Large tetras. Tetra aquarium fish: a frisky flock in glass walls

These fish are simply universal! They can be kept in both large and small aquariums. Not only professionals will be able to take care of them, but also beginners who have just embarked on the path of aquarism. Watching them is a pleasure. And even “exotics” can envy their brightness, decorativeness and variety of colors. We are talking now about tetras - a large group of fish belonging to the characin family - favorites of many breeders. What are these creatures, how to create optimal conditions for them, what to feed and much more, read on.

Tetras in nature

AT European countries tetras came in the 60s of the twentieth century from South America where they were found in shallow warm rivers. The bottom of these reservoirs is strewn with fallen leaves. Everywhere you can see snags, branches and protruding roots of plants, which are found in abundance not only at the bottom, but also on the coastal territory.

What do tetras look like?

All representatives of the species are characterized by:

• Small size. There are "babies" with a body length of 2.5 cm and 15-centimeter "giants".
• A narrow long body, shaped like a rhombus.
• A rich palette of colors, which is due to the variety. There are fish elegantly and modestly colored, monochrome and multi-colored. Moreover, mostly males shine with beauty, but the females got a nondescript appearance. It is interesting that in the case of deterioration of living conditions, the beauty and brightness of the color of the tetras gradually fade away.
• AT good conditions can live up to 5-6 years.

Character and compatibility

In most cases, you should not be afraid for the safety of plants or landscape - tetras do not spoil them. They get along well with peaceful fish similar to them in size, such as guppies, mollies, swordtails, cardinals, neon, congo and others. But the neighborhood with cichlids, astronotus and goldfish is better to exclude.

Variety of species

The nature and temperament of the tetras are similar, but the shape and color vary greatly. It is they who underlie the classification of species. We list some of them:

golden or golden. They grow up to an average of 5 cm. They are distinguished by a characteristic “golden” color, active behavior, as well as a love of bright light and floating plants.

Diamond. When exposed to light, their scales sparkle and shimmer like a real jewel.

red-spotted. On the 6-centimeter body of the fish, a red spot is clearly visible, which is sometimes called a bleeding heart.

Colombian. You can easily recognize these 6-7 cm fish by their red tail and silver belly.

Lemon. Sometimes they are called yellow. You can recognize them by the smooth lines of the body, in the lower part of which there is a notch, as well as by yellow or grayish-silver-green color and two oval dark spots next to the gills.

Fireflies. They look very impressive in dim light due to phosphorescent lines on the body. This species is very sensitive to nitrates, so a good filter for them is a vital necessity.

fiery. If you see a long bright red stripe on each side of a 4-centimeter translucent body of a tetra, then these are they - “firemen”.

Black or thorns. Their black-lilac diamond-shaped body is strongly flattened from the sides, and their eyes are striking in their blueness with blue speckles.

Copper. More common than other types. These are miniature fish with a slender long body and a golden peach color. They are very fond of the abundance of plants and look great against the background of dark soil in not very bright light.

Royal. They are painted very “nobly”: pinkish, bluish or purple transparency of the back contrasts with the dark abdomen, and their border is indicated by a bold dark stripe. The tail has a narrow black tail in the middle. The average size of the fish is 5.5 cm. An aquarium with a dark background is just what you need to highlight the exquisite beauty of these tetras.

There are many other, not so common species, for example, red-finned, blue, bloody, mirror, pink, ruby, amanda, Mexican astyanax, lanterns, blind, etc. Experts note that most of all aquarists fell in love with royal, copper, congo and tetragonopterus. That is why it makes sense to talk about them in more detail.

royal tetra

The homeland of this species is considered to be Colombia, or rather the northwestern part of the Cordillera, where Nematobrycon palmeri was found in small forest streams by the American collector Palmer (hence its name). It has been known to European aquarists since 1959, and to domestic aquarists since 1965.

• The strong, 6 cm body of palmeri is elongated and slightly flattened laterally.
• The back is curved more than the abdomen.
• Teeth are clearly visible on short jaws.
• The shape of the caudal fin is unique due to the long central rays - it is three-lobed.
• The dorsal fin also has the first saber rays. There is no adipose fin.

The flanks of juveniles are brownish, but brighten with age. On both sides, two long and wide longitudinal shiny stripes are clearly visible. The top is usually light green or blue, and the bottom is dark brown or black. The eyes of males are blue, while those of females are green. Fins yellowish green. The anal is edged with dark purple, the dorsal and caudal are reddish brown.

Conditions of detention. For the maintenance of royal tetras, it is better to equip a species aquarium, but in general they can also live. These fish swim in all layers of water. Like the rest of the species, they are kept in flocks, in which there are more females than males. These fish have a very developed hierarchy: the stronger the male, the more territory he controls and the more his "harem".

• For seven fish (5 females + 2 males), an 80-liter container will be enough, which must be covered on top due to the jumping ability of the fish.
• The reservoir must be densely filled with plants (including floating ones) and provided with snags-shelters. Vallisneria, cryptocoryne, echinodorus, Thai fern, etc. are quite suitable.
• It is better to maintain the water temperature at the level of 23-26 degrees, the hardness is not more than 8, the acidity is within 6-7.
• Changes are made twice a month in the amount of 20-30 percent.

Feeding. As for food, these fish are not picky and willingly take both dry food in the form of plates, granules, etc., and live ones. They can be given brine shrimp, tubifex, coretra, bloodworm, cyclops. They are very fond of mosquito larvae. Supplement the diet of these fish with herbal supplements and oatmeal.

reproduction. Breeding royal tetras is not very difficult. This becomes possible at the age of six months. A spawning ground is prepared in advance (or a separator net is installed directly in the species), on the bottom of which several plant bushes are planted, such as Javanese moss, pinnate or elodea, and floating varieties are laid out on the surface of the water.

Optimal water for reproduction should have a temperature of 24-28, acidity 1-5, hardness 6-6.8. For these fish, pre-separate keeping of females and males with their abundant feeding is practiced. One male and 2-3 females are placed in the prepared container in the evening. Spawning takes place the next morning.

The eggs are large, transparent, there may be 50-150 of them. After the fish "swept aside" the eggs, they are planted. Water is scooped out from the spawning ground (up to a height of 5-8 cm) and its shading is performed. On the 2nd day fry appear, and on the 6th they are already swimming. You can feed them with a microworm, brine shrimp, ciliates.

These fish live in Africa, inhabiting muddy waters the Congo River (or in the old Zaire). For their colorful appearance, they were nicknamed rainbow tetras. This species was described in 1899 by Boulanger.

They are widespread and not threatened with extinction. However, those fish that are sold in pet stores are grown specifically in Asia or Eastern Europe.

Phenacogrammus interruptus (this is the name of the fish in Latin) grow quite large: 8.5 cm - males and 6 cm - females. Their elongated and laterally flattened body is decorated with magnificent fins.

Males additionally have long veil processes on the three-lobed tail, dorsal and anal fins.

The main bluish iridescent background of the body contrasts with reddish-orange or golden yellow flanks. Grayish-violet transparent fins lighten slightly at the edges.

Conditions of detention. Kongo are quite modest and shy. They may not even take food as long as the observer is close to the aquarium. You should not populate them with overly active and even more aggressive species of fish. Congos get along well with speckled catfish, black neon, lalius, tarakatums.

• For a school of 6 fish, you will need a 150-liter aquarium with dark soil, snags at the bottom and subdued lighting.
• Water should have a temperature of 23-28, hardness 4-18, acidity 6-7.5. Experts advise adding dry oak, beech or apple leaves to it, previously scalded with boiling water.
• It is advisable to change the water once a week in the amount of 15-20 percent.
• Also, these fish require a moderate current.

Feeding. Rainbow tetras are omnivores. They are fed in the same way as the royal ones, but be sure to supplement the menu with herbal ingredients. If this is not done, then young leaves and shoots of aquarium plants will suffer, which the fish will begin to eat.

reproduction. It is believed that breeding Congo at home is not an easy task, but quite possible. Sexual maturity occurs at about 10 months.

First you need to select the brightest pair of fish, seat them in different containers and feed them well for two weeks. Next, the couple is placed in a spawning ground with a large number of plants and a net at the bottom (it will help save the eggs from being eaten by their parents). The impetus for the start of reproduction is an increase in water temperature to 26 degrees. It should be neutral and soft.

The number of caviar can be from 100 to 200, less often up to 300 pieces. On the first day, most of the offspring dies. After about a week, the fry appear. They can be fed with egg yolk and ciliates, and as they grow, they can be transferred to brine shrimp nauplii.

In nature, diamond-shaped tetras are found in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds in South America, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.

This fish is ideal for beginners. Its advantages include unpretentiousness, livability, long life expectancy (5-6 years) and ease of breeding. There is also a minus - this is the habit of spoiling plants. They can eat almost anything except Java moss and anubias.

The roach tetra has a large, slightly elongated, 7 cm body with a silvery neon color. A thin black stripe with a rhombus at the end stretches from the center of the body to the tail. The fins (except for the transparent dorsal and pectoral) are red. Males are smaller, slender and do not have a rounded abdomen.

Conditions of detention. These active fish are kept in a flock of at least 7 pieces. Active and fast species, such as minor, congo, erythrosonus, thorns, will become excellent neighbors for them. But slow-moving with long fins will have a hard time.

The aquarium is better to take a spacious one with a lid at the top. They are undemanding to soil and lighting. Permissible water parameters: temperature 20-28, acidity 6-8, hardness 2-30. It needs to be replaced regularly. It is better to plant a lot of plants, but in such a way that there is enough space for swimming.

Food. Feed should be plentiful, as their appetite is excellent. If there is not enough food, then they begin to cut off the fins of their neighbors in the aquarium. They are picky in food and willingly take live, frozen and dry food, to which it is recommended to add spirulina. Remains from the bottom are reluctantly picked up.

Breeding uncomplicated with preliminary separate maintenance and abundant feeding. Caviar can be laid on mossy plants or even a washcloth made of nylon thread. There is so much of it that even after being eaten by parents, it remains in sufficient quantity. Spawning occurs in several steps, after which the female is set aside for rest.

On the second or third day, small fry appear, hanging on plants and the glass of the aquarium. At this time, they need enhanced aeration and "live dust" as food. They grow very quickly and after a week and a half they eat cyclops with might and main. A year later, they are already able to give offspring themselves.

Her homeland is the southeastern part of Brazil, where the San Francisco River flows.

The body shape of copper fish is characteristic of all tetras. The size does not exceed 5 cm. The males are copper-colored, and the females are light yellow. A black and blue stripe is visible from the pectoral fins to the tail. From above, parallel to it, there is a second stripe, golden in males and yellow in females. Males have reddish-brown fins and yellowish spots on the tail.

Compatibility. These tetras have a peaceful disposition. They are very mobile, curious and not shy. Most often they stay in the middle layer of water. It is better to settle in a group of at least 8 pieces.

Good neighbors for them can be characins, rainbows, zebrafish, lalius, rasboras, gourami, guppies, angelfish, barbs, discus, etc. Joint keeping with amano and cherry shrimp is acceptable. But with aggressive species, the neighborhood is unsuccessful.

Conditions of detention. The water in the aquarium should have a temperature of 20-26 degrees, a hardness of 5 to 20 and an acidity of 6.5-7.5. It should be filtered, aerated and changed weekly by 20 percent. The landscape is best designed by alternating thickets and space for swimming.

reproduction. You can breed from 4-6 months. Females are easily distinguished by a more massive and large body with a dull color. Males are more graceful and brightly colored. The breeding process is similar to those described above for other types of tetras. The difference, perhaps, is that the duration of separate keeping is increased to two weeks, the number of eggs is greater (up to 400), it is small, dark brown, and sticky.

Summing up

In conclusion, I would like to recall the general important conditions for all types of tetras:

1. They are very sensitive to cleanliness, so the water will have to be changed more often than for other fish.
2. They do not tolerate chlorine and other impurities, so you need to use only settled water for at least 2-3 days.
3. They look more effective against the background of dark soil in dim lighting.

As we managed to find out, tetras are bright and frisky fish that are interesting to watch. However, they do not require complex care and are perfect for small aquariums in small spaces.

If you live in a mode of almost constant employment and a total lack of time, but still want to get some pets, then fish will be the perfect solution for you. In addition to the fact that the fish do not need too much of your attention, watching the aquarium has a beneficial effect on the psyche and emotional state, allowing you to relax. If you do not want to start large aquarium inhabitants, then turn your attention to fish such as tetras. These are spawning fish with a maximum of eight centimeters in length, with bright and very diverse colors.

Tetras are schooling fish, so it is worth buying a digging of 7-10 individuals. An aquarium is suitable for them from 30 liters, with a large number of different plants and a place for free swimming. By the way, tetras will not mind pinching algae, so you can buy aquatic plants with numerous small leaves. The optimum water temperature for these fish ranges from 21 ° to 26 ° C, the water must be partially changed once a week.

It is noteworthy that the appearance of the fish is very sensitive to the state of the environment. That is, if you comply with the conditions for keeping the fish, then they are very colorful and beautiful, otherwise, all their attractiveness quickly disappears.

In food, these fish are unpretentious, they can eat both live and combined dry food.

Tetras are very friendly and easily get along with other small peace-loving fish (for example, with neons or cardinals).

Tetra fish species

There are several types of tetra fish:

• royal tetra: size 5.5 centimeters, look most impressive on a dark background of the aquarium;
• tetra colombian: length is about 6-7 centimeters, the caudal fin is red, and the abdomen is silvery;
• bloody tetra: body length 4 centimeters, color varies from silver to bright red;
• golden tetra: the fish is not brightly colored, but has a noticeable golden sheen, about 3.5-5 centimeters long. They love bright lighting and floating plants, these fish are very active, constantly in motion;
• fiery tetras: the body of these fish is translucent, about 4 centimeters long, a bright red stripe runs from head to tail;
• mirror tetra: length 4 centimeters, the main color is mirror brown;
• tetra black: also known as blackthorn, silver-colored fish and have a very unusual shape bodies in the form of a rhombus, strongly flattened laterally;
• pink tetra: pink fish 4.5 centimeters in size, the schooling instinct in this species of tetras is less pronounced than in other species;
• blue tetra: the size of these fish is about 4-5 centimeters, the color is yellowish with a blue tint, the body is elongated and slightly compressed on the sides.

Reproduction of tetra fish

Tetras reach sexual maturity between 6 and 8 months. For breeding, a couple is placed in a spawning aquarium with a volume of at least forty liters. 10 days before the expected spawning, the female must be intensively fed, then reduce the hardness of the water and increase the temperature by 2-3 ° C. Fertilized caviar is in a transparent shell, while defective caviar becomes cloudy within 12 hours. Around the fifth day, the young will swim, the first food for him may be infusoria or brine shrimp.

Tetras are very mobile, bright, iridescent fish that look very impressive in an aquarium, especially with the whole flock against the backdrop of dense thickets. They will become not only pets that are interesting to watch, but also an original decoration of your apartment.

Hasemania or Copper Tetra

The copper tetra or Hasemania nana (lat. Hasemania nana) is a small fish that lives in dark water rivers in Brazil. It has a slightly more harmful character than other small tetras, and can cut off the fins of other fish.

Habitat in nature

Hasemania nana comes from Brazil, where it lives in rivers with black water (blackwater), which darkens from the abundant layer of leaves, branches and other organic matter that covers the bottom.

Description

Small tetras, up to 5 cm in length. Life expectancy is about 3 years. Males are bright, copper in color, females are paler and more silvery. However, if you turn on the light at night, you can see that all the fish are silver, and only at the beginning of the morning they acquire their famous color. Both of them have white spots on the edges of the fins, highlighting the fish. There is also a black spot on the tail fin. From other types of tetras, copper is distinguished by the absence of a small adipose fin.

Copper tetras look good in a densely planted aquarium with dark soil. This is a schooling fish that prefers to stay in the center of the aquarium. For a small flock, a volume of 70 liters is enough. In nature, they live in very soft water with a lot of dissolved tannins and low acidity, and if the same parameters are in the aquarium, then hasemanias are more brightly colored. Such parameters can be recreated by adding peat or dry leaves to the water. However, they are used to other conditions, so they live at a temperature of 23-28°C, water acidity pH: 6.0-8.0 and hardness 5-20°H. However, they do not like sudden changes in parameters; changes must be made gradually.

Compatibility

Despite their small size, they can cut off the fins of other fish, but they themselves can be a victim for large and predatory aquarium fish. So that they touch other fish less, you need to keep copper tetras in a flock, from 10 individuals. Then they have their own hierarchy, order and more interesting behavior.

They get along well with rhodostomus, black neon, tetragonopterus and other fast tetras and haracins. It can be kept with swordtails and mollies, but not with guppies. They do not touch the shrimps either, as they live in the middle layers of the water.

Feeding

Not picky and eat any kind of food. In order for the fish to be brightly colored, it is advisable to regularly give live or frozen food.

Sex differences

Male copper tetras are more brightly colored than females, and females also have a more rounded abdomen.

Breeding

Reproduction in copper tetras is quite simple, but you will have to put them in a separate aquarium if you want to get more fry. The aquarium should be twilight and bushes of plants with small leaves, Javanese moss or nylon thread will work well. The eggs will fall through the threads or leaves, and the fish will not be able to get to it. The aquarium needs to be covered or let floating plants float on the surface.

Producers need to be fed live food before being placed to spawn. They can spawn in a flock, 5-6 fish of both sexes will be enough, however, they are successfully bred in pairs. It is advisable to seat the producers in different aquariums, and feed them abundantly for a while. Then, in the evening, put them in a spawning ground, the water in which should be a few degrees warmer. Spawning starts early in the morning.

Females lay eggs on plants, but fish can eat them, and at the slightest opportunity they need to be removed. The larvae will hatch in 24-36 hours, and after another 3-4 days the fry will begin to swim. The first days of copper tetra fry are fed with small foods, such as ciliates and green water, as they grow, they give a microworm and Artemia naupilii. Eggs and fry are photosensitive in the first days of life, so the aquarium should be removed from direct sunlight and kept in a fairly shaded place.

Aquarium minor - what kind of fish?

Minor, sickle (lat. Hyphessobrycon minor) is a small aquarium fish of the Kharatsin family. Natural habitat - freshwater reservoirs with slow flow, in South America. Like any tetra, an adult minor reaches a size of no more than 5 cm in length, lives in captivity for 5-6 years.

General characteristics

The structure of the body is slender, high, flattened on the sides, oblong. The dorsal fin is vertical, quadrangular in shape, also elongated. The body color is olive green on the back, and bright red on the underside. A dark horizontal stripe runs along the perimeter of the body. Gill covers and dorsal fin covered with small dark spots.

The dorsal fin is black with a white border, the other fins are red. The adipose fin is translucent. The caudal fin is two-lobed, red, with no scales at its base. Adult females do not have such a bright color of the body and fins as males, however, their body is more rounded and full, during the spawning period, a swollen abdomen is clearly visible.

Minor has a calm and peaceful character. As a schooling fish, it prefers to stay in a school of 4-6 individuals or more. Alone, the fish can attack the neighbors in the aquarium. It is unacceptable to keep with veil-tailed fish, which can gnaw all the fins. This aquarium tetra perfectly coexists with peaceful and mobile fish, compatibility is possible with neons, platies, flashlights, pulchers, ornatus, and other tetras.

Look at the common aquarium with minors.

Characionids are very fond of dense plants and open spaces for swimming. They prefer to swim in the upper and middle ball of water. Ground plants (anubias, elodea, Javanese moss, cryptocoryne) can be planted on the bottom, secured with stones, floating plants should be placed above the surface of the water.

Recommended Settings aquatic environment: temperature 22-26 degrees Celsius, water acidity 6.8-7.0 pH, water hardness - 4-8 dGH. It is necessary to adjust the quality of aeration and filtration. Once a week, you need to replace 20% of the water with fresh and clean water. These aquarium fish love water, where a little boiled peat is added.

The light intensity is medium, use fluorescent lamps, including them for 10 hours a day. Gravel or sand of medium fraction is suitable as soil. At the bottom, you can put snags, grottoes, caves, which will serve as shelters for each fish.

The fish is more undemanding in food, the main rule is to give it medium-sized food that it can grab with its mouth. Nutrition should be balanced, varied. Give your pet live food (daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworms, cyclops, crustaceans, small insects), dry food in the form of granules and flakes, vegetable food (duckweed, lettuce and dandelion leaves, spinach, pinnate).

Watch the cheerful and agile minors.

Breeding rules

Aquarium minors should spawn in a specially prepared spawning tank with a water capacity of 20-25 liters. A separator mesh is placed at the bottom of the tank to protect the eggs. It is better to install dim and diffused lighting in the aquarium. It is not necessary to line the soil, place plants with long stems, or Thai fern, Javanese moss and pinnate in the water. The height of the water in the aquarium is 10-15 centimeters, the parameters of the aquatic environment are: temperature 26-28 ° C, hardness - 15 dH, acidity 6.2-7.0 pH. Water can be taken fresh and infused, or with the addition of peat extract. Peated water is prepared as follows: boiled peat concentrate (neutral acidity) is poured into infused water and infused for 7-30 days.

How to choose manufacturers? For breeding in a seine, a pair of individuals, or several pairs of fish, is chosen. 7 days before the start of spawning, females and males are kept separately, feeding them with live food. They should be placed in the spawning tank in the evening, 2 hours before the lights are turned off. In a few days, in the morning, spawning will occur, the female produces 200-300 small eggs. If breeding does not occur, you can replace the pair, or do not feed the males and females for a day. The eggs fall to the bottom, sticking to the mesh and plant leaves. After the process, all producers are removed back to the common aquarium, the spawning ground is supplied with aeration, its walls are shaded with dark paper.

The larvae of the fry will hatch after 48 hours, after which they will hang on the plants, after 3-5 days they will swim on their own. Starting feeding for them is ciliates, rotifers, cyclops larvae, small nematodes. Every 2-3 days, the water in the spawning tank is tedious to replace with clean water, gradually increasing its level of hardness. Fry grow quickly, become sexually mature at the age of up to one year.

Caring for the red-nosed tetra or rhodostomus

Rhodostomus, or red-nosed tetra, is an aquarium fish of the Kharatsin family (first described in 1886). The natural habitat is the delta of the South American Amazon River, where many species of fish of this family live. In the rivers of Colombia and Venezuela, the water is soft and acidic due to the strong effect of tannins, which appear here as a result of the oxidation of leaves and organic matter. This species hardly passed acclimatization in European countries, which is why it partially lost its bright color.

The length of an adult is 4.5-6 centimeters. Rhodostomus males have a more elongated slender body with a hook on the posterior fin, while females have a protruding abdomen. Color does not depend on gender: it is identical. The red-nosed tetra rhodostomus got its name for a reason. The head and gills of these fish are bright red. The body is bluish-transparent in color, the tail is painted in black and white stripes. The eyes are jet-black, the pectoral and anal fins are transparent, the adipose fin is white-blue.

Rhodostomus is very demanding in maintenance and care. They have a peaceful, but shy character, lead active image life.

The red-nosed tetra is not easy to adapt to the conditions of an aquarium, its maintenance requires a certain competence. This is a schooling fish that loves a large space for action. Therefore, the aquarium should be purchased with a volume of at least 40-50 liters. At the bottom of it, you need to carefully lay out gravel soil (river sand is not excluded), which is not amenable to purulent processes. Then plants (ferns and arrowhead), dry leaves and driftwood can be planted on it. Rhodostomus like to be surrounded by algae - in stressful situations they are hiding there. Do not put the aquarium in a noisy, crowded place.

Watch Rhodostomus swimming to music in the aquarium.

To ensure comfortable living conditions close to natural, it is necessary to combine the optimal conditions of water, without which a full life and quality care are impossible. The pH level should be 5.8-8, and the water temperature should be 22-26 ° C with a hardness of 6 to 15 °. It is better to use an external filter, since Rhodostomus is sensitive to nitrates and ammonia. Aquarium lighting is preferably dim, soft, reminiscent of the shadow of dense thickets.

Change 25% of the aquarium water weekly. If the color of the fish has faded, this means that the quality of the water has deteriorated (for the content of ammonia and nitrates).

Rhodostomus swims in all layers of the water; a flock of fish does not have a leader. They feel great next to relatives of 5-7 individuals. They can also be housed with other members of the genus Hemmigramus.

Rules for breeding rhodostomus

Rhodostomus is whimsical in content, and breeding it is no less a serious task. The fact is that in adult parents, eggs may not be fertilized if the water is of poor quality. Another reason why its breeding is problematic is that young fish grow very slowly. The sex of the fish is difficult to determine until the start of spawning. The spawning tank must be kept perfectly clean with a UV sterilizer in the filter to keep the water free of fungi and harmful bacteria. Males and females that are going to spawn should be reared in acidic and soft water. Before spawning, rhodostomus feed on live food.

Rhodostomus reaches sexual maturity after 8-12 months of life in good aquarium water. In separate aquariums for males and females (before spawning), the water conditions should be slightly different: the water temperature must be raised by 1-2 degrees, the water hardness should be reduced to 4-6o, the pH level should be up to 6.6-6.8. In addition, before settling in a spawning aquarium, it should be carefully prepared. To do this, you need to take rainwater, water from forest puddles, distilled water, adding a decoction of peat to it.

The resulting water must be filtered very well and poured into a prepared aquarium a few days before the parents plant. At the time of settling, the water parameters in the spawning area should be as follows: temperature 25 ° C -27 ° C, water hardness 2 ° - 4 °, pH 6.0 -6.2. Rhodostomus by its breeding stimulates great attention to every detail.

A spawning net should be placed inside the aquarium, and covered with glass so that the fish do not jump out. Spawning lasts about ten days, during which the males actively care for the females until they get tired of their importunity. There should be twice as many males in the spawning ground as females.

In the evening, the fish spawn, in the morning they spawn. So that adults do not inadvertently eat offspring, they are resettled, and the aquarium itself with caviar is darkened. The incubation period is more than 24 hours, after which the net and plants are removed, reducing the water level. For 1 time, the female brings 400 sticky eggs, on the 4th day fry appear, which are fed with infusoria and living dust. By the age of 2 months, they reach the length of adult rhodostomuses. Under favorable conditions, Rhodostomus spawns 7-8 times a year.

On the video - rhodostomuses with swordtails in a common aquarium

Food

Rhodostomus is unpretentious in food. Adult fish consumes both dry and frozen food: cyclops, daphnia, small bloodworms, insect larvae, brine shrimp, tubifex. It is better to give dry food less often, and preferably smaller, since the red tetra has a small mouth.

When you can overcome the difficulties involved in breeding and caring for this beautiful and harmless fish, the result will not be long in coming. All efforts will not go in vain if the work is approached with love and responsibility. Lovely rhodostomuses will delight the eyes of their owner and his guests.

See also: The smallest aquarium fish.

Rhodostomus - red tetra: maintenance, compatibility, breeding, photo.

Origin and habitat

Rhodostomus, like most fish of the characin family, lives in the rivers of South America, in the tributaries of the Amazon, bearing brown from fallen leaves and other organic compounds water, as well as in the Rio Vaupes in Colombia and the Rio Negro in Brazil.

The diamond rhodostomus was described in 1986 and is also called the red-nosed or red-headed tetra.

The body of this aquarium fish is silver with a neon tint, full and elongated, it grows up to 4.5 cm in length. Their distinguishing feature is a red nose and a black and white striped tail - 3 black stripes are located between 4 white ones. During stress, the red mark becomes much paler.

The three types of rhodostomus differ slightly, their differences are almost imperceptible. The main difference is the size of the red spot on the nose (only in the brilliant red-nosed tetra it extends beyond the gills).

And the aquarium rhodostomus can live up to 5 years or more.

Appearance of rhodostomus

Outwardly not very attractive. The body is elongated, translucent silvery in color with a greenish tint. The head is red. The caudal fin is painted in black and white stripes. Color saturation depends on external conditions. Under stress or worsening conditions, the head of the rhodostomus becomes a pale red color.

If conditions are right, the head is ruby ​​red. So the color is an excellent indicator of the condition of the fish and the quality of the conditions of detention, warning the aquarist about possible problems. The body length is about 5 centimeters.

Content Options

Aquarium volume: 55 liters and more for a small flock
Suitable for nano aquarium: Yes
Priming: dark sand
Lighting: moderate - average
Temperature: 22 - 27°C
Breeding temperature: 25-27°C
pH: 5.5-6.8 - pH (6.0 to 6.5 is best for breeding)
Hardness of water: 2 - 8° dGH
water movement: moderate
Swimming spots in the aquarium: all levels

Rhodostomus prefer to live in a company of at least 6-8 individuals. At the same time, an aquarium for such a number of fish should be at least 50 liters in volume. It is desirable to plant it densely with underwater plants. Rhodostomus, whose maintenance in the aquarium will not be difficult if the water hardness is 6-13 units, pH is from 5.8 to 7.8 and the water temperature is 23-27ºС, prefers to be in the lower or middle layer of water.

Filtration and aeration are required. Every week you need to replace a third of the water. By the appearance of tetra rhodostomus, you can determine when the water in the aquarium becomes too polluted with nitrates, nitrites and ammonia. In this case, the red color on the head of the fish becomes noticeably paler. This means that the water in the aquarium urgently needs to be changed, otherwise its inhabitants may die. The lighting of the aquarium with rhodostomus fish should be subdued.

These fish are not picky in feeding and are happy to eat daphnia, brine shrimp, tubifex (both live and frozen), and also eat dry food for fish in the form of granules or flakes.

Compatibility

Rhodostomus peaceful fish, will look best in a group of 7 - 10 individuals. They look good in an aquarium with free space for swimming. Other peaceful tetras will become excellent neighbors for them, they will look especially beautiful with blue or red neons, black neons, rasboras, peaceful dwarf cichlids, peaceful catfish - corridors. If you want to create a biotope, then neons and corridors are the best fit for neighbors, since they are neighbors and in wild nature.

Feed and feeding

Rhodostomus are omnivores, they are suitable for all types of aquarium food: dry high-quality food in the form of flakes or granules, for example, Tetra or Sera for tropical fish; live foods such as small bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp, as well as frozen foods. Make sure the food is small enough for the rhodostomus to pick up with their small mouths.

You can raise live brine shrimp yourself in salt water, and breeding brine shrimp eggs can be found in many online stores.

It is advisable to feed aquarium fish rhodostomus several times a day in small portions (food should be eaten in less than 3 minutes).

Breeding rhodostomus and sex differences

There are practically no external differences between the female and the male. Females are slightly larger and can be distinguished by their larger abdomens. Many problems can be encountered in an attempt to breed, especially if there is no experience in breeding other aquarium fish.

Due to the long-term maintenance of rhodostomus in hard water rich in calcium salts, the fish can become infertile. Therefore, for successful spawning, producers must live in soft water all their lives. Failure to comply with this requirement makes all attempts by the aquarist to propagate Rhodostomus fruitless. It is recommended to put a little peat in the filter or add a specialized additive for Blackwater water (for example, Tetra Blackwater Extract). This will help create conditions in the aquarium as similar to natural conditions as possible.

Parents need to be fed live food (bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp). Producers are planted in a spawning aquarium a week before spawning. There should be no bright light in the spawning aquarium. Definitely need small-leaved plants. Java moss is best placed on the bottom of the aquarium. The spawning aquarium should be located in a quiet place, away from the permanent location of people, so that the fish are not frightened or stressed. The temperature is slowly raised to 32 degrees Celsius.

It is almost impossible to observe spawning, since the light in the aquarium must be dimmed. Males chase females and fight against them side by side, stimulating spawning. After the females sweep away the eggs and the males fertilize them, the parents should be deposited in another aquarium. Caviar is susceptible to fungal diseases. A special antifungal agent must be added to the water to prevent infection of the eggs. The fry hatch from the eggs and begin to swim somewhere on the 4th day. The first day or two they feed on the remains in the yolk sac, after which they begin to swim freely in search of food.

In the first days, the fry are fed with infusoria, a little later with freshly hatched brine shrimp nauplii. The water in the aquarium must be changed once a day by 10 percent of the volume. The water should be just as soft. In raising fry, the aquarist faces another problem.

Rhodostomus fry grows very slowly. Slower than all of the entire characin family. And it will be possible to transfer them to the usual “adult” food somewhere in half a year. During this time, putting artemia just bothers. Of course, you can feed the frozen one, but the fry does not take it as willingly as the live one.

Water in the first three months should be 30-32 degrees. This promotes faster growth. Fry are prone to various bacterial infections, so it is advisable to filter the water through a UV sterilizer. This will prevent possible outbreaks of diseases.

RIVULUS CONTENTS BREEDING COMPATIBILITY PHOTO DESCRIPTION CARE.

PRISTELLA CONTENTS BREEDING COMPATIBILITY PHOTO DESCRIPTION.

POLYCENTRUS OR FISH STOP CONTENT BREEDING COMPATIBILITY.

TETRAS CONTENTS SPECIES SPEARING PHOTO COMPATIBILITY VIDEO.

Black and white thorns - content rules

Black tetra, blackthorn (lat. Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) also known as the “black widow tetra” is a small freshwater fish of the Kharatsin family. There is often confusion as this is not the only fish known as a "thorn". She has a "cousin" Gymnocorymbus thayeri, which is also called "thorn".

Gymnocorymbus thayeri is a shy fish and is not as hardy as the black widow. In addition, other color forms with beautiful appearance are known. These include white thorns, and colored tetra (caramel). The black tetra Gymnocorymbus ternetzi was described by Boulenger in late XIX century. This fish is found in South America: in the rivers of Paraguay, where it lives in the upper layers of the water.

Description. Content Rules

Ternetia has a deep saturated color and a body compressed on the sides. This fish reaches a size of 5.5 cm in home aquarium. Life expectancy is 6 to 7 years. It is distinguished by two vertical stripes, and well-developed dorsal and anal fins. During puberty, the rich black stripes on the body fade. The body is diamond-shaped, with a silvery sheen.

The blackthorn is easy to keep, adapts well to changes in water parameters, and is an excellent decoration for the general aquarium. This aquarium fish is omnivorous. In the wild, black tetras feed on worms, small crustaceans and insects, but in captivity they tend to eat a variety of live, fresh, and branded foods. Bloodworms, brine shrimp, cyclops they also love.

See how to keep blackthorn in a home aquarium.

Since they are active swimmers, thorns should live in a tank with a volume of at least 50 liters per individual. They love soft, peat-filtered water. The fish prefers plant cover and dark gravel as a substrate. As plants, you can choose Javanese moss, cryptocoryne, echinodorus. She also needs open area to swim freely. The aquarium must be closed with a lid, because this fish jumps well.

Lighting in the aquarium: moderate

Temperature: 21 to 26°C

Breeding temperature: 27 to 29°C

pH range: 6.0-8.0

Hardness range: 3-30 dgH

Salinity: dislikes salted water

Water flow: moderate

Swimming Area: This fish will swim in all layers of water.

Ternetia is an active fish, and can be aggressive towards veil-tailed and small fish. It is not recommended to be kept alone. AT large groups compatibility is optimal. Each fish will focus on each other and not smaller fish. Compatibility in the general aquarium is possible with fish of similar sizes. They become calmer with age. Ternetia gets along well with most viviparous, zebrafish, rasboras, other tetras, peaceful inhabitants of water bodies, as well as some dwarf cichlids.

The dorsal fin of the male is narrower and longer than that of the female. The mature female is more rounded than the male. Ternetia aquarium was bred in captivity, various color forms appeared later, and they have magnificent fins. Perfect for beginner aquarists who decide to breed fish.

Look at the spawning of thorns.

For breeding to be successful, females must be kept separate from males for 7 to 10 days prior to spawning. You need to feed them with live foods in a frozen form. Then they can be launched into a 40-liter tank, where a sponge filter and an aeration compressor should be installed. The temperature of the water in the spawning area, stimulating reproduction: from 27 to 30 degrees Celsius. The acidity of the medium is neutral, the hardness of the water is below 15 dH. You can put Java moss in the tank, which will serve as a substrate for caviar. Separator mesh is also suitable, but the caviar must pass through it without damage.

Breeding will begin when males start chasing. The female will lay from 500 eggs within 2-3 hours. After successful laying, the spawners must be removed so that they do not eat the eggs. All unfertilized eggs must be removed in a timely manner so that they are not covered with a fungus. The larvae will hatch in 18-36 hours, and the fry will start swimming in a few more days.

Maintenance and care of fry: during the first days of life, feed with ciliates. Later you can give a microworm and Artemia nauplii. The biggest problem is that fry are prone to starvation if they cannot find a food source in a dark tank in a timely manner. Give the fry lots of light, day and night, until they are big enough. Then they will be able to eat the newly hatched brine shrimp.

Rainbow tetra from the Congo

Congo tetra (lat. Phenacogrammus interruptus) is a bright representative of the Kharacin family. Despite its small size, it has a contrasting appearance, it is difficult not to notice it among the aquarium thickets. The luxurious body shimmers with a luminous sheen, and thin fins resemble a lady's fan.

Congo fish live in a school, so they require a spacious aquarium for swimming. In captivity, they grow up to 8 centimeters in length.

The natural habitat is the Congo River, which is located in the African country Congo (Zaire). It was first described by the French zoologist P. Boulanger in 1899. The Congo Tetra has been described as a beautiful, calm, schooling fish with an active lifestyle. Due to the unusual iridescent color, it received the names "blue Congo" and "rainbow Congo". In the Congo River, where these fish constantly live, the water is acidic and dark. The diet consists of zooplankton, insects and plant remains.

Appearance and feeding

Blue Congo can be called a large tetra, because an adult grows up to 6-8.5 cm in length. They live 3-5 years under good conditions. An adult fish looks like a rainbow, its color is full of blue, orange, yellow, white and pink. Females are smaller than males, their abdomen is rounded, males have longer fins. The fins of the fish are transparent, veil-shaped with a white sheen. The dorsal fin is narrow, resembling a sail.

See what the rainbow tetra looks like.

For a full life in captivity, you will need both live and plant food. The rainbow tetra is an omnivorous fish, which makes it easy to keep at home. Food can be purchased at a pet store: flakes, small granules that the fish can swallow are suitable. Accepts live and frozen food. However, due to their shyness, they do not eat in plain sight, or do not have time to collect all the food, so carefully watch their meal.

Rainbow tetras prefer darkened water, not hard, with dark soil. It is desirable that the aquarium has floating vegetation. Soft lighting sets off the shimmering scales, such a sight looks amazing. Aggressive big fish can offend them by cutting off their fins. It is better to keep a flock in a separate nursery, together they feel comfortable and safe. Some breeders keep them along with speckled catfish, lalius, neon.

The scenery of the water reservoir should create the effect of a natural biotope, where there are various driftwood, shelters, hard-leaved plants and dark soil. Water should be soft and acidic. A 70 liter aquarium is fine for a small flock, but a large space is a joy for them. For a flock of 6 individuals, a 200 liter container will be a worthy home.

Water parameters:

• Neutral or acidic pH 6.0-7.5;
• On the surface of the water - floating vegetation;
• Purity of water with a regular change of 20% of the volume once a week, filtration;
• Water temperature - 23-28 degrees, hardness - 4-18o;
• To give the water the effect of a natural river, you can put brown leaves on the bottom of the container.

Look at the spawning of Phenacogrammus interruptus.

Breeding conditions in the spawning ground

Breeding the rainbow tetra is possible if you are an experienced aquarist. In spawning grounds, they do not breed so easily. For brooding, you will need the brightest pair of fish, which should be settled in separate containers for two weeks, feeding them with live food. A separator net and plants should be laid at the bottom of the spawning ground to protect the eggs - like many tetras, the Congo eat their child due to negligence.

Stimulation for reproduction is the acidity and softness of the aquatic environment, as well as an increase in temperature to 26 degrees. In the spawning area, a ready male actively cares for the female, chasing her until she agrees to spawning. During the day, the fish lays 100-300 large eggs. But on the first day, many of them die from a fungal disease, so it is recommended to add methylene blue to the water.

Parents need to be removed. A week later, fry appear, the starting food for them is egg yolk and ciliates. Further, it is recommended to add Artemia naupilii to the diet. They become sexually mature at the age of 10 months.

AT recent times lovers of aquarium fish are increasingly opting for tetras. These are very colorful and peaceful fish, it is interesting to watch them. This species is ideal for a beginner aquarist. The fins and tail are intricately curved and beautifully outlined. The tail of the fish visually represents two blades. The dorsal fin in most species is long and sharp, like a shark's.

Description

Tetra aquarium fish is considered a decorative species of fish. Tetr belongs to the genus Characin. This is a small fish, has a diamond-shaped body, slightly flattened laterally. There are a wide variety of colors, there are also monochromatic fish. Often there are silvery fish, the body of which is crossed by black stripes. And there are also black fish with red rims around the eyes. Black fish also have blue eyes.

The gill covers do not protrude, the muzzle of the fish is small, the eyes are round and large. The forehead is convex. The scales play in the light, reflect the light and glare beautifully.

The most common are the following Tetra fish color shades:

• olive;
• green;
• yellow;
• red;
• yellow-green;
• light blue;
• gray, with color splashes;

Types of tetras and their description

Today in nature there are dozens of types, most of which live in natural environment. In the wild, this fish is found in South America.

for home, aquarium breeding breeders prefer the following types of fish:

1. Amanda.
2. Glass tetra.
3. Lemon tetra.

Amanda is a small fish of a bright color. As a species, it was bred recently, in 1987, by the researcher Heiko Bleher. She was named after Heiko's mother. In its natural environment, it is found in Brazil, in the tributaries of the Amazon. It has an elongated, slightly flattened body from the sides, the color is predominantly red-orange. The eye rim is a rich gold color. The fins are unpaired, have a light red tint. The dorsal fin and tail are adorned with blotches of pale gray. The fish is tiny, only 2-3 cm long. They prefer plankton to eat, and they will not refuse special food from the pet store. By nature, active, mobile fish.

glass tetra so named because its body is almost completely translucent. Indeed, one can easily examine its internal organs and spine. The shape of the body is elongated, flattened laterally. Head correct form, the forehead is slightly convex. The tail is painted in rich red. The dorsal fin is of medium length, as is the ventral fin. Very mobile, prefers to stray in flocks. In the natural environment, it is found in Brazil, Colombia, Peru.

lemon tetra has a beautiful, unusual color. If you look at the fish in the light, you can see its insides and even costal bones. The body has an oval shape, the fins seem transparent, but in fact they are a delicate light yellow hue. The tail is forked, the body is bright lemon color. The eyes are red, the eye rim is missing. Small fish, 3-4 cm long. It occurs in the tributaries of the Amazon, feeding on surface plankton.

red-nosed tetra also called rhodostomus. A very beautiful creature, with shimmering pale lemon scales. They called her the red-nosed one for her bright red head. On the head there is a lemon-colored diamond-shaped mint. The body is elongated, the tail is bifurcated, it has black and white oval spots. In addition to beauty and unusual color, the fish is famous for its peaceful disposition, able to get along with its beloved peaceful neighbors. Distributed in South America. It eats plankton and finely ground ready-made feed.

Breeders should remember that the brightness of the color of this fish depends on the quality of the content. With poor care, the fish noticeably fades. There are a few important tips, adhering to which the breeder can easily cope with the breeding of these types of aquarium fish:

• The aquarium will fit the minimum volume. 30 liters will be enough.
• Water must be clean and filtered. The temperature is 22-25 degrees, the acidity is not more than 5-6, the hardness is not more than 13-15. Every week it is necessary to add about 1/6 of the volume of settled clean water.
• The filter is required. Lighting should be diffused, the light is soft and dim. It is recommended to leave one corner dark, plant it with plants. This corner will be considered a hiding place for the fish.
• The soil is preferably dark in color. Suitable sand or smooth gravel.
• This type of fish does not spoil plants, but their presence in the aquarium is mandatory. The aquarist is free to choose algae for the aquarium.
• Driftwood, large smooth stones are suitable as decor.

Tetra nutrition

Tetras eat almost everything, in this regard they are unpretentious. Experts recommend feeding this species live, dry and even frozen food.

Character and neighborhood

By nature, they are very peaceful, active and mobile fish. They love space, play catch-up with each other. They prefer to huddle in flocks.

In loneliness, the character of the tetra deteriorates very quickly. The fish becomes aggressive, attacks its neighbors, and can arrange a vulgar fight if someone invades its territory.

They coexist peacefully with fish that are the same size as tetras. It is not recommended to settle aquarium tetras with cichlids, goldfish. Cichlids are quite aggressive predators, so tetras can become prey for cichlids. They get along well with guppies, swordtails, congos and cardinals.

reproduction

Reproduction in an aquarium in this species of fish is possible. At the 6th year of the life of the fish, these fish end their puberty, and they begin to look for a mate. If the fish exists in a flock, then choosing a partner will not be difficult. Tetra is able to lay about 150 eggs at a time. The breeder needs to take care of protection, as tetras can eat eggs.

As a defense, you can simply resettle the "pregnant" female before the end of the spawning.

Fry hatch from eggs for 3-4 days. Babies are fed ciliates and boiled egg yolk. The filter is required in an aquarium with fry, only the power will need to be set to the minimum. Tetra fry are weak, not all survive. Large fry must be separated from small ones so that the large ones do not cripple those who are weaker. At 3-4 weeks of life, the fry develop a color.

Should be remembered that the guarantee of the health and normal development of their aquarium pets lies in proper care. If the care recommendations are not followed, the fish will not be able to breed, eat properly and eventually die.

The first mention of the royal tetra occurred in 1911. And many years later, in 1959, Nematobrycon palmeri Eigenmann first appeared in European aquariums. The royal tetra is a resident of the water system of the San Juan River, located in Colombia.

Her body length is 5.5 cm. Distinctive feature the royal tetra is considered to lack an adipose fin.

To distinguish fish by gender, consider the average tail ray and the overall size of the individual. Tetra females are smaller than males. The abdomen of the female is much rounder, and the body color is dull and not expressive. The central ray of the tail fin of the male is longer than that of the female. It is believed that not all males of the royal tetra can bear offspring. That is why you should carefully select males for breeding these fish.

For successful breeding, these fish should be planted in a separate aquarium. Females are kept separately for about 2 weeks. The water where the offspring will develop can be taken from the main aquarium, but at the same time adding peat extract to it. A suitable temperature for spawning is water +24 +26C.

The water in the spawning aquarium should not be too acidic or soft, otherwise the fry may get dropsy. In general, breeding the royal tetra is an easy process. Swept eggs turn into larvae within a day after throwing. And after five days, fry appear from it. The main food for the fry of the tetra is, and the grown young are fed with tubifex, previously cut. Also, they can be given flies (R. Drosophila) as complementary foods.

The capacity for keeping the royal tetra should be selected spacious. The lighting is diffused. Small flocks of tetras look very beautiful against the background of the dark bottom of the aquarium. As neighbors for Nematobrycon palmeri, small tetra-shaped fish are ideal. A good food for an aquarium tetra is oatmeal or mosquito larvae.

Among all the representatives of the tetra in the aquarium, the most important male always appears, who leads the whole flock. He acts as a leader, which is probably why the royal tetra got its name. Similar behavior of males can be observed in other types of aquarium fish. For example, in Nematobrycon lacortei males behave in a similar way. But this type of fish is not very common among aquarists. And more popular is the new kind small Inpaichthys kerri.

There are three subspecies of the royal tetra: common ("Palmeri"), "Red-eyed" and black (Nematobrycon amphiloxus). The black tetra is the rarest variety, which still does not really have its own Russian name. Currently, active debate continues on this issue, and some experts believe that Nematobrycon amphiloxus is a synonym for Nematobrycon palmeri. And other experts insist that this name belongs to a subspecies of the red-eyed tetra - Nematobrycon lacortei. The most popular is the fish of the Palmeri subspecies, but the red-eyed fish is also a rare occurrence in the world of aquarists.

The description of the complex and confusing situation among Russian ichthyologists regarding the black tetra variety was well described in one of the American magazines Tropical Fish Hobbyist.

In one of the issues of the journal in 2000, an article was published explaining the formation of Nematobrycon amphiloxus.

It all started with the fact that a variety of fish similar to N. Palmeri, caught in 1960, was identified as amphyloxus (black tetra). This happened because the then ichthyologists already knew about the existence of a new nematobricon, but did not have the opportunity to see live. It was under this name that the sale of this fish took place over the next ten years. It wasn't until 1971 that scientists Weitzman and Fink discovered the mistake and named the new species Nematobrycon lacortei.

After a more detailed study of the representatives of palmeri and amphyloxus, scientists realized that the differences between these fish (not counting the color) are very small. That is why they can be recognized as one species. Based on the fact that the name palmeri was first introduced, it was decided to consider amphyloxus a synonym.

There is also an ancient legend about characin fish. Which says that once in ancient times in the rivers that do not connect with each other in Colombia, royal tetras of different types (palmeri and amphyloxus) lived. Nematobrycon amphiloxus was distinguished by a black stripe along the entire body. Years later, the rivers were connected with the help of canals and the two types of tetra mixed with each other. As a result, viable hybrids of the royal tetra appeared. This legend explains the strange disappearance of the black nematobricon in amateur circles.

Another scientist, after whom the red-eyed tetra got its name, Rosario LaCorte, studied wild-caught royal tetras. He noticed that all males have all the signs of full-fledged palmeri, and among the females representatives of both palmeri and amphyloxus were found. Through the process of selective breeding, Rosario has restored the black variety of the tetra. And it was she who was identified as Nematobrycon amphiloxus in 1914.

And since 1988, a new subspecies of the royal tetra, the Black Palmeri, began to appear in many aquariums in Europe. Where she came from is still a mystery. In an article (Nematobrycon palmeri amphiloxus?) by Czech aquarist Jroslav Kadlec, the estimated dates for the appearance of black palmeri in Europe were given.

In the early nineties, Nematobrycon palmeri amphiloxus first came from Germany to the Czech Republic. But this type of royal tetra saw the light only at the ITERZOO exhibition in 1994. This species can be considered descendants of the black palmeri, bred by Rosario LaCorte. This fish came to our aquariums from Bulgaria in 2000. And she was successfully bred by the Bulgarian ichthyologist D. Penev.

According to the ichthyologist, to breed this species royal fish it was very, very difficult. These fish did not want to spawn in any way, the eggs were constantly disappearing. Adults constantly suffered from various intestinal diseases. This made it extremely difficult for them to swim. All this happened with Nematobrycon palmeri amphiloxus, despite the fact that other fish of the characin family were kept in identical conditions and were absolutely healthy.

In an attempt to reproduce, Nematobrycon palmeri amphiloxus was fed bloodworms, coretra, tubifex, live daphnia and cyclops, dry food, crumbs of various types of bread, and even mashed green peas. And it was not possible to determine the cause of the diseases of the fish. Some of them periodically died, others recovered or started to get sick again.

One of the most experienced harassers in Moscow, O. A. Yakubov, changed the diet of fish, offering only fresh plankton as food. But this experiment also did not bring positive results. Of all the individuals, only one male remained alive, who several times still had an inflammation of the intestine.

And only as a result of the mating of the last male of Nematobrycon palmeri amphiloxus with a female of an ordinary palmeri, offspring were born. The fact of the complete similarity of all offspring with their mother turned out to be unfortunate. All six fish from the litter turned out to be males with signs of common palmeri. But thanks to this experiment, it was possible to establish the close relationship of these two types of palmeri.

After some time, in a completely unexpected way, we managed to find a black female palmeri, which was immediately bought for the last male surviving.
The most remarkable is the fact that black fish appeared from ordinary palmeri parents. And black palmeri appeared by constantly updating the flock at the expense of young individuals of the same flock.

From all this we can conclude that the appearance of black palmeri is quite possible in two ways, which will be the result of prolonged inbreeding (inbreeding) of fish. The option of crossing a simple palmeri with a black palmeri can be considered more realistic. And to say that the common palmeri is stronger and takes up over the amphyloxus. After some time, the black female was crossed again, this time all the offspring turned out to be black.

In conclusion of the historical opus about the black royal tetra, one more story should be lifted. In the winter of 1996, an order was placed for South American palmeri from Colombia. More than 250 fish arrived in the cold conditions of our climate. All the fish from the party, surprisingly, turned out to be black royal palmeri. Although at that moment they caused wild disappointment with their cloudy and unusual color for Moscow aquarists. It is still not known what kind of tetra was introduced in that batch. Most likely, it was amphyloxus and its hybrid mixture with lacortea.

The color of the fish from the package was very strange and not typical. Due to poor conditions for acclimatization, soon the entire batch of royal palmeri that arrived from Colombia died.
The main difference between Nematobrycon amphiloxus and the common palmeri is its color. The shape of the body and fins are identical. Amphyloxus has bright, black stripes along the entire body, starting from the head and ending with the tail. The ventral part of the fish has several whitish stripes from the nape to the back fin.

The royal tetra can change color from time to time. The color of the fish depends on its vital activity. AT mating season males are completely black. This is the blackest fish among all aquarium inhabitants. Even the black male Megalamphodus megalopterus is not as bright in color as the male royal tetra during the mating season.

Females can change their color when they want to hide from the male if they are not ready for the mating process. The most attractive thing that remains with them at this moment is their golden eyes.

In a relaxed state, the fish have a black body with light strokes along the back and abdomen. The fins are usually gray or transparent.

Apart from the color of the eyes, the royal tetra in its color has no other colors than black and gray. Sometimes the nape area can be decorated with white scales, and the anal fin has a white edging. In the process of growth, the fry first shows one black stripe along the entire body, which increases with time and completely colors the tetra.

What about other royal tetras?

The most spectacular in terms of color is the common Nematobrycon palmeri. It is very popular among most aquarists. This type of tetra does not cause difficulties in the process of keeping and in the process of breeding.

Nematobrycon lacortei is a rarer subspecies of the royal tetra. There is not much information about it in a variety of publications for lovers of aquarium fish. It is believed that this species differs from palmeri only in its color. But the color scheme still has some differences.

Tetra lacortea has more muted colors and blurred borders between them. Individuals of Nematobrycon lacortei are warm yellowish-red, in contrast to palmeri, which are cool blue-green.

The head and gills have a reddish tint, which smoothly turns into a purple stripe on the body of the fish. And closer to the tail, the purple hue turns into jet black. A distinctive element of the color of lacorteas is a shiny area of ​​​​the body from its middle part to the caudal peduncle. It can be seen especially well during side lighting of the fish.

With a detailed study on the body and sides of the fish, you can see the presence of almost all the colors that exist in nature. Perhaps that is why the German aquarists gave Lacorte another name (Regenbogentetra), which translates as rainbow tetra.
Each individual of this species has its own unique pattern on its side. The appearance of this pattern can be compared with the uneven peeling of the mother-of-pearl surface of the scales from the head to the tail itself. The male always proudly demonstrates his long anal fin, which has a reddish edging, to the opponent, pulling him forward. Females of the royal lacortea have a more modest coloration. Their body is dominated by light, yellowish shades.

Nematobrycon lacortei is also called the red-eyed tetra. This fish got its name really due to the presence of red eyes. But it is worth noting that among all Lacorteas, only the eyes of males are painted in a reddish-brown hue. Females of this species have the same eye color as other representatives of the royal tetra, green-yellow. Thanks to the red eyes, you can easily separate the fish by gender. Adults of all three varieties have major differences in the tail region.

In palmeri, the shape of the “trident” of the caudal fin is clearly visible. It is also called the crown. The central ray of palmeri is black, elongated and even slightly pointed. Nematobrycon amphiloxus has a more modest caudal fin. It lacks the pigtails on the sides of the tail lobes and the central part of the fin is much shorter. The tail of the male Nematobrycon amphiloxus is even less attractive than the others. It is practically not pointed and without pigtails. But it has a very thin and long central ledge.

All three varieties of the royal tetra can interbreed without much difficulty. All this leads to the disappearance of the pure breed and prominent representatives of every kind. The colors of individuals mix over time, becoming less bright and attractive.

In an aquarium, mating games of males of one species with females of another species can often be observed. The spawning process and lifestyle of all types of royal tetra are similar to each other.

Aquarium fish Tetra of the haracin family is rightfully considered the most popular representative of domestic aquariums. This is a numerous species that not only novice aquarists, but also amateurs with extensive experience and experience, are happy to start. Such love can be explained by such outstanding qualities as:

• unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention;
• good adaptation;
• indiscriminate to feed;
• calm peaceful character.

Tetra habitat

AT natural conditions Tetra fish are ubiquitous in clear and clean forest reservoirs and rivers of Central and South America. As a rule, in such reservoirs, it keeps near the bottom snags, in dense vegetation and fallen leaves from trees. The water in such reservoirs is not only clean, but well saturated with oxygen. All this is very important to consider when keeping these beautiful fish.

Everything in the natural environment types of Tetra fish trying to stick together. Their social nature determines their flocking lifestyle. It is almost impossible to meet single individuals in nature. Therefore, they are not recommended to be kept alone in a home aquarium. Such individuals begin to show not their best features:

• Aggressiveness;
• Annoyance.

A lone individual tries not to let anyone into its territory. Even randomly passing neighbors can become the subject of a surprise attack. Given this, it is worth populating at least 10 fish in an aquarium.

Types of aquarium fish Tetra

talking about the types of Tetra fish, it is worth noting that they began to be imported to our continent for aquarium breeding in the second half of the 20th century. At the same time, several more varieties of representatives of this living in the natural environment were discovered. For a short period of stay, breeders bred interesting varieties of these beauties. Today, at pet markets and pet stores, you can find the following types of these cute fish:

• Golden Tetra - the owner of a golden yellow color with small light spots at the base of the tail and on the head. The lateral line on the body has a dark green tint that widens towards the tail. When kept at home, their golden color acquires a slightly greenish tint. The body length of the fish, depending on the volume of the aquarium, can be from 3.5 to 5 centimeters.
• The Copper Tetra, referred to as the Hasemania fish, got its name from the characteristic coloration of the males. The copper shade covers the entire body of these individuals. And only their lateral line has a rich silver color. But the tips of the dorsal, ventral and caudal fins of this species are painted milky white.
• The species of Tetra Von Rio fish is no less attractive and beautiful. These small, up to 4 cm, individuals have a unique color. The head and chest part of the body has a silvery color, which, as it approaches the tail part, acquires a bright and rich red hue. In addition, each barrel has three dark vertical stripes.
• Fish Royal Tetra is one of the longest (up to 6 centimeters) representatives of this species. Their diamond-shaped body, elongated in a horizontal plane, has a yellow-white abdomen, dark olive or brown back. And separates the upper part of the fish from the lower, a dark saturated horizontal stripe running throughout the body. The translucent fins of the fish are pointed at the ends.

In addition to these types, there are also such types:

• Torch;
• Firefly;
• bloody;
• Colombian;
• Pink;
• Blue.

In a home aquarium keep tetra fish not difficult at all. Therefore, they can be safely recommended to beginner aquarists. Since all varieties prefer to stay in flocks, it is best to purchase fish from 6 pieces. The volume of a home reservoir for these pets is best taken from 50 liters. In length, it must be at least 40 centimeters. Only in this case it will be possible to truly enjoy the behavior of these calm and lovely beauties.

Tetr can be kept with almost all peace-loving. They are compatible with Guppies, Mollies, Swordsmen. The fish Cardinals, Neons, Congo, Ternetia can also get along with them. It is very remarkable that this type of pets can be safely placed in an aquarium with rare plants. They hardly touch them. Do not touch the fish and the ground. Therefore, you can be calm for the standing of the bottom landscape.

As for water and its indicators, when keeping Tetr fish in an aquarium, the following values ​​\u200b\u200bshould be adhered to:

• Temperature range - 23 o C ... 28 o C;
• Acidity index - pH 5.5..6;
• Range of general hardness - should not exceed 17 about.

Fish are quite calmly able to endure a drop in ambient temperature to 18 ° C. But it is best to avoid such drops. To do this, you should get an automatic thermostat.

If you decide to start Tetr photos, which are presented on this page, in your aquarium, then you should remember that the fish need pure water. To ensure its high-quality filtration, the installation of a two-way filter and a weekly replacement of 1/5 of the total volume will allow. It will be very nice if the water is saturated with oxygen through a small compressor.

To the design of the aquarium, where they will contain Tetra fish there are no specific requirements. It is preferable to lay sandy soil on the bottom and decorate it with small smooth stones. You can also use artificial grottoes and boiled driftwood. In order to emphasize the beauty of the fish and highlight the decorations themselves, experienced aquarists plant moss on them.

An excellent addition to the scenery will be aquatic plants: cryptocoryne, vallisneria, ludwigia. Tetras love them very much. However, planting the entire aquarium with vegetation is not worth it. The fish need to leave a place where they can frolic freely. Therefore, there are several options for placing plants:

• In the background of the aquarium;
• On the left and right walls.

When choosing any of them, the scenery placed in the aquarium will look good. But in general, the landscape will emphasize the beauty of the fish.

As seen on photo Tetra fish loving soft diffused light. A water mirror will help create it. Here it would be appropriate to place a duckweed, or some kind of fern. In general, the saturation of the color of your pets will directly depend on the quality of the created conditions.

Reproduction of aquarium fish Tetra

Continue your kind of aquarium Tetra fish able from 6-7 months of age. For breeding healthy and active producers are selected and placed in a prepared spawning aquarium. Either a nylon mesh with a mesh diameter that allows only eggs to pass through, or Javanese moss is laid on its bottom.

Throughout the week, manufacturers selected for breeding, should be fed with live food (Motyl, Cyclops). After that, in the spawning area, the water temperature is gradually increased by 3 ... 4 degrees and the hardness index is reduced by adding distilled water. Such manipulations serve as a signal for females to spawn. After the spawning process, to preserve the eggs, male and female Tetras are placed in a common aquarium.

In the future, care for the offspring is reduced to the removal of unfertilized eggs, which become cloudy and feeding the fry. It is best to feed the fry with ciliates and live dust. Not bad juveniles eat brine shrimp, crustaceans and nauplii.

What to feed adult tetras

Adult Tetra fish are completely unpretentious to their diets. However, their appetite is very enviable. They are happy to eat both live food and canned with dry food. In the course of their life, they can pinch ground leaves in small quantities. aquatic plants. That doesn't hurt them in the slightest. It is almost impossible to overfeed this species of the haracin family. Their natural activity and excessive mobility does not allow them to gain excess weight.

With great hunting, the fish are able to eat crushed vegetable food. As a prevention of vitamin deficiency, Tetras can be fed with chopped hard-boiled egg yolk. Since their mouths are slightly upturned, they cannot eat the food that has fallen to the bottom. Given this feature, to maintain the purity of the water in the aquarium, it is better to purchase a bloodworm.

Tetra is a common name for various subspecies of fish of the characin family. They are bright and very active, so they are loved by both beginners and experienced aquarists. natural environment their habitats are the rivers of South America. As aquarium fish, tetra appeared in Europe in the middle of the last century.

Tetras and their structural features, as well as differences in gender

As already mentioned, tetra fish are medium-sized. Their body length is only 3-4 cm. The color is brownish or olive, with a white belly. The fins are painted red. There are two dark stripes between the head and back.
Male tetras are more brightly colored than females. Their difference (males) is the presence of a black stripe running along the edge of the anal and ventral fins. The tail of the female has a pink color, while the male is almost colorless.

Tetras in nature

Tetras came to European countries in the 60s of the 20th century from South America, where they were found in shallow warm rivers. The bottom of these reservoirs is strewn with fallen leaves. Everywhere you can see snags, branches and protruding roots of plants, which are found in abundance not only at the bottom, but also on the coastal territory.

What do tetras look like?

All representatives of the species are characterized by:

• Small size. There are "babies" with a body length of 2.5 cm and 15-centimeter "giants".
• A narrow long body, shaped like a rhombus.
• A rich palette of colors, which is due to the variety. There are fish elegantly and modestly colored, monochrome and multi-colored. Moreover, mostly males shine with beauty, but the females got a nondescript appearance. It is interesting that in the case of deterioration of living conditions, the beauty and brightness of the color of the tetras gradually fade away.
• In good conditions, they can live up to 5-6 years.

Varieties of aquarium fish tetra

Under the single name tetra, several types of nimble fish are meant at once:

A beautiful and spectacular fish, the scales of which create a sparkling effect. The maximum adult size is 6 cm.

A fish with smooth lines of the body, with a small notch in its lower part. The size of an adult reaches 4.5 cm. The color of the fish is yellowish or gray-green with a silvery sheen. Not far from the gills on the body there are two oblong dark spots.

3) . A small fish with small colorless fins. The color of the fish is grayish-silver, the abdomen is lighter, there is a dark strip on the sides. AT various parts body, you can see a black and golden-orange speck. The size of the fish is up to 6 cm.

One half of the calf is silvery white, the other is mirror brown. During the spawning period or during the flight, the body acquires a dark red color. In the lateral part there is a bluish speck on a yellowish background.

There are many more of its varieties, but they all have one thing in common - female tetras have a discreet color, while the bodies of males have bright and colorful colors. Beautiful colors fade and disappear as conditions deteriorate.

Maintenance and care of tetra aquarium fish

Tetra fish are very peaceful, but at the same time they cannot stand loneliness. In one aquarium, ten or even twenty individuals should be kept at once (if the volume allows). Left alone, the tetra will become aggressive towards other inhabitants of the aquarium, annoying them and not allowing them to live in peace. She will guard her territory menacingly and attack any fish that will swim nearby. But in a flock, they coexist perfectly with other fish, the same peaceful neighbors as they are.

Tetra fish do not have the habit of undermining the soil and destroying algae. So you can safely plant an aquarium with expensive plants without worrying about their safety.

As for the amount of algae, the more the better. In dense vegetation, tetras make their own houses, so that a large number of greens will be to their liking.

Comfortable water temperature in the aquarium is 22-25°C. Lower or higher temperatures will adversely affect their well-being. The acidity of the water should also be within the range of 6.0-7.0.

Do not forget about filtering and aerating the water in the aquarium, changing a fifth of the total weekly.
As for lighting, tetra fish do not like bright light. Lighting should be diffused, with algae dimming in one corner.

Vegetation

A wide variety of species are planted: ferns, mosses, elodea, duckweed, cryptocoryne. Such vegetation feels good in low light conditions. But for the fish there should be a lot free space for swimming. Tetras do not eat up plants, and do not undermine the soil. It is advisable to equip the aquarium with twisted roots, snags, behind which they like to hide, and floating plants for blackout.

It is better to settle the fish in an established environment, as changing parameters have a bad effect on well-being and appearance. The minimum volume of the aquarium for a flock of fish of 10 individuals is from 70 liters. The tank is placed in a quiet, calm place, as tetras react sharply to activity outside the walls of the aquarium.

Feeding

Unpretentious tetras eat any kind of food. They are very fond of live food (brine shrimp, bloodworm, tubifex, cyclops) and willingly take dry plates, granules. The main thing is that the food is balanced and varied. It is supplemented with herbal supplements, crushed oatmeal. Without plant food, fish can eat the leaves of plants.

With the right content, tetras can live 5-6 years, but there are also centenarians who live up to 8 years.

reproduction

Note that it is not easy to breed these fish, since females are often obese, as a result of which they become infertile. That is why it is customary to plant a group of fish for spawning with a large number males. One pair of fish will require about 10 liters of water. A few days before spawning, males and females are separated from each other, fed abundantly and periodically perform water changes, creating an imitation of the rainy season to stimulate spawning. A separator net is placed in the spawning box, on which a washcloth and small-leaved plants are placed. Spawning water is mixed with distilled water and peat extract is added until a yellowish color is obtained.

The water parameters in the spawning area must comply with the following standards: hardness - 1.5-10 °, temperature - 25-27 ° C, acidity - 6.0-7.0 pH. Increase atmospheric pressure also stimulates spawning. After a few days of the fish in the spawning ground, mating games begin. For one spawning, the female is able to sweep about 200-300 eggs. At the end of spawning, the producers are removed, and most of the water in the spawning area is replaced with fresh water with the same parameters.

During the development of the lemon tetra, lighting is contraindicated, so it is better to darken the walls of the aquarium. The incubation period is approximately 1.5 days, and after another three days, the fry begin to swim and eat on their own. The starting food for lemon tetra fry is live dust and brine shrimp. That's all the basic knowledge that you should have if you want to start a lemon tetra fish in an aquarium. We hope that our today's publication will be useful for you. Good luck with keeping and breeding aquarium fish!

Compatibility

Tetras are only incompatible with cichlids, goldfish, and astronotus. They can be kept with other fish.

Variety of species

The nature and temperament of the tetras are similar, but the shape and color vary greatly. It is they who underlie the classification of species. We list some of them:

golden or golden. They grow up to an average of 5 cm. They are distinguished by a characteristic “golden” color, active behavior, as well as a love of bright light and floating plants.

Diamond. When exposed to light, their scales sparkle and shimmer like a real jewel.

red-spotted. On the 6-centimeter body of the fish, a red spot is clearly visible, which is sometimes called a bleeding heart.

Colombian. You can easily recognize these 6-7 cm fish by their red tail and silver belly.

Lemon. Sometimes they are called yellow. You can recognize them by the smooth lines of the body, in the lower part of which there is a notch, as well as by yellow or grayish-silver-green color and two oval dark spots next to the gills.

Fireflies. They look very impressive in dim light due to phosphorescent lines on the body. This species is very sensitive to nitrates, so a good filter for them is a vital necessity.

fiery. If you see a long bright red stripe on each side of a 4-centimeter translucent body of a tetra, then these are they - “firemen”.

Black or thorns. Their black-lilac diamond-shaped body is strongly flattened from the sides, and their eyes are striking in their blueness with blue speckles.

Copper. More common than other types. These are miniature fish with a slender long body and a golden peach color. They are very fond of the abundance of plants and look great against the background of dark soil in not very bright light.

Royal. They are painted very “nobly”: pinkish, bluish or purple transparency of the back contrasts with the dark abdomen, and their border is indicated by a bold dark stripe. The tail has a narrow black tail in the middle. The average size of the fish is 5.5 cm. An aquarium with a dark background is just what you need to highlight the exquisite beauty of these tetras.

There are many other, not so common species, for example, red-finned, blue, bloody, mirror, pink, ruby, amanda, Mexican astyanax, lanterns, blind, etc. Experts note that most of all aquarists fell in love with royal, copper, congo and tetragonopterus.

TETRA - HD VIDEO

40 Tetrs (hifessobricon amandae) in a tightly planted aquascape - video