Ornaatus is a popular aquarium fish that has very modest sizes, an impressive appearance and a variety of scales coloring options. It is chosen for unpretentiousness, ease of content, the ability to decorate their home underwater world with its presence. The ornatus of the type of pink tetra, white and red, black phantom and ordinary almost 90 years old inhabit the aquariums throughout the world. The content and breeding of these fish is a fascinating occupation and for the beginner, and for an experienced person. What you need to know the future owner of the ornatures, and what moments it is necessary to take into account when preparing aquarium, consider further in the article.
Description
Ornaatus fish is an exotic representative of the underwater world living in French Guiana and in Amazonia. She belongs to the Haracinov family, prefers to settle in freshwater reservoirs and not too fast rivers. Aquarium fish, who received the second name of Phantom, have gained their popularity thanks to European enthusiasts, which in 1933 began active artificial breeding of exotic ornauses.
Aquarium phantoms have a compact narrow body 4-6 cm long, in nature there are larger specimens. In captivity, fish live about 5 years. Among the characteristic general features of all ornaments can be noted:
- fightened in the side of the body;
- broadening in the middle of the fins to the abdomen;
- spinal outflow with high landing, narrow;
- Abdominal, the anal fins are brightly painted;
- The tail has a two-bladed shape, small size, wide.
Due to the variety of types and colors of the description of the ornatus, it is worth considering, given the characteristics of a particular type. In this case, it will be possible to get a more accurate and complete picture of the characteristics of pets, their individual features. Among some features of ornatusov can be noted the entry into the sexual maturity at the age of 6-8 months. Up to this point, to separate the male from the female is quite difficult.
In adult fish, sex differences are pronounced more clearly. The males will be seen a longer spinal fin, a reddish coloring appears on the surface of these processes.
Varieties
All existing types of ornatus fish can be divided For several subtypes according to their individual features.
- Ordinary. It has a bronze color color with a characteristic pearl with a tack, the tail is crowned with two scarlet points, the same shade is present on the chest. The surfaces of the fins have one shade with a body or a pronounced red color. In the area of the spinal outflow there is a contrast white spot with a black point. Snow white bordering is permissible for fins.
- Altatus Beneflating. The most rare view. It is like a phantom, only has a more transparent structure of fins, and all black spots are replaced by white.
- Red ornaatus. Aquarium fish with rich ruby tone head and a slightly lighter torso, the tail is contrasting painted, black, with a border of silver or white shade. The males have a stain of coal color on the fin in the back area. For the gill side of the head, the body has a golden pink shade with a black spot in the center. Bright red ornauses are much larger than their counterparts are sensitive to the parameters of the aquatic environment.
- Black phantom. The most popular color in the aquarists means the presence of a silvery-gray body with an almost transparent structure, a rich black tail. The fins are painted in the same tone, the dorsal is distinguished by a pomp, high, gives ornaatus majesticity. The gills have a reddish tint.
- Pink tetra. Another rare view. It is similar to an ordinary ornament, but painted lighter, and with a pinkish tinge. It has fins in tone, with red mark on the surface.
- Red-point or rubrygm. Fish with light silver body, almost transparent, inside the spine of a reddish shade noticeable. The same coloring have a gill area and the base of the tail fin. On the sides in the central part there are one pink stain with clear outlines.
Some fish of the Cikhlide family also have in their title an "Ornaatus" prefix, but do not have a direct relationship to the tiny inhabitants. Do not confuse them, since the size, character and habits of individuals differ radically.
Compatibility
Ornatures - representatives of the underwater world, differing in peacefulness. They can be kept in one tank with breasts similar to the parameters. These fish with nipples - swords, Guppies, Petzils are well. You can add ornatuses to the family of carp - Barbusam, Cardinal, Danio, Golden Fish. There will be a harmonious neighborhood with any aquarium sacks - synodontis, cracked, anchistrus.
Beautifully looks like aquarium, where different representatives of the Haracinov family live together (It includes the ornauses themselves). Among compatible breeds can be called neon, thorns, minorors. They also get along with labyrinth fish - cocks, gururas, macropods, lyalius.
However, in no case should it be kept together cichlid and ornaments - for the latter it can turn into death.
Growing conditions
To provide ornauses worthy conditions of detention, aquarists need to prepare a container in advance for their settlement. You can select a number of necessary components.
- Aquarium. The tank is suitable with a capacity of 60 l (approximately 10 liters per person). Fishes prefer to live with flocks, so they are experiencing severe stress, may die. In addition, a small number of ornauses will be simply inconsistent in the space of a large aquarium.
- Filter. It will provide sufficient purity of the aquatic environment, but does not form too stormy and rapid flow. Flutes can be used as a "divider" of jets.
- Temperature regulator. The optimal temperature for growing and fish content is in the range of +23.28 degrees Celsius.
- Priming. The most rational choice will be quartz sand. Easy and clean soil will allow maintaining an optimal microbiological situation. Against the background of the base of dark color - volcanic black sand - the color of the fish looks much brighter.
- Plants. Aquarium for ornaments is worth landing thick, mellular aquatic aquatic plants. They have them along the back wall, leaving enough free space for swimming. Bright light is not too useful for ornaments, ensuring the shading will help accommodation in the aquarium of floating plants - ripples, Riccii.
Caring for ornaments includes stable maintaining a given water temperature. Fish is not too sensitive to acidity - they fit the neutral or acidic medium, the water rigidity should be from 3 to 12 DGH. Submenues in the amount of up to 25% are carried out no more than two times a week, while maintaining a single temperature. The aquarium itself is recommended to supplement the lid, because the playful pets can easily jump out of the tank.
Inside the tank, ornauses should have refuge, allowing them to relax or hide from the dangers. Squares are suitable, stones, algae. It will be useful to form on the ground dry deciduous cover, periodically replaced by a new litter. The ornauses are useful to create an authentic medium - for this, peat extract is added to the water.
Feeding rules
Fish of the ornatus breed relatively unpretentious in choosing food. They are given live feed - from the moth before Daphneia, especially increasing their portions during the period preceding spawning. Phantoms are able to eat ready-made dry food, diet help nutritional supplements, vitamined mixtures. Any nutrition, given the features and size of fish, must be pre-grinding.
Ornats need vegetable food. In this capacity, they usually protrude with boiling water, finely chopped sheets of leaf salad. It is useful to fish spinach, dandelion, ore, peristoliste. The proportion of green feed in the diet is calculated individually, but in the amount of at least 30%. In general, food should be quite varied.
The frequency and frequency of feeding adult fish - 3-4 times during the day, fry can eat more often. Portions are given in small, controlling the purity of water in the aquarium. Ornatures feed on the surface of the water.
The dumping food can eat other fish - catches and other bottom inhabitants. In their absence, it is very important to remove the residues of food in a timely manner.
Reproduction
Conducting ornauses is recommended using a special spawning aquarium. This tank must have a capacity of 30 liters, water level up to 17 cm, stable temperature range within +26.28 degrees Celsius. The acidity of the medium is suitable close to neutral - about 5.5-6.5 pH.
An artificial lighting is not required by an impact aquarium, naturally eliminated by using an opaque, breathable underfloor material. Inside, Yavansky moss is used, the bottom is lined with the grid. Different individuals are transferred to an equal number to the spawning aquarium. Two weeks before the expected launch of the period of reproduction of fish, they are transferred to live food rich in protein. With the right approach, the spawning will begin during the day after the transplantation.
The grid and the Javanese Moss are optimal places to form ornahus masonry. Upon completion of the fish process is transferred to a regular aquarium, they are transferred to their usual diet. Falls after the moment of hatching receives infusories as food, "live dust", from the second week you can give starting finished feeds. Underradiated young gradually translates into adult food, sit down in the overall aquarium.
About how to properly care for ornauses, see the next video.