Aquarium in the interior - it's a great way to diversify and revitalize the interior. When selecting its inhabitants are usually guided by the size of the fish. If they have to be extremely small, the choice usually falls on such representatives Akvamir as guppies, platypus, gourami, Dupin.
However, if the dimensions of the "fish house" allows you to have more animals, then an excellent option for settlement are catfish.
These fish live in their natural habitat, as well as in man-made - including aquariums. latest range includes dozens of species, that allows you to find the most suitable individuals. In addition, they have a variety of useful features, which we describe below.
Description of fish
For people who are not privy to the intricacies of the world of the aquarium, all the fish are alike and different except that the color, and their main purpose - to please the owner and beautifying environment . In fact, they do not just serve as interior decoration, but also perform different roles.
catfish truly important function - they clean the aquarium from its other inhabitants of the waste products, as well as eats food residues and excess algae.
In total there are thousands of species of greater than 1.5 KGS, whose dimensions range from 2 cm to 5 m . Aquatic birds make up a small part of this community, it has only a few dozen, but within it there are different copies.
Few people know that these friendly fish are predators . During the day they prefer to be at the bottom, which means that there should be created a comfortable environment for living. And also need to take care of a suitable neighborhood for these fish, so that they are not eaten and were able to comfortably coexist on the same territory.
Instead of scales catfish have a kind of cover plate. Their mouth is a sucker. With this anatomical features of catfish can perfectly clean the aquarium. Breeders like these fish for the following qualities:
- peacefulness;
- lack of strict requirements for hardness and water temperature;
- can live in the water medium acidity.
KGS is characterized by intestinal breathing. Fish are periodically brought to the surface for air and then falls back and converts it into oxygen. These fish are happy to hide in thickets of seaweed, driftwood and for other structures used in the aquariums. Because of the diversity of species is difficult to avoid confusion with the names, but true fans of their business can reproduce even the most intricate 'names' favorite fish.
Soma have high endurance, making them easy to hold.
Because of the natural tendency to nocturnal feed these pets are better in the later time. In addition to the eyes, which are small in size, orientation in space in catfish have chemoreceptors, located throughout the body. They give them the opportunity to pick up odors that are in the water, touch the items. Because of these thorns aquatics take up is dangerous, especially if it's poisonous specimens.
Representatives of the family of chain armor som
This group includes 630 different species of catfish. Thus gradation their complicated by the fact that examine all the representatives have not yet succeeded. In addition, there Loricariidae catfish, which are difficult to accurately identify.
Their natural habitat - waters of South America to the crystal-clear water.
The variety of Loricariidae catfish involves various colors and dimensions, but they are united by the presence of a powerful suction cup mouth, which helps them to stay in place even in strong currents. The smallest of them ototsinklyusy grow a little more than 2 centimeters, and pterigoplihty - up to 50 cm in length. Tell me more about the bright representative of the group.
Otocycllus
Ototsinklyus cleans the aquarium and is an ideal inmate for a vessel with numerous algae. Fish may have a length of from 2.5 to 5 cm. If your tank has a capacity of about 50 liters, the 5 in such fish will be sufficient for him.
A distinctive feature of catfish is its dorsal fin, which often reaches a length of 15 cm or more.
brocade catfish
It belongs to pterigoplihtam. This "pet" can gladly absorbed by vegetation, it is a good idea is adjacent to many other inhabitants of the aquarium. With all the love to algae sometimes at night they wake up their predatory nature, they begin to eat up the slow fish scales. However, the need for housing in his immodest - a pair of catfish need a vessel at 400 liters. Laid on the bottom of driftwood will be a source for the appearance of tumors, which the fish will eat.
Ansisteris
These individuals are larger earlier, Ancistrus grow up to 10-14 centimeters. A characteristic hallmark are growths of skin on the face area in males. A pair of Ancistrus requires the vessel volume of 80 liters. They do not require special conditions, so suitable as the first fish for beginners . In turn, this group is divided into many subspecies.
Albino
This pretty yellow fish with red eyes. They set it apart from the usual yellow Ancistrus. This type of immunity KGS weakened somewhat due to the peculiarities of a recessive color.
ancistrus hoplogenys
Its body has a darker color, which is also covered with white dots forming the "Star Sky" drawing. The body length of this beautiful subspecies is about 9 cm.
PTRIGopLICHT
At its half-meter body there is a chic spinal fin to 15 centimeters. Such fish can afford Only with a very large aquarium.
Hypancutrus
He loves to eat animal food. A variety of hypanitasters great, but officially received names only six subspecies. Odes of the most popular hypanitasters are inspector (dark with light spots and dark edging on floating) and Contracted (The same "star" color, but with monophonic fins). Fish grow up to 10 cm maximum.
Two adult individuals for comfortable existence need an aquarium from 100 liters.
Callicht group individuals
The individuals of this group are also called the shell, it has about 150 species. The most common representatives of this species - corridors and Hoplosternum Littorles.
These fish eat any food and get well with other residents of the aquarium - they do not pay any attention to their neighbors.
WITH Toite to swell the vessel in small pebbles so that the Soma could dig in her pleasure. At the same time, it needs to be supplemented with algae with a powerful root system so that the fish do not drop them during their games. In order for the plants for sure, they should be squeezed into a special pot and disguise in aquarium decor. Their natural range is the water of South America. At home, 20 species of such catches live. In Russia, the varieties of corridors are common.
Somomik elegant
This beautiful aquarium fish was brought to the countries of the old world from Amazon, and on the territory of our country she fell in the 60s of the last century. The body of this corridor has a very attractive color. Yellow small specks and stripes are visible on the head. Somick gills are molded green, the areas behind the eyes are marked in the same color. On the light yellow or olive case there is a dark band in the back area. The fins are practically not painted, with the exception of the upper, which has black splashes.
They prefer to live in a flock and multiply with this method of coexistence more willingly, even if their neighbors are related to other species.
Crapped
He can be called a calicht, but it is wrong, since there is another kind with the same name that is officially fixed behind it. Fish live in Brazil and just as their fellows, gradually "won" Europe and Russia. The length of the females body is 8 cm, and males - 4-5 cm. Fish body has a bent back and relatively flat abdomen.
The male can be distinguished by acute fin on the back, and the female - on the rounded. Their coloring also looks beautiful - olive sides, orange abdomen and dark back, as well as on the body there are dark spots.
The optimal conditions of content can be called water from +15 to +20 degrees, while they carry it a decrease of several degrees and increase to +30 degrees. They do not like salt in water, so it's not worth treating them. To induce them to reproduction, you need to increase the content of oxygen in water.
Peristosy varieties
This African group with beautiful mustache is divided into 150 species of fish. They have a body, a little resembling a triangle, barbed fins, three pairs of mustaches, two of which come on a fringe. Many varieties are combined with the name of the Sindongo. They can feel comfortable even in standing reservoirs like swamps.
Thanks to an unusual manner, lie on the back to be easily distinguished from others. They are more like an animal food and do not keep them next to wounded fish, as they will begin to eat their insides. Females are more than males, have a more dense constitution.
Regardless of the specific subspecies, this group features beautiful specks on the body.
Chernobughiy Peristouous Somik
He prefers the river without a rapid flow, so its main range is the calm branch of the Congo River. Little individuals with a length of 5 cm have a beautiful color - a light cream body and dark with pearl stains, the coloring book darkens, and the belly is almost black. He is comfortable hunting on his back - he just grabs flying past insects either eats appetizing pieces of water lily.
Such painting helps the black peristouous cattle skillfully masked from predators.
It is usually a bright stomach and dark top, he has painted in the opposite direction: the dark belly makes it imperceptible from height for carnivorous feathers, and dangerous fish do not see from under the thickness of the water of his bright back - it is lost on the background of floating plants . He actively eats the pupa of moths.
Multipoint peristouous cattle
The length of his body comes up to 12 centimeters. The popularity of this spotted subspecies among the aquariums is very high. It can be good for 40 liters in the aquarium. This beautiful synodontis, like Dalmatian, was covered with black dots, which are noticeably contrasted with its light body. For this distinctive property, some call it that way. They were also called cuckoo, as they can throw up the eggs in the stamps. Besides, They are inherent in kleptoparazitism - these fish love to steal someone else's food or elements of shelter.
Angel
This species has light yellow dots on a dark background that resemble stars, as well as a very beautiful light fin. This is a leaving of the Congo, Zaire and Cameroon, which has a lot for aquarium fish with dimensions - 18 cm. It is considered one of the most beautiful borometric representatives, but also conditions he needs the "royal" - an aquarium accommodating 200 liters of water.
Bronchnyh soma
The group of armoredaccies includes about 90 types of catches. Crushing their fins is quite loud. The spinal and chest fins are equipped with jar, and the scales are tough. If water in the reservoir or aquarium is not very high-quality, then the fish can get water. She is treated with salt and methyl blue. They feel great in the Amazon pools, during climate fluctuations, including arid periods. These soms are perfectly adjusted to the new environment and have good survival.
Broniums can breathe air in the absence of fluid.
Solid float on the chest helps them to leave the dried plot into more fertile. And they are able to rip into the ground to wait for the water to be filled with moisture again. So fish are able to live to two months, being in a state of slow metabolism. Scales of such a cattle, as if the Knight's lats, protect him from the encroachment of enemies. From fins, a poison can exit, which is not too dangerous, but is able to scare away predators. The mucus of these fish is also poisonous.
At the expense of creaking sounds that they produce, these cats were nicknamed by speaking. With other fish, they are adjacent to calmly. However, it is impossible to call them popular among aquariums, since they are not so attractive to them, like some of their fellow. And these fish are able to poison other inhabitants of the aquarium, since in a stressful situation, for example, when cleaning aquarium, they can emit toxins.
Platidoras striped
His second name is singing som. It is very popular among the breeders of aquarium fish. Its dimensions are very impressive - up to 20 cm long. He can destroy the snails, and especially actively he will do it in a pack of himself like.
Agamixis star or white
It is often possible to meet the breeders. It is in demand due to its pretty dark color with bright "asterisks". Peru is not the biggest representative of the group, the length of his body can reach up to 14 cm. Like his relatives, he prefers to live in the company of other Somov.
How to choose?
The mod includes something alone, then other types of catches, and sometimes become popular not just domesticated, and well forgotten old varieties. But soma at all times were popular for both amateurs and experts of aquarium. Some breeders acquire new individuals, just walking around Zorahnka and stumbled upon an interesting specimen, which is not yet in his collection. This is not the right approach, because ignorance of the features of one or another subspecies can lead to annoying consequences.
Different species have various features. This is the desired water temperature, and its acidity, and a surfability with other hydrobionts.
Purchasing a "cat in a bag", you can run out of your favorite old fish or see what Freckled cattle does not matter in a new habitat.
Corridors and synodontones are very popular among the aquarists of our country. But it is important to know to what size will shoot the fish you bought . Thus, the length of some synodontists reaches 30 cm, and this already implies the need for a fairly large vessel for its content. It is necessary to take into account when buying a new cattle, several basic moments.
Behavior
If we consider the behavior of some subspecies, it can be compared with the cataclysm. If you seal the catfish in the already populated aquarium, it is necessary to choose it especially carefully. In addition, some subspecies can be easily confused. Thus, S. Congica and S. Notata synodontis have a very similar appearance - gray coloring with dark stains - but at the same time completely different temperaments.
The first fish behaves absolutely calmly and, most likely, hesitate with the new company, but the second will terrorize the neighbors.
Food preferences
It is impossible to underestimate the importance of such a factor as a tendency to predatoryness. For example, a very young red-liquor Som Length of 9 cm can easily attack the fourteenthisantimeter Lorikaria. Of course, He will not eat it quickly, but in a few days I will fully manage.
It is not necessary to conduct experiments with dubious neighborhood so that previously purchased fish are not injured from the insatiability of Soma.
Dimensions
Usually at home hold small catches or those that reach the size of a maximum of 30 cm long. But it is impossible to estimate the growth prospects exclusively in appearance of a young fish.
For example, the same red-born Som in childhood has dimensions up to 8 cm. Its color likes many visitors from pet stores.
If the seller behaves unfair, and the buyer's own knowledge is not enough, then over time he will receive almost one-meter meme. It is unlikely to pass it into the zoo, then the fate of the fish will be very sad.
Physical form
Noticing signs of weakness, pain in the behavior of the proposed catches, it is better not to make a purchase. Such cases are not uncommon, because in the bird markets it is often a dealer who took fish from breeders or at all received them from abroad. In the latter case The risk "subcoine" health is very large, since the conditions of transportation may not meet the requirements.
Distinctive signs of a healthy catfish - saturated coloring without a flying, suitable breed, whole fins, lack of visible damage to the bodice of the body.
Most soms have a mustache, they must have a standard length and not bleed. Sometimes it may not be at all, and if the breed provides them, then this instance is clearly due to damage. Or the mustache deteriorated due to incorrect conditions of content: With mass breeding, it can add harmful nitrates and ammonia in excessive amounts.
Transportation home
Today, special plastic bags with a large oxygen reserve are provided for fish. As for specifically Somov, they need to be transported in double packages, and in the case of large-sized individuals and at all in Triple. The reason for this is their sharp fins that are capable of pouring thin plastic. The most reliable will be a plastic container - it is with a greater share of the probability of the catfish in it.
Som is a popular fish among lovers and professionals. It becomes not just a pet pet, but also a real aquarium sanitary engine - brings it from the remnants of unselected food and products of the vital activity of all its inhabitants.
Despite the predatory habits, he peacefully understood, the main thing - to competently pick up his neighbors, and some species should not keep at all with other hydrobionts.
Use all possible sources when choosing this "pretty pet" - this will allow you to avoid common errors and make the right choice.
In the next video you will be able to observe how the catfish is hunting on fish when placing in an aquarium without taking into account the compatibility of individuals.