Metinnis silver: description of the fish, conditions of keeping and recommendations for care

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

Metinnis silver was discovered in 1923. The fish is found in the Amazon, Rio Negro, Paraguay and Guyana. Refers to the Piranhas.

People buy for the aquarium, trying to attract money to the house, because it is believed that metinnis acts on the principle of clover, fat woman and other currency talismans. By the way, he is herbivorous, but will gladly eat live protein food if offered.

Piranhas are divided into three groups:

1. Piranhas to be afraid of. They live in the waters of South America. Representatives of the group are active predators.
2. Herbivores. This group includes 7 subspecies of fish, including silver Metinnis. In the aquariums they are kept next to the brown pacu.
3. Piranha parasites. This species does not feed on vegetation and proteins. Their diet includes only the scales of other fish.

The subspecies of characinoids, which also includes Mettinis, has 1200 varieties divided into 14 families. About 500 of them are kept in aquariums (in Russia there are 70 of them).

Among themthere are individuals dangerous to humans, such as piranhas (38 cm in size) or tiger fish, whose length reaches 1.5 meters.

Description

Characinoids for the most part are considered gregarious, live in thickets of algae. The fish looks like a piranha only in appearance, it also has a diamond-shaped body, but it feeds on vegetation and is generally very peaceful.

Metinnis is flattened on the sides, scales are silvery. The appearance of the fish depends on the lighting in the aquarium, it tends to change its shade from blue to brown.

Stripes and even spots may appear on the sides, depending on its variety and habitat. The fins are sickle-shaped on top, the tail is not divided. In the wild, the body length reaches 15 centimeters, while living in an aquarium, even 13 centimeters is a rarity.

The eyes are silvery and have a black pupil. The teeth are quite sharp. In order to distinguish a male in a bunch of fish, just look at the fin located next to the tail on the abdomen. He is a silver mettinnis red and straight.

Lifespan

Metinnis live for about 10 years. In nature, they settled in the waters of the Amazon River and other basins of South America. For living, those parts of the reservoir that are densely populated with vegetation are chosen.

It is clear that at home the fish live a little less. Subject to all maintenance requirements, aquarium pets can live 7-8 years.

Neighbourhood

Silver Metinnis maintenance is quite simple. They are unpretentious in careand compatible with many species. They get along well with individuals of other peaceful fish. But, if you plant them with smaller breeds, it is likely that the latter will be eaten.

Float at the top level of the aquarium, sometimes in the middle and very rarely go down to the bottom. It is worth choosing those fish that occupy exclusively the lower level as neighbors to silver mettinnis for compatibility. This is to create contrast. These, for example, include catfish.

Water

It is recommended to choose a larger aquarium, since only one individual will need about 100 liters of water. It should not be cold, acceptable temperature is from +23 to +27 degrees.

Every week it is recommended to remove 0.5 liters of water from the aquarium and replace it with a new one. In addition, it is worth installing filters that will remind the fish of their natural habitat.

Light

Because of their fearfulness, silver mettinnis do not like bright light, which is much more pleasant for them to muffle. Increase lighting is relevant only during spawning. And a room slightly shaded with curtains is standard.

Vegetation

Fish are voracious, they are able to absorb all the plants intended for decorating the aquarium in just a couple of days.

To avoid serious damage, there is an option to partially populate the bottom of the aquarium with artificial algae. There are no bottom requirements, any soil will do.

Aquarium decoration

Metinnis should be able to hide, he is very shy. In addition to the soil, at the bottom of the aquarium you canplace thickets (both living and artificial), snags, grottoes, stones.

Open corners of shelters can injure fish, scenery should be located so that the individual can swim freely and safely. Thickets are best placed along the walls of the aquarium, otherwise the fish may get confused.

What to feed?

The basis of the Metinnis diet in the wild is living vegetation. It doesn't have to be algae. Even greens that are popular in the diet of people, such as spinach and lettuce, as well as zucchini, dandelions and other green plants, will do.

Before feeding, the greens must be washed and poured with boiling water for a few minutes. For a change, you can introduce live food and based on spirulina (dry). Supplements should be up to 20% of the total diet, but no more.

Breeding

The fish are bred in a separate tank, a male and a female at least a year old are transplanted into it. The aquarium should be warm and spacious. Water volume 200 liters or more, constant temperature +28 degrees.

Feed only vegetation before returning to the community tank. Males during spawning acquire a reddish hue of the abdomen, begin to pursue the female throughout the aquarium, shake their fins, depicting a kind of dance. When the female is "ripe" for breeding, she begins to spawn, which sinks to the bottom, where the male fertilizes her.

This type of fish does not eat its eggs, but everything is exactly at the end of spawning, you should remove adult fish back to their relatives. One clutchThe eggs are 2000 units and take 3 days to hatch.

Of course, not everyone will be born and survive. The mortality of these fish is very high.

At first, the fry are given food like ciliates. The grown-ups are gradually transferred to small, powdery feed.

The fry have a rapid growth, with proper nutrition, they mature by 6 - 8 months of life. Puberty occurs only in the year.

Diseases

Metinnis are quite hardy and almost never get sick. To prolong the life of an aquarium inhabitant, it is enough to adhere to the following rules:

1. Don't need to run an aquarium. Fish will feel bad in the neighborhood with large accumulations of their own excrement and pieces of plants.
2. The composition of the water must be suitable for the species.
3. The presence of shelters, the right temperature, space and the right lighting will only benefit.
4. Peaceful neighbors. Predators must not be planted, otherwise the Metinnis will simply be eaten.
5. It is worth paying attention to the expiration date and the condition of the food that the fish eats.
6. Diet. Even if this species is able to eat protein food, herbivores should receive herbal supplements.

Failure to follow simple requirements can have a negative impact on the he alth and immunity of the pet. Reduced immunity will lead to infection with pathogenic bacteria and possibly death.

Even such a strong fish as Metinnis silvery, will not always be able tocope with a virus provoked by the inattention or laziness of its owner.

In addition, it must be remembered that a preliminary consultation with a specialist never hurts and will help to avoid many problems when keeping aquarium fish.