Aquarium catfish: photos, varieties, names

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Aquarists are real aesthetes. They contemplate their underwater worlds, rejoicing in their own creation. At the same time, such people have much more love for business than others who have no less interesting hobbies. A variety of fish and other underwater inhabitants allows you to go beyond generally accepted standards and create truly attractive corners of nature in small domestic ponds, where it is possible to keep almost any fish. But today we will talk about aquarium catfish, which for a long time have proven themselves to be easy to care for and have a peculiar behavior. The article will be devoted to the issues of their species diversity, as well as compatibility with other fish, because many simply do not take this point into account, forgetting that the inhabitants of the aquarium can cause irreparable harm to each other or even eat their neighbor.

Main species

Cats come in a variety of sizes and colors. Let's list the mostinteresting representatives of the mustachioed family, and then consider each of them separately:

1. Cuckoo catfish, also called shifter or synodontis.
2. Otocinclus.
3. Ancitrus, which combines quite a lot of classifications: ordinary, stellate, triradiatus, golden, blue, mustachioed and albino.
4. Tarakatum.
5. Bunocephalus bicolor.
6. Redtail Orinoco catfish.
7. Asterofisus batraus.
8. Corridors.
9. Pseudoplatistoma tiger fish, which among aquarists in our country is better known as tiger catfish.
10. Aquarium catfish, called platydoras.

In fact, there are more than a few dozen catfish that can be kept in domestic waters, so it is not possible to talk about all of them in one article. However, even from the above, a beginner aquarist will be able to choose the most interesting option for himself.

Cuckoo: if not a bird, then who?

Catfish, called cuckoos, were incredibly popular in the 90s among those whose hobby is the aquarium. A few years later, the demand for this fish completely disappeared, but now they have again become popular and desirable specimens in amateur aquariums. This is not accidental, because the cuckoo catfish, or synodontis, is a rather interesting representative of its kind: bright and "charismatic". He will please with a funny color and behavior. By the way, the ancestors of such a fish lived in the reservoirs of Africa, preferring warm lakes with stagnant water. Its easy enoughto distinguish from others by spotting: the fish seemed to be painted in small black polka dots.

Life expectancy can reach 15 years with good care, and body length - 15 cm. The optimal aquarium for keeping a rather large individual is considered to be 100 liters. It is noteworthy that cuckoo catfish are nocturnal, however, like many other representatives of a similar population. They go hunting at night, preferring to hide in grottoes or behind snags during the day. Small fish should not be kept with them, because the cuckoo will eat them without hesitation, but cichlid predators will become ideal neighbors for such catfish.

Probably the best algae eater

Aquarium catfish-otocinclus belongs to the class of chain mail. In nature, it can be found in the warm waters of South America, where it feels great only in flocks. In aquariums, algae is considered to be the main diet of catfish. Otocinclus can be called an excellent cleaner, eating everything unnecessary in domestic waters. But this does not mean at all that it does not need to be fed with anything else. On sale there is a specialized food for such fish, which catfish do not refuse. By the way, many aquarists have adapted to offer their catfish scalded with boiling water leaves of green lettuce, dandelion and nettle for testing, so that their pet is always fed and pampered with variety.

Without a doubt, otocinclus is a huge benefit to the aquarium, so many people buy it. And taking into accountthe fact that the fish is very small (only 5 cm), it does not need much space. By the way, aquarium catfish of the Otocinclus variety are better kept with small fish than with those who are much larger than them.

Giant constantly demanding food

Tarakatums are long-lived and are quite large specimens of aquarium catfish, photos of which can be seen in the article. Their dimensions can exceed 15 cm, and in some cases even 18 cm. Under good conditions, they can live up to 10 years. In nature, tarakatums live in the warm waters of the Amazon River. In terms of food, these fish do not cause problems, but because of their impressive dimensions, they constantly need it. They prefer live food: it is an earthworm, a bloodworm. To keep a giant, spacious aquariums are required, from 100 liters or more, and you can hook up such catfish with anyone, because by their nature they are not at all aggressive.

Scavenger or elegant disguise?

Bunocephalus bicolor - a species of aquarium catfish, which is one of the rarest representatives of this family. It has a broad head and is completely covered in spines. Sometimes it is called snag catfish for its ability to perfectly disguise itself as a surrounding environment. This species is considered peaceful, and the recommendations for the joint maintenance of such fish boil down to the fact that the aquarist can choose independently and without fear, to whom to plant bunocephalus catfish. It is very easy to keep, but feedits better at night. It is also worth saying that spawning in an aquarium does not always work out, hormones are required. In general, catfish aquarium fish are very diverse, delighting with their special aesthetics.

Bunocephaluses are two-colored by nature alone, they can perfectly exist all their lives without a pair. The most important thing for them is a huge number of shelters, grottoes and snags, as well as dim lighting. This is due to the fact that in nature they often live where there is a lot of garbage: branches, fallen silted leaves and other things in order to hide from the light.

More like a water park than home content

Red-tailed Orinoco catfish is the name of an aquarium inhabitant who needs at least 6 tons of water for a comfortable life. It is clear that only some water park, where people come to look at the amazing creatures of the seas and oceans, can provide such a dwelling for such a giant. However, many aquarists, chasing exotics, give birth to Orinoco catfish, as if they do not understand what consequences this can lead to.

When the catfish is still small, 300 liters will be enough for it, but at the age of a year it will outgrow the proposed aquarium, reaching a mass of 80 kg and a body length of about 2 meters. By the way, many inexperienced aquarium lovers hope for the so-called "delay" in the growth of a giant individual (when, due to lack of space, the fish simply stops developing and growing). However, as practice shows, this does not happen, and red-tailed catfish are attached somewhere, without being able toarrange suitable conditions for them. By the way, adults need up to several kilograms of fresh fish fillet with white meat daily.

Predator

Asterofisus batraus - a species of aquarium catfish, the photo of which can be seen in the material, is so rare in aquariums that it would seem that it is not worth writing about. However, this representative of the Somye kingdom is incredibly exotic and unusual. It has an impressive mouth compared to the size of its body, with which it is able to swallow fish almost its own size. It is advisable to keep such a pet alone so as not to make objects for its prey from other inhabitants of the aquarium.

Unpretentious pets

Corridors are a special kind of catfish, differing from the rest in a pleasant color and a very calm disposition. They are compatible with many medium-sized fish endowed with a peaceful nature. They are not recommended to be kept with Labeo. Such catfish grow no more than 7 cm, and can live for about 10 years. Suitable for beginners, because they are completely unpretentious.

Tiger in the aquarium

Pseudoplatistoma tiger, also called tiger catfish, can grow up to a meter. Being a predator by nature, it hunts from cover. This dangerous and ruthless neighbor is unlikely to please any peaceful inhabitant of a domestic pond. He is recommended to be kept alone or in groups (with his own kind). It is worth saying that rarely anyone wants to start a pseudoplatyas a pet, unless enthusiasts are lovers of the unusual.

Ancitruses

The names of aquarium catfish, photos of which are given in the article for better perception, most often originated from Latin designations. So, ancitrus is also called a sucker, and this fully justifies the type of his behavior. It is believed that such catfish clean the aquarium from silt, but they are not scavengers at all. Without proper nutrition - specialized food, vegetables scalded with boiling water and other things, such a fish can turn into a predator, although by nature it is not. The maximum size in captivity is up to 15 cm, and life expectancy is 10 years or more.

Prickly Aquarium Giant

Platidoras are very cute catfish that can be kept in home aquariums. They are quite large - up to 25 cm - and unusual. Their body is completely strewn with spikes. Such catfish are called singing for the ability to make sounds that are heard even through the noise of a working filter. This happens due to the contraction of the swim bladder. Large catfish are recommended to be kept with large fish, because small ones will become its prey. By the way, such catfish favor cichlids and even sometimes clean them. Due to the fact that the fish is quite large, it needs a lot of room for movement (from 100 liters). They are also long-lived - in comfortable conditions they can live for more than 20 years.

Summing up

In general, aquarium catfish are for the most partpredators. This fact must be taken into account when purchasing a mustachioed pet in your collection. And yet, when choosing aquarium fish, you need to pay attention to their compatibility and the conditions in which the inhabitants of the water can live normally. Only those who have information and think about the future of tamed creatures will be able to keep catfish, which will decorate any home pond.