Astronotus: content in the aquarium. Astronotus compatibility with other species and reproduction

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

The large, colorful fish of the Cichlid family, native to South America and sometimes found in aquariums around the world, are the Astronotus. Keeping them in captivity, with proper feeding and care, does not particularly affect life expectancy (up to 15 years), but negatively affects the maximum size. If in the wild they easily reach a length of 35-40 cm, then in the aquarium they rarely grow to 30, but there are exceptions.

Where does the name come from

The inhabitant of the Amazon got its name due to the characteristic pattern on the body. Despite the difference in color, depending on the specific type of fish and the conditions of detention, astronotus bear the likeness of a star, collected from spots on the scales. It may be red or yellow, bright or not very bright, but is always present (at least in wild adults). Therefore, it is called the "star" fish.

What kind of aquarium do you need

Big and spacious. Astronotus in an aquarium should feelloose enough, and since these fish are quite large, the minimum is 100 liters for each pair. But experts recommend at least 200. If you have an aquarium of the required size, it may well accommodate astronotus. Keeping with other fish of this species is quite difficult. In addition to their size, they are omnivorous. So they can not disdain their own neighbors. Therefore, experts recommend keeping them separately for 6-8 pieces. And if you plant other species, then they are also quite large individuals, for example, cichlids, synodontis or catfish, which will definitely not give offense to themselves.

Temperature conditions

As a tropical fish, Astronotus in an aquarium require a certain temperature to be maintained. And although the allowable value can vary from 20 to 27 degrees, you can’t forget about this moment. This means that if the apartment or office where the fish tank is installed is warm enough, additional heating will not be required. In the event of poor heating and a decrease in temperature to 18 degrees, they may suffer. Although short-term hypothermia to 15-16 degrees, the fish will endure perfectly. But the aquarium definitely needs to be equipped with a compressor and a filter, since astronotus produce a lot of waste and constantly need a fairly large amount of oxygen.

Nuances of content

When purchasing Astronotus, you need to clearly understand that these fish are quite aggressive. Moreover, the filthiness of their character is proportional to their size and age. That is, ifit is planned to find neighbors for them, it is better to do this while the fish are small (up to 10 cm), because the older they are, the more likely they will not get along with anyone new. Certain difficulties exist with the formation of pairs for reproduction. Astronotus is a fish whose sex in fry is almost impossible to determine. The male has brighter coloration and longer fins. But at the age when this becomes clearly noticeable, it is already too late to introduce them to each other. They are so harmful, these astronotus - keeping with other fish (even of the same species) is possible only from an early age. This problem is solved by purchasing 6-8 pieces at once in the hope that they will be of different sexes. Of course, if the volume of the aquarium allows.

Besides being disgusting with their neighbors, Astronotus, which are still popular despite their shortcomings, don't get along well with living plants. Or rather, they just eat them. So it is better to get artificial ones or do without them at all. The owner of the aquarium also needs to understand that the location of the scenery in it will not correspond to his taste, but to the opinion of the fish themselves. They constantly move and move them as they like, apparently they love a “change of scenery”. Putting things in order is absolutely useless.

Food

Astronotus aquarium fish is very voracious. In the wild, the main food is insect larvae and small invertebrates. Sometimes he encroaches on small fish. In general, the creature is predatory, but does not disdain plant food. And you need to feed him oftenquite a bit of. Moreover, it is desirable to diversify the diet by including special dry food, as well as bloodworms, earthworms, larvae, raw meat (beef) and liver.

Special attention should be paid to the pair before the planned breeding. In order for the offspring to be he althy and remain intact, parents should be fed a lot and with high quality. Due to their size and gluttony, astronotus leave a lot of waste. Therefore, the aquarium should have a good filter, and the water should be changed regularly.

Varieties

In the wild, there are mainly tiger astronotus. Keeping them in an aquarium is also possible, but other species are found only in captivity. As a result of selection, monochrome specimens (yellow, blue, red) were bred, which does not quite correspond to the name of the “star” fish. Tiger astronotuses have the appropriate coloration. Their body is gray or brown, covered with stripes of yellow, orange or red.

Albinos are found in artificial reservoirs of America and in captivity. Their white body is slightly strewn with red spots of various shades, which are collected in a traditional star or form a kind of rings. A small number of multi-colored inclusions are also found in monochrome specimens. As a rule, the spots are red, gold or orange. Regardless of the coloration and pattern on the body, any specimen is referred to by the general term "astronotus".

Captive breeding

Despite the natural rapacity andaggression towards neighbors, these fish are surprisingly caring parents. To breed in captivity, they need to feel quite comfortable. Spawning is stimulated by increased and varied nutrition, as well as by raising the water temperature by 3-4 degrees. Breeding must take place in a separate aquarium with a capacity of at least 150 liters.

The female lays her eggs on a large flat stone, which must be put on the bottom in advance. It is better if there are several of them so that the fish can choose the most suitable one.

Before proceeding directly to spawning, astronotus will carefully clean the stone they like and make sure of their own safety. After about 5 days from the moment the eggs are laid, larvae will appear from it, and after another 2-3 days - fry. The fish are very mobile and grow quickly. They can be left in the same container with their parents (with sufficient nutrition, this is safe). In this case, the food for the young will be a special layer formed on the body of adult fish. And after a couple of weeks, they will be happy to gobble up bloodworms or daphnia.

It is important to know that fry grow quickly, but very unevenly. After just a month, the largest can be several times larger than the rest of the brothers. They should be removed to avoid cannibalism. In general, it is desirable to periodically sort the fry, settling according to size.

Features of behavior

In addition to the fact that these fish love to eat and do not get along very well with their neighbors, there is another problem thatyou need to know in advance before astronotus appear in the aquarium. Keeping them in captivity often ends in death outside the home. That is, they are simply thrown out. This may be due to both a lack of oxygen in the water and natural instincts. In its natural environment, Astronotus often jumps out of the water, trying to grab an insect near its surface. When feeding in an aquarium, the fish, following their instincts, repeats the trick and ends up on the floor. To avoid these troubles, be sure to use a cover and do not forget about the compressor.

Astronotus is a very bright, beautiful and active tropical fish. But due to its size and character traits, it requires a certain amount of space and a rich diet. It is not very accommodating with neighbors and can destroy the flora. This must be taken into account when setting it up.