. This species has edible and even quite tasty meat, but is not valued as a food fish due to its small size.
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Moray eels
Moray eels received their vicious reputation not entirely deservedly. Despite their creepy appearance, they do not attack first unless divers show increased attention to them by provoking, irritating or trying to hand-feed these predators.
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Threadfins
This is a relatively small fish, reaching a length of 30 cm. The color is pink with a purple tint. The back is dark crimson, the belly is white, slightly yellowish. On the sides, against a general pink background, there are longitudinal rows of alternating yellow and bluish dots, often merging into stripes.
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Parrotfish
Parrot fish are distinguished by a wide variety of colors, shades, head structure and sizes. Among the variety of inhabitants of coral reefs, they stand out due to their large size and their bright colors; sometimes you don’t even have to dive to see them.
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Plataxes
Identification and classification of plataxes has long been difficult due to the significant age and individual variability of these fish. If you look at photographs of different types of Platax on the website Fishbase.org, then this alone is perplexing, because... one gets the impression that all of this is either the same fish, or there is such chaos in its classification that it is simply impossible to discern whether it belongs to any species. For some time, the Platax fish included a large number of species, but in the process of long-term observation and study of these fish, researchers came to the conclusion that all species names refer to one single species. Plataxes show great variability with age. Juvenile fish are yellow or orange with three distinct black stripes and have very long dorsal and anal fins, giving the fish a sickle-shaped appearance. As they grow older, the fins shorten, the black stripes blur, and the body acquires a uniform dark or silver color.
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Flatheads
It is considered a valuable commercial fish. In Japan it is usually delivered live to Tokyo markets. Its meat, which is especially tasty in spring and summer, is eaten raw, boiled in sauce or fried. The maximum size of this species is 120 cm and weight 15 kg.
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Pomacentral
Most Pomacentres live within the boundaries of a certain territory and selflessly protect it. In protected areas, algae are always more lush than where surgeons and other algae eaters “operate”. Often in the sea you can see how a school of three spotted dascyllus or domino fish (Dascyllus trimaculatus) drives away predators.
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Fish angels
Characteristic of this family is a powerful, backward-pointing spine, which is located on the underside of the gill slits and differs in color from the rest of the body. This spine is the most reliable distinguishing feature from bristletooth fish (butterfly fish), whose appearance is very similar, but in which it is completely absent.
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Urchin fish
Their short body can swell, like pufferfish. The teeth on the jaws are fused into beak-shaped plates without a transverse seam, so there is one tooth each on the upper and lower jaws (diodon in Latin means “two-toothed”). The scales on the body are transformed into spines, sometimes quite long, which in a calm state are pressed to the body, and when the fish swells, they rise vertically.
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Soldier fish
Soldier fish are usually active at night, and during the day they hide in caves, crevices of coral reefs and under shallow corals at the very bottom. But during the day they can often be seen, carefully swimming along the reef wall. They peer out from their shelter with curiosity, often lining up in several vertical rows.
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Grumpy fish
Grunt fish belong to the family of Grunts or Grunts - Haemulidae, about 20 genera and more than 130 species of grunt fish are known, including various diagrams, grunts, pristipoms and ronks. This species is called "grunter fish" or "grunter fish" because of its ability to make loud grunting sounds, possibly having a signal value. Sound is produced by the resonating action of the swim bladder when the surrounding muscles contract.
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Ciganovae
All spines in the unpaired fins of ciganidae have deep grooves along the edge - glands that secrete a toxic substance are located there. Therefore, ciganids should be handled with great care, since as a result of pricking their fin spines, very unpleasant and long-lasting wounds are formed.
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Stingrays
From below, the stingray's head looks like a funny smiley face; there are gill slits here (usually there are five on each side), the smiling mouth is really a mouth, and the eyes of the smiley face are olfactory openings.
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Scorpionidae
The coloring of scorpionfish is quite bright and is a warning, like, for example, poisonous lionfish. At the same time, the wart (scorpionfish) or stone fish have a color that camouflages them with their environment and they are practically invisible on the sand or among coral thickets.
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Triggerhorns
The first dorsal fin, which when at rest is folded and invisible in many species, contains three large spines, of which the first is the longest. The second spike serves as a lock. When in danger, the fish straightens its fin, then the second spine moves slightly upward, which is why the first two spines are fixed and it is impossible to fold the dorsal fin without breaking the spines.
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Surgical
The colors of surgeons are very bright and varied. The body can be bright blue, lemon yellow or pinkish red. Those with brown coloring usually have a rather contrasting, interesting pattern. Juvenile surgeonfish are completely different from their parents; they are not only differently colored, but also lack a characteristic feature - tail spines.
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Lizardheads
Lizard-headed fish are widespread in tropical and warm seas of all oceans, but, apparently, they are not particularly numerous anywhere. Some of them live at quite great depths - up to 300-350 m or more. Most species, however, live off the coast, in areas with muddy or sandy soil, near rocks and reefs.
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Sumatran barb
These striped aquarium fish are very popular among aquarists. Barbs are very nimble, schooling underwater inhabitants that are interesting to watch. They get along well with peaceful and medium-sized neighbors, but at the same time they can nip weaker and smaller fish.
The Sumatran barb is one of the most spectacular and popular species of the barb genus. These fish should be kept in schools, which makes barbs even more spectacular. In an aquarium they grow up to five centimeters. This look gets along well:
- with gourami;
- barbs;
- catfish;
- thorns;
- tetri.
It is recommended to keep barbs in aquariums with a volume of 50 liters or more. They live at home for about four years.
Diseases of Zebrasoma yellow.
This species is susceptible to protozoan infections such as Oodinium or Cryptokaryon. Very susceptible to black spot disease (flatworms). This is extremely unpleasant, but completely treatable. To do this, you can carry out so-called fresh baths, as well as adding preparations containing copper to the water. The health of fish is positively affected by the presence in the aquarium of wrasses, shrimp and gobi gobies, which feed on these parasites. The physical condition of fish is very badly affected by poor quality water or poor nutrition. A sign of low acidity of water is the appearance of erosions on the skin of the lateral line and head of the fish; hemorrhages may appear on the fins and body. This condition is not a sign of an infectious or parasitic disease, but it increases the risk of contracting them in the future.
Gourami grumbling
Do you know the name of the striped aquarium fish, which is the most common type of gourami? That's right, this is a grumbling gourami - a very beautiful fish with a bright green-bluish or pearl color.
The body of the gourami is elongated, slightly flattened on the sides. The snout is pointed. It grows in an aquarium to an average height of 6-7 cm. The main color is golden, the sides are whitish with a turquoise sheen. Two to four stripes run along the body. Translucent fins are covered with greenish dots. The fish are peaceful, although a little shy. They are usually kept in a common aquarium with peaceful neighbors. It is desirable that the flock consist of at least 6-8 gourami, and there should be one or two females per male. If the group of fish is smaller, skirmishes are bound to occur between them, and because of this, they have less time to grumble.
In addition, it is impossible to keep several pairs in a small aquarium, since during spawning the males jealously guard their territory and quite often injure each other.
Compatibility
Yellow zebrasomes are generally peaceful and calm towards other species of reef fish, but they can bite off growths on the body of a sedentary species of fish that lives at the bottom of the aquarium. This is the only species of zebrafish that can be kept in the same aquarium. If you want to keep several individuals of yellow zebrasoma in one aquarium, then you need to plant them all together at once. Otherwise, they will have conflicts over the division of territory. Remember that lack of space or lack of nutrition also provokes them to behave aggressively, even among themselves.
Macropod
Probably only experienced connoisseurs of the underwater world know this name for a striped aquarium fish. The common macropod, or paradise fish, is easy to care for, but is quite cocky and can beat its neighbors in the aquarium. This striped aquarium fish, a photo of which you can see below, was one of the first to be brought to Europe, only goldfish were ahead of it. The macropod first appeared in France in 1869, and already in 1876 it was brought to Germany.
The miniature but very beautiful fish played an important role in popularizing the aquarium hobby throughout the world. The macropod is quite unpretentious in maintenance and has an excellent appetite, which allows beginners to keep it. In nature, these fish live in different biotopes, from ditches and slow-flowing rivers to large rivers and creeks. Accordingly, they tolerate different conditions well, for example, unheated aquariums, and in summer they can live in ponds.
The macropod has a strong elongated body with pointed fins, the tail is forked and quite long - up to 5 cm. Like most labyrinths, it is able to breathe air, which it swallows from the surface. The macropod has a special organ that allows it to use atmospheric oxygen and tolerate its low content in water.
These striped aquarium fish feed on various types of food. They get along well with neighbors of the same size, but it should be borne in mind that males fight each other to the death. They should be kept alone or with a female. But in this case, it will require shelter.
Lifespan and enemies
Rudd is very popular among predatory fish species - pike, asp, pike perch, catfish. The fry are often eaten by perches, while the larvae can be eaten by any species of fish.
Preferring a superficial lifestyle, the rudd often feeds on herons, grebes or kingfishers. Swimming near the shore, in thickets of plants, the fish runs the risk of becoming prey to various predatory animals - foxes. Otters and muskrats will readily feast on rudd.
But the biggest role in the extermination of this species of fish is played by humans, by fishing for this fish. Most often, for fishing, a person chooses quiet backwaters, which are replete with aquatic vegetation - reeds, reeds or water lilies. They happily peck in the few free areas, avoiding large areas of water.
The average lifespan of a rudd is up to 25 years.
Guppy
Keeping these little striped aquarium fish is not as easy as it might seem to an inexperienced beginner. Through careful selection, many species of guppies have been developed. Currently, it is quite difficult to classify them, since more and more new species appear every year.
These schooling fish are distinguished by high vitality and are considered the hardiest of all the schooling inhabitants of the aquarium. A group of 15-20 fish fills it with bright colors thanks to the beauty of their caudal fins. These striped aquarium fish can also be kept in a community aquarium, but the neighbors should not be fast swimmers.
The container should contain dense thickets of plants, including small-leaved species that reach the surface of the water. It is better to give preference to Indian limnophila and glitter, floating plants with hanging roots, as well as riccia, where the fry usually find shelter.
Guppies are undemanding when it comes to aquarium volume. But you need to carefully monitor the water temperature. It must be maintained in the range from +20 to +26 °C.
Danio rerio
In nature, these fish are widespread in Southeast Asia, in bodies of water with weak currents. The length of its body does not exceed 4.5 cm. The body is elongated, laterally flattened. Alternating white and blue stripes run along it. They start from the gills and end at the tail. The anal and caudal fins are also striped, while the rest are colorless and transparent. These are very playful and active small schooling fish that prefer dry or live food. Their size reaches five centimeters.
Their excessive mobility, unfortunately, is dangerous for them: quite often zebrafish jump out of their pool, so closed containers are more suitable for cultivation. These striped fish are clearly visible in the aquarium: their black body is crossed by longitudinal white stripes.
Blue neon
Speaking about the smallest fish, one cannot help but recall the neons, which are well known even to beginners. These underwater inhabitants are famous for their amazing coloring, or rather the glowing neon stripe running across their entire body. These are schooling fish, so you should house them in groups of 10-15.
Classic neon has a red-blue color that sparkles in the light, which is how the fish got their name. They can be kept even in small aquariums with a capacity of 10 liters or more.
Description and danger
The surgeonfish is easy to remember. Ichthyologists highlight the following external features of this bright inhabitant of the oceans:
- small size;
- bright color, which can be lemon, blue, brown with various patterns or red;
- an oval-shaped body, the length of which varies from 10 to 100 centimeters;
- small mouth;
- wide fins.
The fish does not realize that others have a desire to take a better look at it and simply touch it due to its attractive coloring; it sees any attention to itself as a manifestation of aggression. In this regard, it is necessary to maintain distance. It's easy to understand why the surgeon fish is called that: its spines are capable of causing serious cuts. First of all, this warning applies to diving enthusiasts who have the greatest chance of being close to this fish. It is known that it lives in the oceans, in places where coral reefs are located.
This fish has a wide fin
Ternetia
The small dark silver fish can be seen in many home aquariums and in any pet store. She is unpretentious in maintenance, easy to breed, has a peaceful disposition, and therefore is recommended for beginners to have.
Ternetia is quite often called the black tetra. Its silver-black coloration is complemented by vertical black stripes running throughout its body. Thanks to its peaceful nature, it can be kept in a common aquarium with equally calm neighbors. Monitor the water temperature. It should be from +21 to +24 °C at Ph 7.0.
Diseases and illnesses
With proper care and favorable conditions, the yellow hummingbird cichlid fish is not susceptible to disease. If these rules are not followed, then it may suffer from injuries, ichthyophthyriosis, tuberculosis, fin rot, poisoning and bloat, and hexamitosis in cichlids is also possible.
Injuries
Most often, injuries occur from collisions with aquarium decor, which has sharp edges. The cause of injury can be their clashes with their relatives.
Most often, injuries occur from collisions with sharp edges of the decor.
If the fish’s immune system is working well, the resulting wounds will soon heal.
If the wound is infected, the individual becomes inactive and does not swim out of the shelter. Antifungal drugs and antibiotics can be used for treatment.
Poisoning
Often yellow fish get poisoned.
Symptoms include a swollen abdomen (dropsy) and heavy, rapid breathing. The cause of the disease is pathogenic bacteria eaten by the fish along with poor-quality live food. Methylene blue should be added to the aquarium water as soon as possible. The disease is difficult to cure and is usually fatal.
Toxic substances such as chlorine, ammonia, and heavy metals lead to poisoning. In this case, loss of coordination and movement activity is added to rapid breathing.
To prevent such cases, it is necessary to treat the decorative elements and the substrate (douse them with boiling water). For the same purpose, be sure to settle the water for replacement and periodically add conditioners.
Regular cleaning of the aquarium and washing decorations without using detergents are also preventive measures against poisoning. It is also very important to monitor the operation of filters and air conditioners in the aquarium. Worn out or broken appliances must be replaced or repaired.
Regular cleaning is a preventive measure against poisoning
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is caused by pathogenic bacteria that enter the aquarium with food, substrate or infected fish. Symptoms: severe weight loss, bulging eyes. It cannot be treated.
The sick individual must be placed in a separate container, and the aquarium with decorations is washed and disinfected, the substrate and vegetation are replaced with new ones.
Ichthyophthiriasis, or semolina
With this disease, the body and fins of the cichlid are strewn with light dots. The cause is ciliated ciliates.
Adding malachite green often produces good results. After completion of treatment, ½ volume of water must be replaced.
Fin rot
This infection develops in fish in dirty water or from stress. The disease first manifests itself in the formation of a light coating along the edges of the fins, which then covers the entire body.
At the first symptoms, the sick individual is isolated in a separate container.
At the first symptoms, the sick individual is isolated in a separate container.
Mostly the disease heals on its own. In case of advanced disease, you must consult a specialist.
Bloating Malawi
African bloat is a disease of labidochromis and other cichlid species of Lake Malawi. Occurs from inappropriate nutrition or proximity, as well as due to inappropriate water parameters.
Death can occur within 3 days. Antibiotics are prescribed as treatment.
Siamese algae eater
Do you know the name of the striped aquarium fish, which is an excellent assistant in the fight against algae? Of course, an algae eater. This fish is found naturally in the waters of Malaysia and Thailand. The black stripe in true Siamese runs through the entire body and goes to the caudal fin; in false Siamese it breaks off at the tail. In nature, this fish grows up to 16 cm, but at home it is much smaller. The algae eater lives in an aquarium for about 10 years.
Eats almost all types of algae, including Vietnamese. The following requirements apply to water:
- temperature +26 °C;
- pH 6.5.
Reproduction and breeding
Labidochromis yellow is very easy to breed. To breed offspring, you do not need to create special conditions. Hummingbird cichlids reproduce well in a common body of water. There are rare cases when, in order to stimulate the spawning period, it is necessary to increase the temperature of the water in the aquarium by several degrees.
To breed offspring there is no need to create special conditions
Individuals reach sexual maturity at 6-8 months of age. Pairs created by labidochromis are often very stable.
The male arranges the site for the upcoming spawning. To do this, he needs to dig a hole or clear the stone in a protected place. Here the female lays eggs, which are instantly fertilized by the male. The whole process takes from 40 to 60 minutes.
A female can lay from 8 to 40 eggs depending on her age. Upon completion of the fertilization process, she collects the eggs in her mouth to incubate them in the throat pouch designated for this purpose for 24-40 days. All these days the female does not eat anything. She still continues to look after the babies that have already hatched, hiding the babies from danger again in her mouth. This type of gestation can result in accidental swallowing of eggs or fry by the mother, for example, during times of stress or fright.
The fry, 2-3 mm in size, emerge from the mother's mouth and can feed on their own. To feed them, you can use live dust or ground dry food. Yellowfish fry are characterized by their ability to survive well even in the presence of a large number of neighbors.
Fry measuring 2-3 mm can feed on their own
In order to avoid eating the fry by neighbors in the aquarium, equipped places for shelter are still needed.
Differences between a male and a female
Sexual dimorphism in yellow cichlids is not pronounced.
But the dominant male can be distinguished - he has the brightest body color and well-developed fins. Other males look paler against its background and are almost no different from females; in rare cases they are larger, with dark ventral fins (the female has yellow fins). A distinctive feature of a male individual can also be the presence of dark spots near the eyes or mouth.
Heckel's discus
A graceful and elegant representative of the discus fish, it stands out among its relatives due to its unusual coloring - three distinct, dark vertical stripes are clearly visible in the pattern.
This species began to be kept at home in the middle of the 19th century, so it is considered one of the oldest in the aquarium hobby. However, this did not affect his popularity. Heckel's discus are not easy to care for and breeding them causes problems even for experienced aquarists. The vast majority of fish available for sale today are still caught in the wild.
The color of these fish appears only in sexually mature individuals; juveniles, as a rule, are painted in a nondescript brown tint. There are also hybrid varieties that have very bright colors: blue, red, turquoise, etc.
If you keep a flock of such fish in a large aquarium (400-500 liters), the pond will sparkle with new colors.
Striped cichlid
Many lovers of observing the underwater world are interested in predatory striped aquarium fish. The behavior of such inhabitants and their exotic appearance are fascinating. They are very active and jealously guard their territory. Caring for predators in an aquarium has some peculiarities.
Aquarium striped cichlid fish in captivity do not exceed 9 cm in length. They have a tall, slightly elongated and narrow body. This is a large family of fish, which includes more than ten species. These gray striped aquarium fish have a purple tint. Eight black stripes run across the body. Orange spots can be seen on the female's abdomen.
Nutrition and lifestyle
Such fish most often lead a solitary existence. They gather into large flocks, sometimes containing up to a thousand individuals, only in case of acute lack of necessary food, but as they become saturated, these communities immediately disintegrate.
Under natural conditions, their food consists mainly of algae or plankton. At the same time, such fish themselves often become victims of sharks, which are not afraid of surgeons’ spines.
Such fish are usually considered diurnal, and they also tend to guard and defend the territory that they consider theirs. Neither other representatives of the fauna, nor even fellow surgeons are allowed there.
The fish begin the breeding process at 3 years of age. The female simultaneously lays almost 40 thousand eggs, and the transparent fry that appear do not at all resemble their parents in appearance. Their coloring is more neutral, and they do not have spines. The young, which have not yet fully matured, try to hide in the depths of the reefs , where large predators do not reach.
These fish are diurnal
Certain types of surgeons can live beyond 20 years. They cannot be used for culinary purposes, because the meat of such fish is absolutely tasteless.
Angelfish
South American cichlids fascinate with the beauty and elegance of their sail fins. They, like wings, support them in measured weightlessness. No wonder they are called angels abroad. These flat, striped aquarium fish come in a variety of colors, but they all share a body shape that resembles a triangle.
These fish treat their not very large and peaceful neighbors favorably. Unlike other species of cichlids, angelfish do not uproot aquarium plants from the ground. It is better to keep them in a small group of fish of similar size. Another difference from many cichlids is the lack of aggression. They rarely offend even small, peaceful fish and even livebearers. They get along well with red swordtails, thorns, zebrafish, all types of catfish, lalius and gouramis, and other non-aggressive cichlids.
For a pair of angelfish, you need to choose an aquarium with a volume of 40-50 liters. Considering the body shape of this fish, a picture aquarium or a screen about 60 centimeters deep is most suitable for it. The water temperature for these fish should be maintained in the range from +22 to +26 °C. Angelfish tolerate short-term temperature drops to +18 °C well. To treat fish from various diseases, the water temperature can be increased to +33 °C.
Angelfish are very beautiful fish in a freshwater aquarium. Their owners should not be alarmed if the fish refuse food for several weeks. This is normal and does not entail any negative consequences.
Aquarium fish cichlazoma striped
One of the most popular representatives of the cichlid family. This is a small, unpretentious fish with a sophisticated, beautiful color. When kept at home, it does not grow more than 15 cm. Despite not the largest size, these black striped aquarium fish have a very quarrelsome character - they quickly attack any fish that had the temerity to swim into the territory of the cichlid.
It is more advisable to keep them separately in a spacious aquarium, so that each inhabitant has his own corner in which he will feel protected. Cichlazoma tolerates a fairly wide range of water temperatures: from +20 to +28 °C. This type of aquarium fish is easy to breed. Even a novice aquarist does not experience any problems with this.
Lyalius
One of the most spectacular labyrinth fish. Under natural conditions, it lives in water bodies of Indonesia and India, Bengal and Bangladesh. Lalius are unpretentious to the quality of water, since under natural conditions they live in well-warmed, shallow streams and rivers, sometimes quite dirty.
The body is flat, colored greenish-blue with transverse red and blue-blue stripes. Near the gills the abdomen is blue. The fins of the lalius are covered with red spots. These fish exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism. The male is much larger, painted with bright vertical red and blue stripes, while the female is small (about 6 cm), modestly colored in a silvery tint.
Males develop the ends of their anal and dorsal fins as they mature. The fish is very shy. It is advisable to keep it in an aquarium with peaceful and calm neighbors in small groups of 3 or more: this way they feel more confident. Lalius live no more than three years. Like most representatives of this family, they breathe not only with gills, but also using a special labyrinthine organ, with the help of which they capture oxygen from the surface.
The aquarium must have soil, preferably a dark color. You should not keep several males in a small aquarium - they will compete for territory, so you should choose a container of sixty liters or more. In addition, it is necessary to provide the fish with shelter: plant plants, and the males themselves will divide the pond into sections. There should be more females than males.
We have talked about some types of striped fish that will surely decorate your home aquarium. Before purchasing a new tenant, carefully study its features, living conditions, and compatibility.
Keeping a yellow fish - 7 rules
Experience shows that keeping labidochromis is not particularly difficult. These fish are recommended for beginners in breeding African cichlids.
To make Labidochromis Yellow feel comfortable, you need an aquarium with a volume of more than 100 liters. This capacity will be enough to accommodate one male with a “harem” of three to four females. It is advisable to keep exactly one male in such an aquarium in order to avoid conflicts between them.
But in order to be able to observe all the habits, courtship processes, hierarchical relationships, you should purchase an aquarium with a volume of 200-300 liters. It will be possible to breed even a flock of Yellows in it.
Fights with injuries between individuals of this species are extremely rare. Females bearing offspring do not need to be placed in a separate tank. Nothing will bother them in the surrounding peaceful atmosphere. Only if the number of sexually mature males is more than two can we expect aggression between conspecifics.
Yellow aquarium fish are quite demanding regarding the conditions in which they will have to live. They need clean water, the hydrochemical composition and temperature of which are stable.
Yellow fish are quite demanding in terms of living conditions.
Rule 1. Large aquarium
The size of the aquarium for keeping Labidochromis Yellow matters a lot. In natural living conditions, cichlids have a lot of space for free swimming. Therefore, it is necessary to purchase an aquarium of large volume (from 100 liters), preferably a rectangular shape.
In the pond for Yellow, you can keep the decor in the style of minimalism. This will allow the fish to rearrange conditions in their own way without creating problems for their owners, which is very typical of cichlids, and also to play around and frolic to their heart's content.
The most recommended technique is the “Pseudomore” aquadecor technique. It corresponds as closely as possible to the natural conditions of existence of cichlids.
It is best to decorate the aquarium in a style typical of Malawian cichlids: sandy soil, a large number of stones and driftwood, from which multiple shelters are created, and a minimum number of living plants (best of all, hard-leaved plants) - in a word, a “stone desert”.
Several stones with uneven surfaces should be placed on the bottom to create places where the fish can hide. African cichlids are accustomed to alkaline hard water, like the one that flows from the taps of Russian apartments. Therefore, it is possible to use limestone and marble stones.
The most recommended aquadecor technique for such fish is “Pseudomore”
To organize places of shelter, you can also use artificial grottoes or caves.
You can place driftwood and coconut shells on the bottom, although in nature they are not part of the “interior” of cichlid habitats.
To prevent overly playful fish from spontaneously jumping out of the aquarium, it should be covered with a lid.
Rule 2. Suitable water
Suitable aquarium water parameters for labidochromis yellow:
- temperature - 23-28 °C;
- pH balance - 7-8.8 units;
- water hardness - 8-20 units.
Both strong and moderate water movement is suitable.
It is necessary to change the water with fresh water weekly in a volume of 15–20% of the total amount. To do this, use settled tap water. You should regularly check the water in your aquarium for ammonia and nitrates.
Rule 3. Special plants
Yellowfish, like all cichlids, severely destroy aquarium plants. Therefore, to revive the “stone desert” it is better to plant cryptocorynes and anubias plants for the aquarium. It is these plants that will be fine in a pond with representatives of this species. Moreover, this vegetation is unpretentious to conditions: it does not require powerful lighting or special conditions for growth.
Anubias plant
Cryptocoryne plant
Duckweed and Vallisneria will not only improve water quality, but will also be an excellent addition to the diet.
Rule 4. Correct scenery and soil
Bottom of an aquarium with Labidochromis caeruleus var. Yellow is covered with sand, shell rock, and small pebbles. You can also use marble or coral chips as a primer.
The decorations for the pond must be placed so that it is as similar as possible to the natural one for cichlids. Yellow fish spend a lot of time in the water column, but still often hide at the bottom. That is why it is necessary to build rubble from stones, build gorges and grottoes, which the pets will then protect, starting fights for territory.
Rule 5. Special equipment
To create optimal living conditions for cichlids in captivity in clean, oxygenated water, free of nitrogen compounds, you will need special equipment:
- External filter that will filter 2-3 liters per hour. It should filter the water in the aquarium efficiently. Strong pressure is acceptable: yellow cichlids treat it calmly, active movement of water is familiar to them.
- A compressor for saturating aquarium water with the required amount of oxygen or a pump with aeration.
- Heater to create comfortable temperature conditions.
- Siphon for cleaning.
- Thermometer for temperature control.
- A net for catching fish.
An aeration pump must be installed in the aquarium.
If you wish, you can buy a special feeder, which will make feeding labidochromis more convenient.
Rule 6. Medium brightness lighting
It is recommended to create lighting of medium intensity: too bright light in an aquarium with labidochromis is unnecessary, but low lighting will not suit them either.
It is better to choose blue or red lamps that will not overheat the water. The yellow fish is most impressed by the blue spectrum of lighting, where you can add shades of yellow or green light.
You also need to focus on the needs of the plants in the pond.
Rule 7. Feeding, including plant food
Labidochromis Yellow are not picky eaters; they eat everything that is offered to them. In the wild, they feed on insects and algae; their diet includes mollusks and small crustaceans.
Therefore, creating a menu for hummingbird cichlids in captivity is not difficult; the fish happily eat good-quality dry food. A balanced diet for labidochromis should contain both food of plant origin (mainly) and animal origin. The main thing is not to feed them only protein products, which are live or frozen food, because this is fraught with gastrointestinal diseases.
Fish enjoy eating good quality dry food.
It is recommended to use food for feeding labidochromis that will fully satisfy their nutritional needs, containing the necessary algae of spirulina, nori and chlorella.
Food specially balanced specifically for cichlids of the Mbuna group, either in the form of flakes, chips, or granules, containing natural carotenoids to enhance the color of pets, can be purchased at pet stores.
To diversify the diet of yellow fish, it is great to use bloodworms or brine shrimp in healthy jelly.
Feed should be given 2-3 times a day in moderate quantities: the fish should eat it within 2-3 minutes. Uneaten food is immediately removed from the reservoir. 1 day a week you can give your pets a “fasting day” - do not give them food at all.
The labidochromis menu can also include:
- Daphnia;
- shrimp and mussels;
- minced meat;
- cereals;
- carrot;
- duckweed;
- lettuce and spinach leaves;
- dry vegetable food;
- peeled peas.
Live food must be frozen or treated with a weak solution of methylene blue to avoid introducing parasites into the aquarium.
