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Pea pufferfish are characterful and funny fellows: their large and differently moving eyes and propeller fins can only be described as droll. In the following aquaristic guide we will show you how to keep the dwarf pufferfish in your aquarium and which fish are suitable for them.

Origin and general information about the pea puffer

The pea pufferfish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) belongs to the order of pufferfish relatives (Tetraodontiformes) and is a member of the pufferfish family (Tetraodontidae). The pea puffer belongs to the real freshwater puffer fish. It is native to India and Sri Lanka, where it lives in wetlands with stagnant and moderately flowing waters and strong plant growth. It is also known under the names Indian Dwarf Puffers and Dwarf Puffers.

What do dwarf puffer fish look like?

The pea puffer fish has a roundish body with a high back. The basic colouring of the ornamental fish varies from light yellow to golden yellow. Numerous brown to almost black spots are irregularly distributed on the small fish body. Some of these small spots have a metallic shimmer with a turquoisehue.

The fins are semi-transparent and have an olive yellow tint. The dorsal and anal fins are on the same level and are set further back. Its appearance is dominated by its relatively large eyes. The dwarf puffer fish can move the eyes separately. In its relatively small mouth there are 4 teeth, which are constantly growing back. The pea puffer fish grows 2 to 3.5 cm in size and has a life expectancy of 2 to 4 years.

Are there gender differences between dwarf puffer fish?

Purely optically, the males and females of Carinotetraodon travancoricus are hardly distinguishable. Only when they are fully grown do the minimal differences between the sexes become clearer. In the males, the contrasting back colouring is more brownish, with a yellowish belly. In addition, the adult male pea puffer fish has so-called “wrinkles” behind the eyes and develops a dark longitudinal belly line when mature. This extends from the dorsal fin to the caudal fin.

Unfortunately, this line is differently pronounced and often difficult to recognize. In the females the pattern on the back is additionally interspersed with “freckles” and the belly colouring goes into the whitish. The colouring of the dwarf pufferfish depends on the health and state of mind. The impressing behaviour of the male Carinotetraodon travancoricus is supported by an intensive and contrasting colouring.

With which fish do you associate pea puffer fish?

The dwarf pufferfish is not a schooling fish, but nevertheless it should be kept in small groups – a typical group fish that needs social partners to live out its behaviour.

The pea-ball-fish is not only the smallest representative of the ball-fish, it is also relatively peaceful: Frictions exist only among the own Artgenossen. The male Carinotetraodon travancoricus form territories and a ranking is established. Fighting over territories takes place among the males of the species. It can be said that female dwarf pufferfish are merely tolerated. Rank fights with young animals are harmless and it does not degenerate into biting.

To prevent such fights, the aquarium must be sufficiently large and the number of males must be limited. The animals must be given sufficient hiding places and the tank must be delimited by decorative objects so that the animals can form and defend their territories. It also makes sense to keep the animals in small groups with predominantly female animals or in pairs. The average size of the male pea puffer fish is about 15 cm. Depending on the size of the aquarium the correct number of males can be calculated.

The more harmless type of collision between the male pea puffer fish is the display behaviour. The male dwarf pufferfish extends its belly keel. Then the broadside of the body is shown. Here you can clearly see the longitudinal abdominal line. Finally, the male puffer fish spirals up to the water surface in a circle. Arrived there either both males give up or one is driven away.

A socialization with lively and fast schooling fish with short fins can be done without any problems. Especially with Danionin or neon tetras, as well as larger catfish species, the socialization usually proceeds without great problems. Slower ornamental fish with long fins should not be socialized with the dwarf puffer fish, as the pea puffer fish has the habit of biting into the fins of other inhabitants and eating the bitten off particles.

Likewise, socialisation with invertebrates is not advisable, as they are considered a source of food. Especially shrimps and snails are on the menu of the droll aquarium inhabitants. There are certainly exceptions, such as Amano shrimp, as these adult ones reach a size that means they have nothing to fear. The offspring are more likely to be endangered.

How to breed dwarf puffer fish in the aquarium?

A breeding of the dwarf puffer fish in the aquarium has been successful several times. The pea puffer fish is sexually mature at the age of 5 months. Most of the time the two sexes ignore each other, but the male chases a female across the tank in phases. After a certain period of time the female lets the male animal approach her. After successful mating the female spawns. The spawn is also gladly deposited by fine plants or javamoos. The eggs are between 1 and 1.5 mm in size.  After 7 to 9 days the offspring hatch.

After hatching, the cubs feed on microorganisms in the aquarium, after another two to six days Artemia can be fed. To stimulate the reproduction of the adult animals, the water temperature and the food supply (mosquito larvae, Artemia) should be increased. In order to be able to celebrate breeding successes, however, the keeping conditions must be optimal, which is why a rearing and/or spawning aquarium is recommended for successful breeding.

The pair should be placed in the separate tank before spawning and removed from the offspring immediately after spawning, because like most ornamental fish, pea puffer fish tend to eat their spawn. The offspring can then be specifically fed after hatching. Young fish that are transferred to the large tank can react aggressively against the parent fish. However, no serious injuries were observed during this temporary phase.

Which water parameters does the pea puffer fish prefer in the aquarium?

The pea puffer fish has a robust nature. However, the basic requirements for the health and welfare of the animals must be met and especially when planning to socialize with other species, one should keep in mind the animals’ preference for relatively medium-hard water. The following water values should be observed:

The fresh water should have a temperature between 24 °C and 27 °C. The pH value can be between 7.2 and 8.5. The total hardness may vary between 5 and 20 °dGH. The pea puffer fish is not a schooling fish.

How to keep pea puffer fish in the aquarium?

Dwarf puffer fish are, as described above, not particularly aggressive aquarium inhabitants. They can therefore be socialized with various species without any problems. They can be kept either in pairs or in small groups (5 to 6 specimens). You can keep as many Zwegkugel fish in your aquarium:

With the dwarf puffer fish, the group should always consist mainly of females, as the males are territorial. An aquarium of at least 60 cm length is necessary for keeping them. Due to the body size of pea puffers a tank with a water volume of 45 l is possible. However, a minimum volume of 54 l is recommended here.

This is due to the characteristics of the male specimens – they form territories! The bottom of the tank can be filled up with fine gravel or sand. A dwarf puffer fish loves to dig into the sand and wait for its prey. In addition, there should be different types of moss (java moss) and roots. Important is a dense green planting (fine green plants, ferns) at the edges and in the corners. Because of their origin they love weedy corners as a hiding place.

Low-ranking animals must have sufficient opportunities for retreat. Floating plants at the upper edge of the pool are gladly accepted. With all this vegetation, it should not be forgotten to provide sufficient free swimming space. The pea puffer is not a great swimmer. The pea puffer fish likes to be in the open water and needs space for courtship and showing off.

What do dwarf puffer fish eat?

One of the most important points for the right keeping is to provide the pea puffer fish with the necessary nutrition. The dwarf puffer fish is constantly hungry. Besides, it is a food specialist, it only eats live food. Often a reason for buying pea puffer is a too large population of snails in the aquarium.

One should not forget that this “problem” is quickly eliminated. Afterwards, the owner has to provide for a rich supply of snails for nutrition. The pea puffer fish also eats mosquito larvae (white and red) and water fleas, but his favourite food are snails.

Due to its body size it can only eat small snails as food. Suitable for this purpose are ramshorn snails, pointed mud snails or small bubble snails. With its teeth it cracks the snail shell and slurps out the contents. The rest of the shell he leaves carelessly. The cracking of the shell is important for the wear of his teeth. The teeth are growing constantly and without enough hard shells or other means of wear and tear, the pea puffer could soon eat nothing. The teeth would close the small mouth.

If predominantly large snails (for example apple snails) are available, the owners must help the little guy. If the pea puffer cannot crack the shell, the snail shell must be crushed. Otherwise it eats only the soft parts that stick out. This in turn means a slow death for the snail.

The dwarf puffer fish naturally has preferences for his favourite food. The pointed slug likes to be eaten. He rarely or not at all eats the trumpet snail. This is possibly due to the hard shell. In addition to the snails, mosquito larvae, Artemia and Daphnia, and other small crustaceans can be fed.

Frozen food can be fed in between as an emergency solution. Dry food should never be used as a food source, because on the one hand the teeth are not worn out and on the other hand the animals do not get used to it. The diet must be varied and rich.

A one-sided nutrition affects the health and the appearance of the droll animals again. In addition, the pea puffer fish gets “stupid” ideas. It nibbles the fins of its roommates. In order to ensure a species-appropriate diet, it is therefore advisable to have your own small snail farm in a separate tank.

What about the health of the pea puffer fish?

The pea puffer fish is quite robust and not particularly susceptible to diseases. Most of the so-called disease symptoms can occur due to incorrect posture and care. This means that the pea puffer fish feels unwell. He gives this impression very clearly by “hiding” in a corner, the colouring and patterning is less pronounced and his behaviour suggests “unwillingness”.

With such an impression, the housing conditions should be checked. If the water quality is okay, a too small tank could be the reason. The inhabitants of the aquarium do not understand each other. For this reason a dwarf puffer fish can also crawl into a remote corner. Here the socialization with the different species should be checked. With a second aquarium you can get to the bottom of the problem.

If there are more fights over the food, then the amount should be checked. In normal behaviour the higher ranking animals displace the lower members of the species from the food source. The weaker pea puffer fish leaves the feeding area and hides.

Here the impression can arise that this animal does not eat and starves to death. This is a mistake. On close observation, one can see that the lower-ranking specimens come back later and take in food. This ritual is practiced in many species.

Further special features of the dwarf puffer fish

These cute little animals have their own peculiarities as described. Another special feature of puffer fishes is the possibility to “inflate” their body. A dwarf pufferfish or pea pufferfish uses this possibility very rarely. There must be a situation with the greatest danger to life and then this means is used for self-defense. During such extreme stress the pea puffer fish pumps up its body with air. There is a danger that they will subsequently float helplessly on the water surface.

Sometimes they have difficulties to let the air out again. Only after a certain time these sensitive animals calm down and reduce their body size to normal size. One should never provoke such a situation. This process is dangerous to the health of the small fish.

Conclusion

For which aquarist the pea puffer fish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) is suitable, the experts are not in agreement. One part is in favour of keeping it by beginners, another part insists on sufficient experience in aquaristics. Basically, keeping the species dwarf pufferfish is not very difficult. The water quality, the planting and the size of the aquarium do not make any special demands.

It becomes more difficult already with the peculiarities of the male fish. But here too, the small number of males and sufficient space can help to counteract the extreme effects of territorial behaviour. Some “bad habits” can be reduced or even eliminated with sufficient and varied feeding.

The biggest problem for a species-appropriate keeping is his preference for snails. It makes no difference whether you are a beginner or a professional. The new owner must be aware of the fact that there must be enough live food for this dwarf puffer fish. Ideally a small breeding of food snails is kept in a separate tank. If you have a “problem” with snails in general or with snails as food, you should keep your hands off the pea puffer fish. This partnership cannot work. The owner will be constantly “cramped” during feeding and the pea puffer fish is only kept species-appropriate to a limited extent.

Otherwise this cute little fellow is an enrichment for the aquarium. His funny look with the small fins. The big eyes that “stare and watch” the viewer. Once he stands like a “helicopter” in clear water or he shoots through the area as fast as an arrow.

A socialization with suitable roommates is also possible. This relatively peaceful small specimen offers this advantage over its larger relatives. Basically, keeping a pea puffer fish full of character means many interesting and beautiful moments.

Do you already keep dwarf puffer fish in the aquarium? Write it in the comments and send us your pictures!

Der Beitrag Keeping Pea Puffer Fish in the Aquarium – This is How it Works erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.

1. The size of the aquarium
   1. Too small aquariums are in need of care and cabinets are stocked with
   2. Large aquariums require space and insurance / Dominate rooms
   3. Dependence on desired stocking
   4. Inform before
2. The choice of the aquarium location
   1. Direct sunlight
   2. frequented room (otherwise shy animals)
   3. As a room divider?
   4. Room big enough?
3. Measure water values accurately and keep an eye on them
   1. Buy test set
   2. Check regularly
   3. Especially in the running-in phase
4. Running-in phase not considered
   1. Animals used too early and then perishing
   2. Algae infestation of the plants
5. The fish stocking => stocking density
   1. Fish should fit together
   2. Observe water values
   3. Pay attention to the size of the animals (also height for angelfish / discus)
   4. Size of the pool in relation to animals
   5. number of animals
   6. Type of pool (community pool, species pool)
   7. Pay attention to pelvic regions (bottom/middle/top)
6. The choice of plants
   1. Matching the stock (species tank?)
   2. avoid algae: fast growing
   3. Slow growing not good in running-in phase (algae)
   4. Required space
   5. Divide by pelvic region
7. The choice of decoration
   1. Should fit the type of pool (South America = roots, Asia = more stones)
   2. Decoration as hiding place and for spawning
   3. Too much decoration bad for floor level
   4. Consideration for the swimming behaviour of the animals
8. The choice of the floor ground
   1. How rough? (fine sand or coarse gravel?)
   2. Dependence on tank inhabitants (Corydoras goby in the sand)
   3. Some species prefer dark soil
   4. Dependence on the type of pool (species pools require a specific substrate)
9. The aquarium technique
   1. Light (also illumination time, fluorescent tube or LED, lumen, temperature?)
   2. Filter (internal, external filter, cleaning, with thermostat)
   3. Control heater
   4. Co2 plant
10. Partial water change
    1. Too rarely (pollutants are formed) or too often (withdraws nutrients)
    2. Tap water levels?
    3. Possibly osmosis water needed?
11. Fertilizing
    1. Fertilization essential for plant growth
    2. Especially if tap water is very clean (few nutrients)
    3. Depending on plant species (some need it (often fast growing and red), some do not (slow growing)

Conclusion: Planning and education

1. Absolutely meticulous planning
2. Inform about everything (read books and articles)
3. Procure test set and take into account the running-in phase
4. Plan the type of pool and then decide on the pool inhabitants and plants
5. Precise technology planning

Der Beitrag 11 Aquaristic beginner mistakes, which you should avoid in any case! erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.

Even though the zebra danio is considered easy to keep, there are some things to consider to give it the best possible quality of life in an aquarium. Everything about keeping, the optimal size of the aquarium, breeding and the necessary water quality for a striped bear can be found in the following aquaristic guide article.

Everything important about the zebra danio in a nutshell:

• Danio rerio is an ornamental fish that is considered to be easy to keep and is therefore ideal for beginners.
• The zebrafish should be kept in a group with at least 8-10 conspecifics.
• The values of the water should be based on the water values of his homeland. The water temperature should be between 20 and 26°C, the pH value between six and eight and the total hardness between 5° and 20° dH.
• Striped bearcats grow to five to six centimetres, with the females being larger and plump than the males.
• The zebrafish (Danio Rerio) can reach an age of five to six years.
• In his home country he likes small streams or canals, ponds with slowly flowing or standing water, such as ditches, ponds or rice fields.
• The brownish coloration of the back line of the zebrafish becomes a whitish yellow on the flanks and belly, partly with a silvery shimmer.
• The zebra danio is an omnivore and can be fed with small live, dry and frozen food, as well as vegetable food.
• Like most schooling fish, striped danio fish need sufficient space to swim, and a weak current and dense edge planting should not be missing.
• The striped bear is an excellent jumper, therefore its aquarium should be completely covered
• Thanks to its peaceful nature it can be socialized with other fishes.
• A breeding tank should be used for breeding, from which the parent animals are removed after spawning, as they are spawning predators.

Where do zebrafish occur?

The Danio rerio comes originally from Asia. The animals can be found in the wild in the Ganges and in Bangladesh, northern India, Pakistan and southern Nepal. There, they can be found mainly in slowly flowing or stagnant waters, as well as in the rice fields.

How many zebrafish keep in the aquarium?

The striped bear is a schooling fish and loves to swim through the pool with its conspecifics. For this it needs sufficient space. The group should also include at least eight animals. If the keeping of zebrafish in the aquarium is intended, the animals should have at least one tank with a side length of one meter.

How do you keep zebrafish in an aquarium?

As already described in the upper section, the aquarium should definitely have an edge length of one meter. A 180 litre aquarium in the standard dimensions 100x40x40 cm is therefore ideal for keeping zebrafish. The Danio rerio is a quite lively little fish that likes to swim around with its conspecifics in the tank, for this it needs sufficient swimming space.

Like other swimming-joyful swarm-fish, also the zebra-bearling makes big demands on the optimal basin-structure. It is important to find a good balance between hiding places in the form of roots, stones and dense border planting and a swimming area that is as large as possible.

This works wonderfully, with finely feathered plants surrounding the basin and bogwood roots on the ground providing a retreat. The roots should be chosen in such a way that they do not protrude too far into the swimming area of the Striped Bearblings.

Since zebrafish like to take up their food from the water surface, there should be no floating plants. The fish also like to accept a light current in their swimming area, which they can swim towards.

The aquarium should absolutely be completely covered, because zebra danio bears are good jumpers. The animals are lively, but thanks to their peaceful nature they can be socialized well with other fish. More about this in the section “Socialization of Zebrafish”.

Which water values does a zebrafish prefer?

In order to ensure that the zebrafish lead themselves well, the aquarium water should be as close as possible to the original habitat of the animals. In the best case the following water values should be achieved:

• 20°C – 26° C Water temperature
• pH value: 6,0 to 8,0
• Total hardness: 5° to 20° dH

With a temperature of 20-26°C, striped danio feel comfortable in a temperature range that suits many typical South American and Asian ornamental fish. Also the optimal pH-value and the total hardness take on values that many species can become friends with. This underlines once again how well the animals can be socialized with other species – if you go by the water values, the variety of possible stocking combinations is almost unlimited.

Association of Danio rerio

The Zerbafish is a rather hectic small ornamental fish, which is mainly found in the upper part of the tank. Especially in smaller basins, no other species should be socialized with the animals that also live in this region. In a 180 liter aquarium you could very well socialize Zebrafish with South American Dwarf Cichlids, such asRam Cichlids or Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlids, in the middle basin region and with Corydoras or Otoclintus in the lower basin region.

Otherwise, other barbels are an ideal match for the Danio rerio, as they come from the same home and have quite similar demands on water quality.

Nevertheless, the preferred water parameters of the animals and the peaceful species make friends with countless other species, which is why the animals could in principle be socialized with characins, small cichlids, gourami, invertebrates or even some livebearers.

Crabs should not be socialized with the zebrafish, as there is a high risk of injury for the little bearblings.

What does a zebra danio eat?

In the wild, the Danio rerio eats mainly insect larvae, small crustaceans and worms. Since the zebra danio is an omnivore, it is happy to have small living, dry and frozen food in the aquarium, as well as plant food – it has sometimes been reported that the animals even eat algae in the aquarium. By the way, we have explained all the differences between the common types of aquarium fish food in our guide article.

A varied diet keeps the little fish healthy. The administration of vegetable food prevents the zebrafish from nibbling on the plants in the aquarium. Instead of a large feeding daily, the animals are also often fed several times in smaller portions. This can be realized very well with an automatic aquarium feeder. However, this should also depend on the rest of the stock in the aquarium, the animals tend to eat their food away from their fellow inhabitants. Especially if the animals are socialized with ground-near species you should make sure that enough food reaches the ground – in some cases it may be advisable to give food tablets every two days, which will sink into the aquarium.

How are zebrafish bred?

The zebra danio is a free spawner. In the wild, the spawning season of the Danio rerio is at the beginning of the monsoon, i.e. the rainy season, so high-quality live food and a slight change in water temperature can increase the willingness to spawn.

The breeding is started by feeding the parents exclusively with mosquito larvae for one week, furthermore the water should not be changed during this week. Then you prepare a small breeding tank which is filled with at least five litres of water – bigger is always possible. The water should stand for two days. Then the tank is filled with fine plants. The plants should be weighted down with a stone so that they sink to the ground. An air-operated sponge filter is added. To keep the temperature constant at 24°C to 25°C, a heating rod should be used. The pool can be placed on a windowsill to get morning sun, but this is not absolutely necessary. Since the parents are spawn robbers, spawning rust should be introduced.

In the afternoon the parents are again fed with plenty of mosquito larvae. Then the Danio rerio pair can be transferred to the breeding tank. If you have a larger spawning tank, two to three females and three to five males can be put together to further increase the breeding chances.

If everything has worked out so far, the zebrafish catch the animals use a plant tuft for spawning after mating. The eggs fall to the ground, as they do not stick to the ground. They are about one millimetre in size and almost invisible. If you shine a flashlight at an angle in the dark, you should be able to see the eggs.

The next day, the adult fishermen are put back into the normal tank, the filter and heating rod are removed from the breeding tank and the water is stirred. The eggs fall to the bottom due to the turbulence, while the dirt and excrement floats around. This can now be sucked off carefully with a fine hose. Then fill up the water in the breeding tank again, put the filter and the heater back and darken the tank well.

At a water temperature of 25°C you can see the eyes of the fish in the eggs after about one day and after about two days the young animals finally hatch. A few days later the young fish can already swim freely. As soon as the young swim freely, they should be fed with dust-fine flakes.

It is best to breed in a larger breeding tank, as this is easier to clean without endangering the young animals. In addition, the offspring need sufficient space to grow evenly. Otherwise the young animals grow very fast and can be placed with their parents after a few weeks.

If this is too much trouble for you, you can also force the breeding in the community tank by creating the same conditions as mentioned above and laying out java moss. So the young animals have a hiding place and with a little luck some of the animals can survive. You can increase the chance considerably by providing the internal filter with a nylon stocking so that the small animals are not sucked in in rows.

Conclusion: Keeping zebrafish in an aquarium is uncomplicated.

The Asian zebra danio is easy to keep even for beginners in aquaristics. As long as the water is warm enough, has the right pH value and the right hardness, it is quite undemanding.

The pool should have an edge length of one meter and should have a combination of hiding places and sufficient swimming space.

Zebrafish are omnivores and enjoy a varied diet: whether vegetable, live or dry food, the animals are also relatively undemanding when it comes to eating.

The peaceful bearling can be easily socialized with other species that have the same demands on the quality of the water, and it is best to inhabit predominantly other areas of the pool.

The rearing is as uncomplicated as the keeping of the animals. You only have to consider that the parents are spawn robbers and do not have any consideration for their own offspring. In addition, the breeding season should be heralded by feeding live food and a breeding tank should be provided for the parents.

Der Beitrag Keeping Zebrafish in the Aquarium – This is How it Works erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.

The tiger barb is one of the most popular freshwater fish among aquarists worldwide and should not be confused with moss barbs. Thanks to the attractive colouring and the particularly lively species, this ornamental fish is an interesting eye-catcher in any aquarium. The Tiger barb belongs to the family of carp fishes and attracts attention with its distinct play instinct. The active aquarium inhabitant does not only look pretty, he is also easy to keep and breed, if some conditions are created.

How you can keep the up to six to seven centimetre large animals in your aquarium, which water characteristics Sumatran barbels prefer and with which species they can be socialized, we show you in the following Aquarium Guide article.

Everything important about tiger barbs in brief

• The freshwater fish is known as tiger barb, tiger barb, Hong Kong barb and tiger barb
• tiger barbbelongs to the class of ray fins, the order and family of carp and the genus of striped barbels
• Sumatran barbs originate from South East Asia and are native to Central Kalimantan and Borneo
• Adult males and females reach a size of six to seven centimetres
• Sumatran barbs should always be kept in groups of at least eight to ten animals. In this way, it is possible to observe their interesting behaviour patterns closely.
• A socialization with long-finned fish, such as the honey gouramis, should be avoided, as the animals tend to nibble on the fins.
• Sumatran barbs can be kept in aquariumfrom 180 litres, i.e. an edge length of one metre
• The natural habitat of tiger barbhas dark sand, roots and dense planting
• tiger barbcan be kept in the aquarium at 22 to 26 degrees Celsius, a pH value between six and eight and a total hardness between five and 19 dGH
• The males are less corpulent than the females
• Characteristic are the four broad cross-bands in black, which run through the eye, from the anal to the dorsal fin and from the back to the belly

Where are tiger barbs found?

Although the name suggests that Sumatran barbels are native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, tiger barb occurs in the wild in Indonesia on Kalimantan and Borneo. The natural habitat are the rather cool and easy flowing rivers Bulungan, Kapuas and Mahakam in the west of Borneo – but also in Malaysia and Singapore tiger barbs are quite common.

How many tiger barbs are kept in the aquarium?

The tiger barb shows a pronounced play instinct. In order for the active freshwater fish to live it out, you should keep it exclusively in a group. In order for the animals to fully live out their distinctive social behaviour, at least eight other conspecifics are recommended.

For the Sumatran barb, small fights are part of the typical behavioral repertoire, which are best fought out with conspecifics. Other fish would perceive the pronounced play instinct as aggressive and stressful, which is why it is essential to have enough conspecifics in the aquarium.

The gender distribution in the group plays a subordinate role in tiger barbels and only needs to be considered when breeding is planned. If breeding is planned, the group of tiger barb should include several females at the same time.

How do you keep tiger barbs in an aquarium?

The tank in which the swimming Sumatran barbels are to be kept should have a capacity of at least 180 litres and an edge length of 100 cm – in this way the animals have sufficient swimming space.

If the barbs pluck the fins of other aquarium inhabitants and show a high degree of aggressiveness, this is a signal that the habitat is not large enough. Either the tank is too small, too badly structured or the stocking is too large. To avoid the fill error, we recommend our guidebook article “180-240 liter aquarium fill examples”.

The optimal tank for tiger barbels must necessarily contain some roots and stones, which serve as visual protection and as a territorial boundary. Furthermore, the tank must have dense edge planting and some retreat possibilities.

The balancing act between hiding places, dense border planting and sufficient free swimming space must be mastered. The reason for this is that the Hong Kong Barb is usually found in the middle layer of water, where it hunts and plays. They therefore need sufficient free space, especially in this region of the pool.

As Puntigrus terazona are known to burrow in the ground to look for food, the ground should not have sharp edges. Accordingly, no coarse gravel should be used in the aquarium, but fine sand – quartz sand from the hardware store is very suitable for this purpose.

In their natural habitat, tiger barbs find hiding places in the queasy subsoil of densely planted riparian zones. The aquarium should be designed in accordance with the natural habitat so that the animals feel comfortable in the tank.

An external or internal filter should always be used in the aquarium. Hong Kong barbels live in slow-flowing waters in the wild, so the aquarium should also have a light current. A strong external filter also contributes to the cleanliness of the tank.

If tiger barb is upside down, this is a typical behaviour, which is no cause for concern as long as the fish does not move away from the shoal. If the animals move away from the group, this may indicate a possible disease or a defective lateral line organ. In this case the condition of the animals should be observed further – if the group becomes too small due to the death of a barbel, the group size must be increased again.

Which water values does a tiger barb prefer?

Sumatran barbs are not only very suitable for beginners in terms of their behaviour, but also the preferred water characteristics of the animals can usually be easily achieved with typical German tap water – without the need for an osmosis plant or other technology. If the following water values are given in the aquarium, tiger barb feel particularly well:

• Temperature: 22-26° C
• pH value: 6.0-8.0
• Total hardness: 5-19° dGH

For your tiger barbs to feel completely comfortable, the temperature should be between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius. Make sure that the pH value does not fall below 6.0 and is not above 8.0. As far as total hardness is concerned, you should aim for a value between 5 and 19° dGH.

These water values make friends with many South American and Southeast Asian species, which is why the animals can be socialized with countless animals – but more about this in the next section.

association of tiger barbs

The tiger barb is an extremely active fish, which forms territories in the group and knows how to defend itself from other inhabitants. The animals should therefore not be associated with species that are too calm, such as red neon or the Ember tetra.

Sumatran barbs tend to nibble long fins. They should therefore never be socialized with long finned species: so angelfish, fighting fish or gourami should be avoided altogether.

Sumatran red mullets should be socialized with larger and more robust species that can defend themselves against the dominant behaviour of the animals. In addition, the preferred water values of tiger barb should be considered.

Ideal for socialization are catfish species such as the L333, the whiptail catfish or the feather beard catfish. But also small loach species, such as the ember terta and other barb species, such as the wedge-tailed bearblings are very well suited for socializing with tiger barbs.

What does a tiger barb eat?

The freshwater fish from the southeast of Asia are grateful omnivores. Sumatran barbs can be fed with any food, but a varied diet is advisable – by the way, you will find an overview of the different types of aquarium fish food in our guide article.

tiger barb is happy about live food, which can be fed once or twice a week. Tubifex, mosquito larvae and water fleas are real treats for ornamental fish.

However, the daily food basis can be granulate or flake food, which is easy to feed on the one hand and affordable on the other.

Frozen food also represents a change in the diet. tiger barb does not despise food and also likes to eat fresh vegetables. Instead, lettuce can be cut into strips and doused with hot water – the finished, vegetable food can then be fed to the tiger barbs in the aquarium from time to time.

Feeding of the brood of the animals should be started with dust food. Subsequently, a change toBrine shrimp is recommended. But more about this in the following section about breeding tiger barbs.

How are tiger barbs bred?

The majority of the Sumatran barbs offered in the fish trade are bred. This already indicates that the breeding of the animals can be done quite easily, which is quite true in practice.

For breeding, optimal water values in the separate breeding tank are the basic requirement. Optimal in this context means that the water in the aquarium should be soft and slightly acidic. The water from the community tank can be used in the breeding tank without any problems if between five and ten percent of the water is still exchanged for cool fresh water.

Now you choose a well-fed couple from the community tank, which you then place in the breeding tank.

tiger barb is a free spawner. In order for the eggs to be laid, the spawning tank must be planted very densely with tufts of fine-grained plants, in which the females can lay their eggs.

The breeding tank does not require a substrate, but it must be additionally darkened with a dense blanket of floating plants. Floating plants provide excellent protection against strong light.

To prevent the female from eating the eggs, she should be fed with Enchyträen already weeks before breeding. The females can lay up to 200 eggs, which hatch after three to four days.

After hatching, the fish larvae feed on their yolk sac for five to six days. Only when this is completely used up do the young begin to swim freely in the tank and search for food. The young tiger barbs should first be fed with particularly fine dust-feed and later with Brine shrimp. Infusoria can be used for targeted feeding.

Conclusion: Keeping tiger barbs in the aquarium is not difficult

The tiger barb is a colourful freshwater fish that can live out its intensively pronounced social behaviour in a shoal of eight to ten conspecifics.

Sumatran red mullets feel comfortable at a water temperature between 22 and 26 degrees, a pH value between 6.0 and 8.0 and a total hardness between 5 and 19° dGH.

In the middle layer of water, sufficient free floating space must be provided, while at the same time there must be dense border planting and some hiding places at the bottom. A dark and fine bottom ground and a light current are gladly accepted by the animals.

Under no circumstances should tiger barb be socialized with long-finned species. Instead, catfish, loaches, barbels and bearblings can be used as supplementary stock.

Sumatran barbs are omnivores, which should be fed a variety of live food, frozen food, vegetables, flake food and granules.

If you follow a few guidelines and tips, you will certainly have a lot of fun with tiger barb and only little effort, which is why the animals are in our opinion definitely suitable for beginners.

Do you already keep tiger barbs in your aquarium? Show us your pictures!

Der Beitrag Keeping Tiger Barbs in the Aquarium – here’s how it works erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.

But there are some things to consider when keeping the small characins in the aquarium. More information about the optimal water quality, the structure of the aquarium, as well as the breeding of the black tetras will be shown in the following article.

The most important in brief – the black phantom tetra

• A black tetra should be kept in groups of about ten animals and never alone
• Males are a little hierarchical and form small groups and territories
• In nature, it lives in rather murky waters; opaque, interspersed with plants and in a rather marshy condition
• a black phantom tetra becomes about 4.5 to 5 cm long, females are usually somewhat smaller, but have a somewhat thicker belly during spawning. In addition, females are easily distinguished from males by more intense red tones
• A black phantom tetrasusually shimmers silvery, whereby all fins (except at the stomach) are held in black. The ventral fin is orange to reddish
• black phantom tetra quite lively and swimming animals. They love the company of conspecifics and are also characterized by a particularly intensive hunting instinct, which can be awakened and maintained by feeding live food
• Basically the black phantom tetra is to be regarded as very peaceful and can be socialized with other (especially South American) species without any problems

How many black tetra in the aquarium?

As described above, black tetra should be kept in groups of at least 8 animals. Only in this way can the black tetra live out their social behaviour, form territories and reproduce during the mating season. The following table gives an overview of the amount of black tetra that can be kept in different tank sizes:

Black phantom tetras are particularly social animals. To be able to live out their social behaviour intensively, the size of the group is crucial. Especially in large shoals, as can be realized in a 180 liter or 350 liter aquarium, they are characterized by a particularly distinctive swarm behavior. For this reason, we recommend keeping the animals only in larger tanks with an edge length of one meter or more.

How do you keep black tetra in the aquarium?

The keeping of black phantom tetra in the aquarium is not very difficult. The animals are relatively undemanding compared to other South American species. So if you concentrate a little bit on the animals when planning the tank and consider the following tips you will be able to keep the fish permanently without problems.

Black tetra feel particularly comfortable in dark pools and welcome dense border planting and floating plants. But also the introduction of decorations, like roots or stones are accepted by black phantom tetras gratefully as hiding place and retreat. However, these are used also for the precinct formation. The animals mark out small territories in the mating season and defend them against other animals of the same species. They inflate themselves to impress the other males (and females).

The substrate and decoration in the aquarium should be kept as dark as possible, as it is found in its natural distribution area. Also no too strong lighting should be installed (or an LED with variable illuminance)

What water parameters does the black tetra need?

As already with the structure of the basin, the black phantom tetra also holds back with the water quality. It prefers the following water values:

The preferred water parameters of the black phantom tetra can often be achieved without problems even with German tap water. So the water temperature should be between 22°C and 26°C. A pH-value between 6.0 and 7.5 is most tolerable for the animals, whereby the water should have a total hardness of 2 to 15°dGH and should not exceed it.

Black tetra and what fish?

Thanks to their calm and peaceful nature, black phantom tetra can be easily socialized with other species. Especially South American dwarf cichlids, like butterfly cichlids, are particularly suitable for stocking, especially since the animals were also found together in the wild. By the way, we will show you many more stocking suggestions for black tetras and other South American species here.

The 4.5-5 centimetres large animals can also be socialised with larger ornamental fish such as discus or angelfish without any major problems if they are used in front of their larger fellow inhabitants (and thus have the home advantage).

It is important that the territory of the animals is respected. Although they are primarily only defended against conspecifics with aggressive behaviour, unnecessary troublemakers should be avoided. Especially Corydoras tend to ignore territories of other species.

The origin of the black phantom tetra

The natural range of black phantom tetra, which originates from South America, is composed of the catchment areas of the Rio Guaporé and the Rio Paraguay. It naturally prefers dark waters in which it can swim around in the company of its conspecifics; they appear almost swampy. He is happy about his individual retreat and about floating plants as well as plants at the edge of the aquarium. The black phantom tetra is a free-spawner. This means that the eggs of the females are simply released into the open water, so they usually do not look for a spawning place.

What does the black tetra eat?

A black phantom tetra lives on small flaky food in combination with live mosquito larvae and similar animals. But it also tolerates all other small foods, such as wafer, crisps, jelly food or Artemia. If required, the animals can of course also be fed with flake or dry food. However, it is important to feed them a varied diet of live and frozen food.

How do you breed black tetra?

The water must be both soft and a little bit acidic to breed the fish. Plants such as javamoos or hornwort are particularly suitable as spawning substrate for characins. In the breeding tank, you should pay attention to a weak current, and it must also be darkened (for example by hanging a dish or towel over it). It is also important that males and females are separated at the beginning. In principle, a female black tetra will spawn in the common tank of the group, but there is a high risk that the eggs (or even the freshly hatched young) will be eaten by the conspecifics.

The spawning cycle of black tetras is between ten and twelve days, and females can lay up to 300 eggs. The young must be separated from their parents immediately after spawning and require the finest and smallest ground food after hatching.

Conclusion: Keep black tetra in the aquarium

The keeping of black phantom tetra is not a particularly difficult challenge. A large dark aquarium with plants and a group of black phantom tetra, the animals are happy.

Much more complex is the breeding, where the water has to be specially prepared, the sexes should be separated and you have to watch the eggs permanently, so that they are not eaten by other fish. Often a second larger aquarium is necessary if you have a corresponding number of black tetras.

For the first stock in your own aquarium black phantom tetra can be bought in most of all zoo and pet shops and then be bred in your own breeding. black phantom tetra are compatible with other fish species and fish families and can be kept accordingly in much larger aquariums if proper attention is paid to the respective interior design with plants, darkness and hiding places.

Der Beitrag The black phantom tetra – The ornamental fish for home erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.

In the following aquarium Guide article we will generally talk about whether there is such a thing as aquarium cleaner fish at all (spoiler: not really), which catfish species are particularly suitable for cleaning the aquarium and which other species you can use to get rid of algae in the aquarium. for example – Have fun.

Are there Aquarium cleaner fish at all?

Most aquarists are certainly familiar with the term cleaner fish for the aquarium. Already at the first consultation in the pet shop the animals are usually introduced and often established as an important component for a clean aquarium. This may make sense even for an inexperienced aquarist, as the catfish literally suck on the aquarium glass and “free” it from algae and other edible microorganisms.

Unfortunately, it is often not mentioned in pet shops that a cleaner fish, a typical representative of the catfish genus, often produces significantly more dirt than it removes. Because if cleaner fish live in the aquarium, there will usually not be enough food in the form of green algae or thread algae in the aquarium, which is why the animals must also be fed with aquarium fish food.

By using additional aquarium fish food, the fish naturally produce additional dirt, as they have to digest and eventually excrete this food. Although it may happen for a short while that the animals actually remove more dirt/algae than they produce, but only as long as there are enough edible organisms in the aquarium. For example, this would be the case in an aquarium heavily infested with algae: initially there would be enough food. After a few weeks/months, however, this surplus will be reduced and the animals must be fed with additional food.

Furthermore, an aquarist must understand that no cleaner fish in this world would eat excrement, dead plant remains or mulm (nor would any shrimp or snail). Only algae, carcasses or skin remains from a moult are eaten by cleanerfish.

What are the typical cleaner fish

The typical cleaner fish, which are wrongly sold as such in pet shops, are mostly representatives of the catfish. Mostly they are the following species:

• Ancestral catfish (Ancistrus)
• Whiptailcatfish (Rineloricaria fallax)
• Leaf miner catfish(Mochokinae)

These species represent exactly what we have already mentioned above. Although they are all omnivores and quite capable of removing a lot of algae and other dirt, they are only able to do so as long as there are enough nutrients in the aquarium. Otherwise the animals have to be fed with regular aquarium fish food and naturally produce additional dirt.

In addition, some of the species are not suitable for smaller beginner aquariums under any circumstances. Some of them grow to a size of 15-20 or even 30 centimetres and often require aquariums holding more than 240 litres (120 cm edge length). For this very reason they are often not suitable for beginners. Also because of the high age, which the animals can often reach, they should not be used to remove some algae at short notice.

Which dirt do cleaner fish eat at all?

The term cleaner fish may imply that the animals destroy all kinds of dirt and that the animals actually clean the aquarium. Unfortunately this is not the case. The typical cleaner fish mentioned above do not eat mulm, which consists mainly of fish excrement and food remains, nor do they eat dead plant parts.

But these are exactly the substances that are mainly responsible for the pollution in the aquarium. Instead, the cleaner fish actually produce much more of them when used in the aquarium.

The animals usually only eat green algae and other algae species and if things go really badly, then even aquarium plants are nibbled. Certainly not the result what an aquarist expects from a cleaner fish.

What real cleaner fish are there for the aquarium?

If it is really a fish that is supposed to free the aquarium from pollution in the form of algae, then we recommend the following species:

Otocinclus catfish

With a maximum length of four cm, the animals do not grow particularly large, which is why they are also suitable for smaller 60-litre aquariums. On the other hand, they have only low demands on the quality of the water and the water parameters, which only makes them more attractive, especially for aquaristic beginners.

In addition, there is of course the beautiful pattern of the animals: the stripes in the length of the animals, in combination with the striped back make the animals especially attractive. Also the interesting social behaviour makes the aquarist happy.

The animals are kept in the aquarium in small groups of 6-8 animals and eat all kinds of green algae. These often occur in freshly set up aquariums, so it is often advisable to introduce the animals as “first stock” in the aquarium. The animals must be observed several times a day. If not enough algae have formed in the aquarium yet, the animals must be fed additionally with food tablets or vegetables.

Corydoras

Corydoras are also suitable as cleaner fish in the aquarium. Although they do not eat algae, they reliably destroy food remains, skin remains and carcasses on the aquarium floor – this is mostly what you associate with pollution anyway.

Corydoras grow up to 5 centimetres in size and should be kept in aquariums from 100 cm edge length. If the animals are to be kept in a 60 liter aquarium, I recommend Dwarf Corydoras pygmaeus, which remain clearly smaller with a maximum length of 3 cm. The animals are available in different breeding forms and can therefore show different drawings. They adapt themselves thus almost to each aquarium and are all very beautiful to look at.

Corydoras also show a very interesting social behavior: they swim around in small groups of 8-10 animals in the aquarium and dig with their bristles in the aquarium sand, always looking for the next food. The reproduction of the cleaner fish is also possible without problems in the aquarium, which is why even aquarium beginners can celebrate breeding successes.

Net brush algae eater (Crossocheilus reticulatus)

Also net brush algae eaters are very well suited as cleaner fish in the aquarium. However, the animals grow extremely large, up to 15 cm, and therefore cannot be kept in small aquariums: an edge length of at least 150-200 cm should be available to swimmers who love to swim and are as fast as an arrow.

Net brush algae eaters eat, as the name already suggests, love to eat brush algae. Anyone who has ever had to remove brush algae in an aquarium knows how stubborn they can be and can therefore certainly understand what an advantage it can be to be able to use these animals in a large, infested aquarium.

Nevertheless, even these animals cannot be considered as cleaner fish without exception: they only eat algae in the aquarium and do not actively look for food remains or carcasses on the aquarium floor.

Net brush algae eaters show an extremely interesting social behaviour and literally chase each other in the aquarium. They should be kept in groups of at least 5-6 animals.

cleaner fish alternatives: Shrimps for the aquarium

Especially shrimps are extremely suitable as cleaning crew in the aquarium. They take care of all kinds of edible dirt in the aquarium and are therefore the perfect all-rounders. The following species is our recommendation:

Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata)

Amano shrimps (Caridina multidentata) are extremely well suited as cleaner fish in the aquarium. They destroy almost all representatives of the green algae, but also eat leftover food, carcasses and everything else that accumulates at the bottom. Of course also Amano shrimp do not eat mulm (excrement or dead plant remains). In contrast to some snail species, Amano shrimp protect you from nibbling on plants.

Amano shrimps are not very attractive compared to other dwarf shrimps for the aquarium. While other shrimp may have the pattern of a tiger or leopard, they are almost transparent and do not show any pattern. However, they have an exciting social behaviour and move through the aquarium in groups.

The animals should be kept in aquariums from 80 cm edge length in groups of at least 8-10 animals. In the aquarium the cleaner shrimps then move around in groups and free the aquarium floor from some impurities. The breeding of the animals is possible without any problems, although it can be quite difficult to raise the young animals, especially when socializing other species. They are almost always eaten.

Otherwise, all dwarf shrimp are also suitable as cleaner fish, but are not quite as effective as Amano shrimp. The following species, for example, are very beautiful:

• Red cherry shrimp (Neocardina davidi “Red”)
• Orange fire shrimp (Neocaridina davidi “Orange”)
• Red Rili Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi “Red Rili”)
• Black sakura shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)
• Blue dream shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)

cleaner fish alternatives: snails for the aquarium

Snails are also extremely well suited as a cleaning crew in the aquarium. They eat almost everything from algae to food remains and carcasses in the aquarium, but depending on the species they also tend to nibble on plants – especially when there is not enough other food in the aquarium. The following species are our absolute recommendation:

Antler snail (Clithon sp. )

The beautiful antler snails are very well suited as cleaner fish in the aquarium. Thanks to their small size they can be used as an additional species in almost all aquariums and have only low demands on the water. Therefore they are also very suitable for aquaristic beginners.

The antler snail has, as the name suggests, small antlers on the snail shell, which is differently coloured depending on the species. The snail shell can be black-yellow, green or just black and is in any case very beautiful to look at.

The antler snail can be considered almost a tireless workhorse in the aquarium and eats almost all green algae, food remains, carcasses and skin remains. In contrast to other snail species, the Clithon sp. has the advantage that it keeps itself almost completely away from aquarium plants.

Antler snails are kept in groups of 3-5 animals – this is easily enough to keep a 120 liter aquarium clean.

Anthracite limpet (Neritina pulligera)

The anthracite slug is also extremely suitable for destroying contamination in the aquarium. Like the antler snail, it eats almost all types of green algae in the aquarium, but keeps away from the aquarium plants. It also eats food remains, carcasses and almost everything else that accumulates at the bottom of the aquarium.

The beautiful anthracite limpet snail has a dark coloured snail shell. It grows up to 3 cm and can therefore even be kept in nano aquaria. In a 120 litre aquarium the animals should be kept in a group of 3 to 5 animals.

Furthermore, the following snail species are also very well suited as cleaning troop in the aquarium:

• Boat slug (Neritidae)
• ramshorn snails (Planorbarius corneus)
• Bladder snail (Physidae)
• Malaysian trumpet snails (Tarebia granifera)

Conclusion: cleaner fish for the aquarium

Cleaning fish in the aquarium are a rumour in any case. No fish will actually remove more pollution than it produces. At most, this could be the case in the short term if a tank has a strong algae infestation. Then the animals will find enough food and actually clean the aquarium. If, however, the excess of nutrients is history, the animals, like all other aquarium inhabitants, must be fed regular aquarium food and thus produce excrement which is not eaten by any cleaner fish in the world.

However, if the contamination in the aquarium is actually algae or food remains, carcasses or skin remains, there are some species that reliably remove this contamination.

In any case the socialization of the animals should be coordinated with the rest of the stock in the aquarium. The size of the animals and their behaviour (as well as their effects on other species in the aquarium) should be considered.

If the worst comes to the worst, it may be better to use shrimps or snails instead of cleaner fish in the aquarium. These clean the aquarium at least as reliably from the above-mentioned contamination, but can be used in almost every aquarium independently of the rest of the stock.

Der Beitrag Cleaning fish for the aquarium: which fish clean the aquarium? erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.

The fish, which can grow up to 2.5 centimetres, belong to the genus of carp fish. Danio margaritus is a very popular ornamental fish because of its easy care and beginner friendliness: it can also cope with slightly cool water and room temperature and does not necessarily need an aquarium heater. At the same time it delights its owners with its splendid colours and its impressive behaviour when looking for a partner.

Even though Danio margaritatus are generally sold as easy to keep beginner fish in pet shops, there are a few things to keep in mind when keeping them. In the following aquaristic guide article we will tell you more.

The Danio margaritatus bear shortly presented

• Danio margaritatus bearblings are popular ornamental fish from the Southeast Asian region (Myanmar and Thailand)
• The base colour is bluish and has light spots
• Size: up to 2,5 cm
• Age: up to 3 years
• The animals are easy to keep, beginner-friendly, easy to care for
• Character: somewhat shy, peaceful
• loves dense vegetation with water plants
• Aquarium size: 60 litres capacity is recommended
• also gets by with somewhat cool water temperatures and without heating
• good to socialize with other bearblings, snails, dwarf crabs, or shrimps
• feeds on live or frozen food, such as mosquito larvae or microworms

Where do Danio margaritatus occur?

Originally, it was assumed that the Danio margaritatus bear is only found in its original habitat in Thailand, but in the meantime other areas have been found. Danio magaritatus is native to some areas of Thailand and Myanmar. There, the Danio margaritatus bear lives in higher, slowly flowing and stagnant waters. Danio margaritatus feels especially comfortable in slightly cool and alkaline water. The natural habitat is characterized by many stones and relatively dense planting.

Danio margaritatus bearblings and the big delivery bottleneck

Shortly after its discovery, Danio margaritus was also offered in German pet shops, where the demand increased rapidly. The Danio margaritatus bear became so popular that the sale to buyers had to be rationed to save Rasbora Galaxy from extinction. There was sometimes a call from a British magazine dealing with aquaristics that only people seriously interested in keeping or breeding fish should get Danio margaritatus.

In the meantime, the offspring is very successful, so the supply shortage of Danio margaritatus bearblings could be eliminated. In the meantime, other habitats in Southeast Asia have also been discovered.

Portrait of Danio margaritatus bear

The name margaritatus means “adorned with pearls” and so the name Danio margaritatus bear is also derived from the fact that the Danio margaritatus has bright spots in its plumage.

Danio margaritatus is a very popular aquarium fish due to its colouring and its small size. It has bright spots on its bluish skin, similar to the colouring of a guinea fowl. Its fins are striped red and black lengthwise. The back is light brown in colour and the underside of the belly is reddish. Female guinea fowls have a weaker colouring than males and are thicker. Their anal fin is either transparent or only slightly coloured. Males and females can be easily distinguished.

Unfortunately, in the pet shop you can always get Danio margaritatus that look quite worn out. This is due to the insufficient feeding by the pet shops. To replenish these fish and save them from dying, they need sufficient live food, such as cyclops, Artemia and mosquito larvae.

Which water characteristics does the Danio margaritatus prefer?

Danio margaritatus do not place too great demands on the water quality in the aquarium. The aquarium water should at best be characterised by the following values:

Temperature 19° – 25° C

pH value 6.8 – 7.5

Total hardness (dGH) 5° – 18° d

When you look at the optimal water values, you immediately notice that the animals like it relatively cool. At a temperature of only 19-25°C many South American species certainly do not feel comfortable, which is why a socialization should be avoided. Additionally the animals prefer a slightly alkaline water.

How do you keep the Danio margaritatus in the aquarium?

Danio margaritatus are schooling fish: the school gives the shy animals a feeling of security and contributes significantly to the social behaviour of the animals. For this reason it is recommended not to keep a group of less than 10 animals when keeping Danio margaritatus in the aquarium.

If the swarm is too small, i.e. there are too few Danio margaritatus in the aquarium, this is mainly noticeable by the extreme shyness of the animals. They then literally hide themselves only in the plant bushes and are hardly to be seen. Generally the animals are quite shy during the acclimatisation period, later they develop a lively, peaceful species.

Socialization of Danio margaritatus in the aquarium

The peaceful Rasboras Galaxy can be easily socialized with other small bearblings, as well as peaceful and not too hectic fish like Endler Guppies. Only the socialization with large species should be avoided, as this would again make the animals shy and the very small specimens could easily end up as a snack.

Snails, dwarf crabs or shrimps are other species that can be easily socialized with the guinea fowl, because the Danio margaritatus no longer eat them once they reach a certain size and the animals do not get in each other’s way in the tank.

Danio margaritatus fundamentally populates the upper and middle basin area of the aquarium and needs sufficient space for swimming. Therefore, when keeping Rasbora Galaxy you should not keep a 60 liter aquarium with the standard dimensions of 60x30x30cm.

In forums one often reads that even nano-aquariums with a tank volume of 30 litres or more are sufficient for keeping the animals: we think this is absolutely not in keeping with the nature of this swimming fish and should be avoided completely.

A large part of the Rasbora Galaxies available on the market are wild catches. To keep the species in the wild, you should therefore prefer to buy fish from offspring. The prices for Danio margaritatus should be between 4 and 8 Euros per animal.

Planting & structure of the aquarium

The Danio margaritatus bear requires a dense planting as a retreat, but also hiding places in the form of bogwood roots and stones should be given for the Rasbora Galaxy and are gladly accepted by it.

The trick is to provide sufficient hiding places and retreats with the planting and other decoration and at the same time to ensure a large enough swimming area for the swimming guinea fowl. It has therefore proved to be a good idea to leave the planting on the outer edges and to place stones and roots in such a way that they do not get into the swimming area.

Suitable plants are mosses (for spawning) or pearlwort. In addition, a dark substrate and not too bright lighting are ideal – especially the latter requirement can be easily achieved with dimmable LEDs.

Floating plants on the surface of the water are also very well suited for the insulation of the light, especially when fluorescent tubes are used. Quite contrary to the assumption, the shy animals will show up much more often, the more hiding places are offered: the Danio margaritatus then feel safe and comfortable.

Which food does the Danio margaritatus prefer?

The diet of the Danio margaritatus is relatively simple. It eats anything that fits in its mouth, which is not too big.

Danio margaritatus prefers to eat small live animals, such as Cyclops, Artemia or Daphnia, but is also happy to accept frozen food or dry food. By the way, we will show you how the different types of aquarium fish food differ from each other in our guide article.

The Danio margaritatus bear eats only the food that swims in the middle water depth. Food on the water surface or on the bottom of the aquarium is not accepted by Rasbora Galaxy. Therefore, regular feeding, at best daily in small portions, is advisable.

In fact, the little ornamental fish has a truly blessed appetite: Danio margaritatus eats everything he can find and everything that fits in his mouth, especially in the early days in his new home. This is often due to poor feeding in pet shops and on the long journey to Germany.

If Danio margaritatus are fed regularly and in a varied way also with live food, the animals can live up to 3 years.

How to breed Danio margaritatus in an aquarium?

Fully grown and well fed Danio margaritatus can also be bred in community aquariums, as they show a mating behaviour.

The males courted very distinctly for the favour of the females. They stand opposite each other and turn in a small circle. The female, willing to reproduce, is followed through the entire aquarium, right into the plant thicket. The spawn is later deposited in this thicket.

The female lays up to 6 eggs daily and the young hatch after 2 to 3 days. Planting is indispensable, as it not only offers the Danio margaritatus a place of retreat – to protect them from other fish – but is also needed for spawning.

Without planting, the Danio margaritatus cannot recover from the strenuous courtship display of the males. This permanent stress leads to the loss of its colourfulness, to diseases and finally to the animals’ failure. Without dense planting, the Danio margaritatus will also stop breeding completely.

Some aquarists put a spawning rust on the bottom of the tank and cover it with moss. This makes it easier for the females to lay eggs.

If the Danio margaritatus are to be reared, it is advisable to feed the fish generously for a few days and then to place them in a separate breeding tank. The water level in the spawning tank should be low and the tank very densely planted.

Shortly after spawning, the large parent fish should be fished out because they tend to eat the spawn. As soon as the juveniles of the Rasbora Galaxy have completely consumed their yolk sac and the small Danio margaritatus begin to swim around in the tank, they can be fed plankton, fine-grained granules, dust food or infusoria. Later they can be switched to nauplii. When liquid food is given, care should be taken to change the water regularly.

Conclusion: keeping Danio margaritatus in the aquarium is not difficult

The small Danio margaritatus bear cubs enrich every aquarium with their striking appearance. The relatively easy care and uncomplicated breeding make Danio margaritatus an ideal aquarium fish, which is also suitable for beginners.

Danio margaritatus is a small, beautiful ornamental fish that has made the hearts of many aquarium fans beat faster since its appearance. Still today Danio margaritatus is a very popular mini fish, often sold out in pet shops.

Its blue colour with black and red fins sets great accents in any aquarium. When it swims briskly through the tank and is always busy showing off, it is a beautiful sight. Its peaceful and agile nature makes it a suitable companion for numerous other mini fish and invertebrates. He is tolerant of changing water values and his offspring is absolutely recommendable and is fun for many fish lovers.

Do you already keep Danio margaritatus in your aquarium and are you satisfied with the animals? Show us your pictures in the comments.

Der Beitrag Keeping Danio Margaritatus in the Aquarium – This is How it Works erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.

How to keep the interesting moss barbels in your aquarium, how many moss barbels you should use and how you can breed the animals, you can read in the following aquarium guide article.

Everything important about moss barbs in a nutshell

• The moss barb is a green-coloured cultivated form of the Sumatran barb originating from South East Asia. It belongs to the carp family.
• Males and females reach a size between six and seven centimetres. While females are built more plump and high backed, males shine with their even more intense green colour.
• Unlike their conspecifics, Tiger barbare green throughout. The dorsal fin of males shines in a deep red, in females it looks rather pale.
• Tiger barbshould always be kept in groups of at least eight to ten animals. In this way it is possible to observe their interesting behaviour pattern closely.
• The fish possess a fascinating social behaviour. After only a short time, a leader determined by fights is chosen from among the fish.
• Tiger barbis usually a peaceful fish, but can also show a hectic behaviour.
• Moss barbels should not be socialized with long-finned fish, such as the  honey gourami, because the animals tend to nibble on the fins.
• The aquarium should have an edge length of at least 80 cm, because the moss barb is quite keen to swim.
• The fish feel comfortable at a temperature of 22-26° Celsius. The water of the aquarium should have a pH value of 6.0-7.5 and a total hardness of 5-19° dGH.
• Tiger barbprefer the middle layer of water, which is why border and background planting is perfectly adequate. Vallisneria, for example, are recommended for this purpose.
• The small carp fish can be fed with commercial ornamental food.
• The breeding of the moss barbels is simple and takes place in a separate tank. However, the parents must be removed immediately after laying the eggs, otherwise they will eat their own offspring.

Where do moss barbs occur?

Tiger barb are a cultivated form of the tiger barbels and are therefore not found in nature. Their relatives, however, come from Southeast Asia and prefer quiet and slow-flowing waters. There they usually live together in large flocks.

How many moss barbs do you keep in your aquarium?

Tiger barb  has a distinctive social behaviour and prefers to live in larger groups. Ideally, therefore, no less than eight fish are kept in order to ensure a pleasant coexistence.

For keeping the moss barb in the aquarium it is also very important to provide a sufficiently large aquarium. This should have an edge length of at least 80 cm, because the swimming-joyful animals need much place. If this swimming area is not available, the animals feel quite fast unwell and often fail.

How are moss barbs kept in an aquarium?

Moss barbs prefer pools rich in structure with a lot of space to hide. Nevertheless, the swimming area should also be large enough. Since barbels also live in the wild in densely overgrown bank zones, it is also recommended to the aquarium keeper to design the aquarium accordingly.

The swimming-joyful fish usually stay in the middle water-layer. If they pluck each other’s caudal fins, this is a sign that their habitat is too small. In order to avoid a further deterioration of the well-being of the animals, aquarists should therefore try to get a larger tank as soon as possible.

In order for Moss barbs to feel really comfortable in the aquarium, there must be sufficient retreat possibilities in the tank. Robust solitary plants, as well as bogwood roots are excellently suited for planting. Especially Vallisnerias are extremely suitable for planting, because they are known for their density and grow basically without the addition of fertilizers or Co2. They also spread quickly on the surface and provide a shady carpet.

The pool should also have a lot of structure and clearly defined areas. Here, too, the vallisnerie is a wonderful planting, stones and roots do the rest.

The ground is usually covered with dark sand. Lighting should normally follow a natural day and night cycle. In most cases fluorescent tubes or LED lights are used. When keeping moss barbs in the aquarium, it is also important to ensure that the tank is not too brightly lit and that there are different areas with different light intensities – sufficiently shaded areas are very important for the well-being of the animals.

Since Moss barbs live in calm water in nature, it is recommended to reduce the currents in the aquarium.

Which water values does a moss barb prefer?

As far as water quality is concerned, the moss barb is a relatively undemanding tank inhabitant – most German taps give out optimal water. The following water values should definitely be observed:

• Tank size: 120 litres
• Water temperature: 22-26° Celsius
• pH value: between 6,0 and 7,5
• Total hardness: 5-19° dGH

Moss barbs is a particularly swimming-joyful and frolicsome fish, why the basin should always have a size of at least 120 litres. If it is too small, the fish quickly attract attention by biting each other’s caudal fins.

Moss barbels can be kept in water with a total hardness of 5-19° dGH without any problems. If the pH value is between 6.0 and 7.5, this is also ideal for the fish. At a water temperature of 22-26° Celsius, the green beauties feel particularly well.

Company of Moss barbs

Moss barbs can be associated with different fish species. However, it must be noted that they like to chase after long-finned fish. They nibble the fins of the animals, which will lead to permanent damage. It is therefore not recommended to socialize with angelfish and fighting fish.

Similar to their close relatives, the Sumatran barbels, Moss barbs can also become somewhat rough at times, not only among each other, but also towards alien fish.

Ideally, moss barbels can be easily socialized with more robust catfish – the L333, the whiptail catfish or the feathered catfish are excellent as supplementary stocking. But also small species of loaches, such as the firetail, and other barbel species, such as the wedge-tailed bearblings  are extremely well suited for moss barbels. You only have to pay attention to the same temperature preference and to keeping the water values.

What does a moss barb eat?

Moss barbs can basically be fed with the most common types of food for ornamental fish. Live and frozen food is also on the menu. For an overview of the types of aquarium fish food, please follow the link.

In addition, aquarists should not forget the green food, otherwise the aquarium plants will suffer. If you start early with a blend of different food types, you will ensure a balanced diet right from the start.

Moss barbs are particularly aggressive eaters, which is why they should be fed with care. They also have a tendency to become obese, which is why aquarists should always adjust the exact amount of food they are fed. Fasting days should definitely be observed – we have found it to be best to feed the animals only every two days.

How are Moss barbs bred?

The breeding of Moss barbs can easily be done in the aquarium. In the breeding tank the optimal water values should prevail, as described above. The water should also be soft and slightly acidic. In this case, a substrate is also not absolutely necessary.

However, the breeding tank itself should be covered. Few, finely feathered plants are sufficient for this time. On these the female lays her eggs. As moss barbs are free-spawning, the parents must be removed from the tank after laying the eggs, otherwise they will eat their own offspring. The animals hatch in the following two to three days, sometimes sooner or later.

The offspring is temporarily reared with paramecia, followed by feeding with brine shrimp.

Conclusion: Keep moss barbs in the aquarium

The pretty moss barbs can be kept as ornamental fish in aquariums without any problems. To ensure that Moss barbs really feel at home, an aquarium with at least 120 litres is recommended. As already mentioned, the planting of the aquarium should be particularly lush.

Tiger barb do not have great demands on the water, nor does keeping them require a deeper understanding of aquaristics – they are therefore also suitable for beginners.

Long-finned species such as guppies or gourami should definitely not be associated with the moss barbels, as Moss barbs tends to nibble at the long fins. However, barbels of the same temperament, as well as loach species or catfish, are suitable for socialization.

Breeding moss barbs is also easy, but should be done at all times in a separate aquarium to prevent spawning robbery.

Der Beitrag Keeping Moss Barb in the Aquarium – This is How it Works erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.

Since the L333, which originates from Brazil, is a peaceful contemporary with low requirements, it is ideal for tanks with other peaceful species and is also suitable for beginners in aquaristics.

Nevertheless, there are a few things to keep in mind when keeping King Tiger Loricariid Catfish, so that you will enjoy your animals for a long time. Everything concerning the suitable tank, water values, furnishing possibilities, stocking examples and breeding you can find out in the following aquaristic guide.

Everything important about King Tiger Loricariid (L333) in short

• Hypancistrus spec. is considered in aquaristics as an easy to keep fish and is therefore also suitable for beginners
• King tiger loricariid catfish can be kept in pairs and in groups
• The mackerel coloration of L333 varies from white to orange and brown to black
• Each fish has a unique stripe pattern, so that individual animals can be distinguished from each other
• Males as well as females reach a maximum body length of 15cm, whereas females can be shorter than males
• Male Hypancistrus spec. have a broader head, females a broader waist
• The L333 prefers shady aquariums with sufficient stones and roots as hiding places
• Hypancistrus spec. is a very peaceful species that can easily be kept together with other similarly peaceful fish
• The L333 feeds omnivorously, whereby vegetable food is less easily absorbed by them
• Under suitable conditions, L333s breeding in caves can be easily stimulated to breed

Where do King Tiger Catfish (L333) occur?

The Hypancistrus spec. originally comes from South America, more precisely from Brazil, where it can still be found today in the Rio Xingu.

As the most famous tributary of the Amazon, the Rio Xingu is a rather wild river, full of rapids and interrupted by several waterfalls, that runs through the jungle. Due to this occurrence, free-living King Tiger Catfish prefer warm and shady waters with currents that are interspersed with stones and roots.

How many King Tiger Loricariid Catfish (L333) keep in the aquarium?

The L333 can be held in pairs or in groups. For a pair a tank with an edge length of 100 cm is sufficient (i.e. a standard 180 litre aquarium), whereas for groups a tank size of 160 cm and larger should be preferred, so that the quite large catfish find enough space.

If the Hypancistrus spec. is to be socialized with other species, a tank size of 160 cm upwards is recommended, so that all species find enough space and can live together in a species-appropriate way.

How to keep King Tiger Loricariid Catfish (L333) in an aquarium?

In addition to a sufficiently large basin, the interior design is also crucial to ensure that the L333 feels at home in its new home. Basically the keeping of the King Tiger Loricariid catfish is very easy, so it is also very suitable for beginners.

The bottom of the aquarium should preferably consist of sand, whose color is secondary. However, the colour of the catfish can adapt to the ground, so you should choose the sand according to your own preference.

Important, however, are sufficient caves and retreats for the L333. A mixture of caves, stone slabs and roots is ideal to provide sufficient hiding places for the King Tiger Loricariid.

A planting of the aquarium is quite possible, however, one should note that young animals of the L333 like to feed on softer plant species. A blanket of floating plants is especially recommended for the catfish, especially as they are very sensitive to light and clearly prefer a shady aquarium. Correspondingly little lighting should be chosen for the aquarium so that the fish feel comfortable and do not only come out under the cover of the night.

The L333 does not require additional flow in the pool through a flow pump.

Which water values does a King Tiger Loricariid catfish (L333) prefer?

In order to imitate the natural habitat of Hypancistrus spec. as closely as possible, the following water values are recommended for an aquarium suitable for the species.

• Aquarium: min. 100 L (for couples), min. 160 L (for groups)
• Water temperature: 27 °C – 30 °C
• pH value: 5.5 – 7.5
• Total hardness: 0 – 20 dGH

According to their natural habitat in Brazil, L333 prefer warm and rather acidic water. The degree of hardness in which the Hypancistrus spec. feels comfortable ranges from soft to medium hard and can be easily achieved with conventional tap water. Accordingly, the water does not need any special treatment by adding certain additives, which again speaks for the beginner suitability of L333.

In order to achieve a constantly high water quality, it is nevertheless important to change the water regularly to keep nitrite and nitrate levels as low as possible. In addition, a high oxygen saturation of the water is optimal for the L333, which should also be maintained continuously at all times of the day.

socialization of king tiger catfish (L333)

The Hypancistrus spec. is by nature a peace-loving fish species and can therefore be easily socialized with other fish. However, a few criteria should be observed to ensure that the socialization really works and remains species-appropriate for all fish species involved.

The decisive factor is to look for fish with similar basic needs to those of the King Tiger Loricariid Catfish. These should therefore prefer similar temperatures, degrees of hardness and pH values of the water.

Many aquarists select fish according to the habitats in which they can be found in the wild, which is why other Amazonian species are popular for the socialization of the L333. However, this is not a must, but remains a preference of the keeper.

However, one should pay attention to socialize the King Tiger Loricariid with rather calm and not too aggressive fish, so that the even very calm fish gets enough to eat. In addition, aggressive species can frighten it so that it is reluctant to show itself.

Since it is very peaceful itself, it can also be socialized with smaller characins such as the red neon or the Ember tetra without any problems. In the aquarium, the combination of the schooling fish swimming on top and the catfish at the bottom of the bottom creates a particularly beautiful overall picture.

In addition, they are also suitable for socializing shrimps and snails, which brings additional variety to the aquarium.

What does a Bengal tiger catfish (L333) eat?

The L333 belongs to the omnivores and is therefore an omnivore.

Dried food of all kinds is very popular with the King Tiger Loricariid Catfish, but they also seem to enjoy shellfish meat, mosquito larvae and frozen fish. By the way, we show you more about the different types of fish food in our aquarium fish food comparison. A varied mixture is accordingly appropriate and is also gladly accepted by the fish.

Since the catfish are mainly on the ground, sinking food is preferable. Especially if there are other species living in the aquarium you should make sure that the L333 gets enough food.

Young animals also like to eat raw food and sometimes attack the plants in the aquarium, whereas this behavior is no longer observed in adult animals. Some aquarists have even reported that L333 destroys algae in the aquarium.

How are King Tiger Catfish (L333) bred?

Since the L333 belongs to the cave breeders, just such caves are crucial for a successful breeding of these animals. Up to now, mainly one-sided open tubes, which can be made of clay or slate, have proven to be successful. Of course they should be adapted to the respective size of the animals, so that they feel comfortable in their retreat.

In order to encourage the L333 to spawn, no great effort is usually required as long as the tank is regularly maintained. If it should take longer with the offspring, you can effectively help by changing the water or by changing the temperature, conductance and current.

The clutch size varies according to the size and vitality of the parent animals, with the male looking after the eggs until the larvae have hatched.

In feeding, the young catfish of the L333 are quite undemanding and will eat any crushed dry food that is offered to them. To keep the stress for the young King Tiger Loricariid Catfish as low as possible and to achieve a fast and good breeding, there should be enough hiding places for the young catfish. That no predators should be in the same tank should also be self-evident. So nothing stands in the way of a successful breeding.

Conclusion: keeping King Tiger Loricariid catfish (L333) is not difficult

If kept in a rather dark aquarium, with sufficient retreat possibilities and suitable water values, the South American King Tiger Loricariid is a frugal and undemanding catfish, which is best suited for beginners in aquaristics and on top of that has a great coloration and a beautiful pattern.

The omnivorous animals are quite simple in both keeping and feeding and can easily be socialized with other fish species, as well as snails and shrimps, as long as the same water values are preferred.

The breeding and rearing of the L333 is also quite simple and even a beginner in a community aquarium can manage it without any problems.   

Der Beitrag Keeping King Tiger Loricariid catfish (L333) in the aquarium – this is how it works erschien zuerst auf Aquarium-Fish-Plants.com.