Angelfish aquarium fish - care and maintenance

A scalar is a hunting-type fish, which is distinguished by its voracity and aggressiveness. Usually, she hunts for fry of other fish, some owners even faced situations when the angelfish ate their eggs. Despite such habits in fish, there are some features, including external data and unpretentiousness in the content. Today we will analyze them step by step.

Description

1. For the first time, the fish of the group presented was described by Schultz in the distant 1800s. Fishes were originally bred in the United States of America, then brought to Europe for further study.
2. Breeders who sell angelfish are convinced of the absolute similarity of aquarium pets with those that live in nature. But due to extensive breeding activities, the fish have changed a lot.
3. Angelfish prefer slow flowing water sources.Their homeland is the dangerous and limitless Amazon, as well as tributaries. It is possible to find this family in natural conditions in South America.
4. By their characteristics, members of the family live in reservoirs with a small amount of vegetation. They eat fry, as well as plants and invertebrates. To date, there are 3 types: scalar Leopold, altum and traditional (normal).
5. It is difficult to say for sure what kind of fish is most common. Many crossings were made, because of which the angelfish changed their appearance a thousand times. As for the duration of existence, they live up to 15 years.
6. Fish living in natural conditions, as close as possible in color to the natural biotope. They are silver with dark stripes on the body. The body format is oblate, the upper fin is sharp, the head is triangular.
7. The tail can be in the form of thin rays, which helps water representatives to mask among the roots and vegetation. Partly for this reason, in wild specimens, the color is a collection of dark stripes. According to the individual characteristics, this family of fish is omnivorous.Angelfish waiting for small fish and invertebrates, and then attack them.
8. It is difficult to determine for sure what gender an individual is in front of you if the fish have not yet reached adulthood. Young animals can not be studied on sexual dimorphism. However, even adults can sometimes be difficult to distinguish. This is usually done when spawning begins. In the female, the abdominal zone is rounded, the egg-laying takes the shape of a cone.

Temperament and behavior

1. If you are planning to acquire scalars, it is necessary not only to create conditions for their comfortable existence, but also to study the behavior in the aquarium environment. Without this, you can hardly understand your pets and meet their needs. To begin with, the number of individuals planted in one tank should be even.
2. These water representatives belong to the schooling categories. Therefore, the ideal is the content of the whole family. Thanks to this distinction, the fish will independently choose a pair for themselves, as well as establish a hierarchy in which the strongest family members will lead a whole flock.
3. Natural representatives belong to the aggressive species. Of course, these are found in the aquarium. But if the scalars have grown to medium size, they will not show anger toward themselves. This will happen, perhaps, in the struggle for territorial property. But you can exclude aggression by choosing an aquarium more so that there is enough space for everyone.
4. The fish will begin to divide the water space between them, because they want to swim and hide in the underbrush. Therefore, the ratio of fluid and vegetation should be moderate. Leave to the scalars a place for maneuvers, but at the same time do not keep the aquarium empty (without snags, stones, etc.).
5. Angelfish belong to the cichlid family. Because of this particularity, this group has a degrading trait - pets beat weak water representatives, gnaw off their fins and eat their fry. You can not sit down this category to those who can not stand up for themselves.
6. Pets will get along with fish, which usually live in the middle and lower sections of the water space. As an excellent neighborhood, soms, gouras, macropods, etc. are usually chosen. It is forbidden to sit down guppies, goldfish, cardinals, neons, viviparous categories.

Feeding

1. We have already mentioned that these representatives of the family eat everything.They prefer to feast on any feed. The main rule is that food should be of good quality. As a live feed choose pipemaker, artemia, bloodworms, koretra.
2. It should be remembered forever that they have no sense of proportion when it comes to food. They can eat constantly and in large quantities. Therefore, no matter how much the fish ask, do not overfeed them.
3. Moths are given with extreme care, not more than 1 time per week. It is better to abandon it altogether, replace it with another similar food. Because these fish have poor intestinal motility, they immediately begin to experience frustration.
4. To date, developed many feeds created for the scalar. Prefer them. It is safe and relatively beneficial. If you notice that the fish feed on delicate plants, as a feed, give them supplements with the inclusion of spirulina.

Content

1. It is difficult to say for sure whether the contents of this family are allowed to beginners who have absolutely no experience in aquarism. Fishes can be aggressively tuned towards smaller inhabitants, the neighborhood is chosen with special care.Plus, they need a large body of water, not every newcomer will buy such an aquarium. So think for yourself, otherwise the care is simple.
2. Under the scalars are meant in measure the whimsical fish, which, with the provision of all conditions, will live for 10 years. Since aquatic creatures have a strange body shape, an aquarium with high sides is required. As for the volume of water space, about 100 liters are allocated to one individual. water. If you plan to have 2 scalar, then get a tank with a volume of 200 liters. The advantage of a large home is that parents are less nervous and do not eat eggs.
3. These fish are quite thermophilic. They prefer to live in water at a temperature of 25-28 degrees. By their natural features live in a mild and acidified environment. But can quickly adapt. If we talk about decor, the scalars need a place to swim. Therefore, all snags, grottoes, cobblestones and other attributes are set strictly along the edges.
4. The presented family of fish treats vegetation relatively gently, but it can bite delicate thickets (for example, Eleocharis or moss).But if you give your pets vegetable food and supplements with spirulina, this will not happen. 20-25% of the liquid is drained weekly, and a new one is poured instead.

Compatibility

1. The considered individuals are suitable for life in the "hostel". However, one should not overlook the fact that the fishes presented belong to cichlids. Therefore, often the scalars are aggressively disposed towards the small inhabitants of the aquarium.
2. Keep in mind, these individuals will constantly hunt for shrimp and fry. Angelfish are good hunters, besides they are insatiable. The young of the represented individuals will at first be kept together all the time. Once individuals reach puberty, they are divided into pairs.
3. In addition, upon reaching puberty, the scalars become more aggressive and territorial. However, it is worth noting the fact that the fish are shy to sudden movements. The same reaction is manifested when turning on the light and to different sounds. These cichlids are recommended to be kept with large or medium-sized individuals.
4. Try not to start small fish in the general aquarium. They will not last long. Angelfish soon simply eat them.Breeders do not recommend to make barbs of any kind. Otherwise, individuals will constantly conflict. Fiery barbs eat scalar fins in a short amount of time.
5. In the same way, black barbs, tetragonopteruses, denisonions, and ternas can do with scalars. The considered individuals are best kept with mollies, swordtails, petsiliyami. Often the angelfish get along with the guppy. Only in this case do not forget to replant the fry. In addition, you can hook up gourami different types.

Breeding

1. During puberty, the individuals in question form a monogamous stable pair. The only problem is that after spawning it is very difficult to preserve caviar. Females tend to spawn on vertical surfaces. Often in their role are flat sheets, snags and glass aquarium.
2. In order for reproduction to occur as efficiently as possible, special devices should be placed in the aquarium. To do this, you can take a variety of cones, a piece of ceramic or plastic pipe. Like all types of cichlids, the angelfish take very good care of their offspring.During spawning, parents carefully care for caviar.
3. Such care lasts exactly until the moment when the fry are born. Do not forget that the scalars themselves choose a pair. Therefore, for reproduction, it is best to buy several individuals. The fish themselves will understand and find themselves half. If you buy two different-sex fish, they may not like each other.
4. Do not overlook the moment when a couple will prepare for spawning. Otherwise, all the caviar can disappear or it will be eaten. To understand how the angelfish prepare for spawning, it is worth observing them for several days. They will stick together all the time. In addition, they will allocate a corner for themselves and will chase the other inhabitants of the aquarium.
5. Individuals reach sexual maturity between the ages of 8 and 12 months. At the same time, spawning in fish can occur almost every 10 days, if the spawn is taken from the scalar. Spawning in individuals begins with the fact that they are looking for a secluded place for themselves. They thoroughly clean and prepare it.
6. After that, the female proceeds to throwing eggs in the form of a chain. The male, in turn, immediately begins to fertilize her.The procedure can last quite a long time. The female is able to bring up to several hundred eggs. It is worth knowing that the caviar in individuals is light and rather large.
7. After that, the couple begins to carefully care for future offspring. Fish constantly fan the caviar. Also, the scalars eat unfertilized or dead eggs. After only a few days, the fry begin to spit up into the light. At this time, the offspring eats from the yolk sac.
8. It is worth noting the interesting fact that the larvae begin to peek into the light, while the caviar remains still attached to the surface. The offspring are not yet able to feed with other food, for this they have a yolk bladder. It was mentioned earlier. Only a week later the young begin to swim.
9. By this time, the larvae develop into fry. Feeding offspring is recommended by naupilia artemia. They also perfectly eat special food for fry. As the breeders say, the first option is considered the optimal feed. At the same time the young growth begins to grow better and practically does not get sick.
10. Malkam recommended to feed up to 4 times a day. At the same time it is better to pour food in portions.Young animals should eat for a few minutes. Do not forget about maintaining cleanliness in the aquarium and the freshness of the water.

Angelfish are cichlids. At the time of puberty, individuals become quite aggressive and territorial. Therefore, it is not necessary to make them small or too calm fish. Take the selection of neighbors with all responsibility.

Video: angelfish aquarium fish