Som Siamese killer whale. Aquarium fish mistus (Mystus vittatus) - striped catfish. Basic parameters of the aquarium
The natural habitat of this fish is the fresh waters of Thailand and Cambodia.
Appearance
Video. The appearance of the Siamese killer whale:
The elongated body, the caudal fin, as well as the adipose fin, are highly developed relative to the size of the fish itself. Wide dark stripes run along the body. The dorsal and pectoral fins have spines. Size: up to 20 cm, in an aquarium up to 12 cm.
The difference between a male and a female is that the males are somewhat smaller and slender.
Video. Orca Siamese in the aquarium:
The time of activity of the Siamese killer whale is twilight. The fish often hides in various minks, spaces between stones, snags, stones and other shelters - it is especially difficult to see a killer whale in a rather bright aquarium light, as it hides from strong light. Can be kept with small fish species.
Conditions of detention:
Maintenance water: GH up to 15°;
Acid-base composition of water: pH 6.5-7.5;
Temperature: t 2 1-25 °C.
Feed
You can feed the killer whale with live ice cream and dry food in small portions in the evening and at night.
reproduction
Breeding conditions:
Dilution water: GH up to 10°;
Acid-base composition of water: pH 7.0;
Temperature: t 26-28 °С
Carbonate hardness is minimal.
Spawning is equipped with a capacity of 100 liters. The recommended dilution method is only by pituitary injections. The initial food for fry is rotifers. The female lays up to 500 eggs.
The Siamese killer whale (pseudomystus siamensis, leiocassis siamensis), and not the killer whale, as found in most search queries, is a representative of the killer whale catfish family, which is found exclusively in fresh waters of South Asia.
In the aquarium, it reaches a maximum of 12 cm, in nature it can grow up to 20 cm. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed, it is possible to distinguish a male from a female only by a smaller and more slender body.
The life span of a catfish of a Siamese killer whale (correctly - a killer whale) is about 5-6 years.
Conditions
This type of aquarium fish loves space - an aquarium is selected from 100 liters, while a large length is preferable to a height. In a large spacious tank, the number of skirmishes between males is minimized, which allows you to start a larger number of these catfish. A filter, a compressor and a lid should also be attached to the aquarium (killer whales are very active, frisky and jumping).
Water must be clean and fresh (no salt!), Its parameters are: temperature 20-25°C, hardness up to 15°dH and acidity 6.5-7.5 pH. Change the water once a week, about a third of the total.
Soil - coarse sand, pebbles, gravel, no coral or marble chips, they are only suitable for cichlids, as they increase rigidity. Lighting is moderate, diffused, the Siamese killer whale (a killer whale is a bird, a swallow) does not like bright light and tries to hide from it in all kinds of cracks. Scenery - grottoes, broken pots, tubes in which you can hide (not too narrow and small, otherwise your pets have every chance of getting stuck there).
This type of catfish prefers to swim in the water column in its active phase (which occurs with the advent of twilight). The fish can sometimes be seen hovering in a vertical position among the thickets of plants, the poet
a small amount of them (Vallisneria is good) would be very appropriate.
Spreading: as the name implies, these catfish live in freshwater rivers and reservoirs in Thailand and Kampuchea, hence the name "Siamese".
Description: The Siamese killer whale has an elongated yellow-silver body, darker fins, covered with spines on the back and chest. On the sides of the body, depending on age, m.b. wide dark stripes. There are whiskers on the lower jaw. They can make creaking sounds with the articulation of their serrated fins. There is another common type of Siamese killer whale - catfish changeling. It swims belly up, which is how it got its name. These catfish do not have scales. This subspecies is more shy, and can only be seen at night, and then it will immediately hide in a shelter. Due to the fact that they do not have scales, these catfish are covered with mucus, which, while performing protective functions, is poisonous.
Dimensions: grow up to 20 cm (in an aquarium - up to 12 cm)
Feeding / types of food: eat any ice cream and dry food, you can feed the tubifex, bloodworm. Feed or part of feed is required at night as this species is nocturnal.
The main parameters of the aquarium:
- Temperature 21-25°C
- Acidity level pH 6.5-7.5
- Hardness dH up to 15
The aquarium should be from 100 liters. Lighting is dim. Catfish can jump out, so you need to cover the "jar". In the reservoir itself there should be many shelters, snags, various cylinders, etc. Also, there should be enough vegetation for Siamese killer whales to hide in it. This species is very fond of clean, oxygenated water. Therefore, appropriate measures must be taken (aeration, filtration, replacement of part of the water).
Social Behavior: fish are peaceful, but can be predatory. In general, keeping in a common aquarium is quite acceptable, but it must be borne in mind that the rest of the inhabitants must be no less than these catfish, the proximity of veil forms of fish is also not recommended - tails and fins will be bitten. The fish are active at night. If two males do not share the territory, then there will be fights.
The Siamese killer whale is nocturnal. If you want to see this fish more often, then you need to create a subdued aquarium lighting, as the fish hides from bright light.
Gender differences: females are larger than males and fuller.
Breeding
To breed a Siamese Orca, you need a spawning aquarium with a volume of at least 100 liters. In females, before spawning itself, the abdomen becomes significantly fatter. Usually, in preparation for spawning, pituitary injections are used, then eggs are taken from the female by hand and milk from males. Fertilization of eggs occurs artificially in a separate container. There are no facts of successful breeding of Siamese killer whales in an amateur aquarium yet. With professional reproduction, it is possible to achieve numerous laying of eggs with a diameter of 1 mm. At the same time, an important condition for spawning is an increase in temperature in the spawning ground. Siamese killer whale fry are fed with rotifers.
Mistus striped, Indian killer catfish (Mystus vittatus) is a playful representative of the underwater world. Originally from Asian countries, the habitat is the waters of the rivers of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka. Prefers fresh waters of streams and lakes, sometimes swims in sea bays.
Mistus is a kind and active fish, which is very pleasant to watch. He literally arranges races with his neighbors in the aquarium, but before starting a mistus, you should familiarize yourself with the conditions for his adaptation.
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Description
Mistus reaches 20-25 cm in length, has a slightly flattened sides, elongated body. On a large head with large eyes there are cute mustaches, three pairs. Behind the dorsal fin is a small adipose fin. The body is painted in a pinkish-yellow color, shimmering with a blue-violet hue. On the sides of the body there are several horizontal stripes of a dark color, on the gill covers there are black spots. The fry are silver in color.
The difference between the female and the male is visible after 3 months of life: the female has a full white abdomen and is larger in itself. The male has a urogenital papilla, a special process that is visible after the third month of life.
Mistus striped is either calm or cocky. He likes to actively play in the aquarium with other fish, especially at night. Prefers places where there are a lot of grottoes, snags, plants. Sometimes, in pursuit, he teases his comrades, sorting out relations with them. Mistus is a predator, so it will quickly eat small fish. Also, Indian catfish can gnaw on young leaves of aquarium plants, so acquaintance with plant foods should be started as early as possible.
Watch a video on how to keep mistuses.
How to keep and feed
With a maximum length of 20 cm, the mistusus can swim quickly in the water; for a spacious place, an aquarium of about 120-150 liters is needed (the length is greater than the height). Stones, snags and plants should be lined at the bottom.
The water temperature is preferably 22-28 o C, pH - 6.0-7.4, water hardness - up to 5-25 dH. Good aeration and moderate to strong flow are required. Subdued lighting recommended. Water can be changed 1 time in 2 weeks, or change 25% of water weekly, not forgetting about aeration and filtration. Mistus loves the lower layers of water, so it must be crystal clear. In favorable conditions, the mistus lives for five years.
The diet consists of live and frozen dry food, sometimes it eats what other inhabitants of the aquarium left half-eaten. Likes lettuce, oatmeal, worms. After itself, it does not leave a single gram of food, eating it from the bottom of the aquarium.
Neighbours
Mistuses are characterized by territorially aggressive behavior, so it is better to populate several individuals in an aquarium. Larger fish can become their neighbors. Catfish have a very large mouth to swallow small fish such as zebrafish and neons. They will also chase fish with veil fins by plucking their fins.
Look at the striped catfish in the aquarium.
Breeding
Reaching a length of 10-12 cm, the mistus becomes sexually mature. In the general aquarium, the male and female breed very rarely, so the appearance of offspring is possible with the help of pituitary injections. Unfortunately, in captivity, they almost do not breed, but there are isolated cases.
Mistuses easily breed in a spawning area with active aeration (the female can throw up to 500 eggs). The fry develop rapidly, from the first days of life their main food is microplankton. It is advisable to sort them by size so that they do not eat each other.
It comes from the vast basin of the Mekong River - the largest in Southeast Asia, from the territory of modern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Inhabits slow-moving waters among submerged trees and their roots. In the daytime, it keeps close to shelters, and at night it comes out in search of food.
Brief information:
- The volume of the aquarium - from 100l.
- Temperature - 20–26°C
- pH value - 5.8–7.8
- Water hardness - soft to hard (5–25 dGH)
- Substrate type - any soft
- Lighting - subdued
- Brackish water - acceptable at a concentration of 1 teaspoon of salt per 10 liters
- Water movement is weak
- Fish size - up to 12 cm.
- Nutrition - protein (meat) diet
- Temperament - conditionally peaceful
- Keeping alone or in a small group in the presence of shelters
Description
Adults reach a length of about 15 cm. The main color is a dark chocolate hue with several vertical and diagonal stripes of a yellowish tint. A similar pattern is reflected in one of the popular names of this species "bumblebee catfish". Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed, males have a more contrasting coloration, and females are somewhat stockier than their partners.
Nutrition
Refers to carnivorous species, partly can be called miniature predators. Siamese catfish prey on small fish, aquatic insects and their larvae, worms, crustaceans, etc. In a home aquarium, it can adapt to accepting fresh meat and frozen foods such as freshwater shrimp meat, mussels, pieces of white fish, earthworms.
Do not serve meat of animal origin, they are poorly digested and can cause digestive problems.
Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium
The optimal size of the aquarium for one catfish starts from 100 liters. Since this is a shy and nocturnal inhabitant, the design should provide for dim lighting and the presence of shelters (snags, ceramic pots, plastic tube trimmings, etc.). When keeping together with other catfish, provide several areas with shelters so that each of them can create their own territory. The substrate is any soft, plants are not required, but if desired, you can use some shade-loving unpretentious plants and mosses.
In the process of placing the equipment, place the heaters away from the hiding places and, moreover, do not combine them so that the catfish do not accidentally overheat. Otherwise, the Asian bumblebee catfish is completely unpretentious and is able to successfully adapt to various water conditions, it is found in nature even in brackish systems.
Behavior and Compatibility
If you do not keep with small fish, then there will be no problems with compatibility with other species. Catfish goes well with large and medium-sized cyprinids, peaceful cichlids and many others. As for intraspecific relations, there is competition for territory and skirmishes are possible if there is a lack of space.
Breeding / reproduction
In nature, the mating season begins with the arrival of the rainy season, when there are significant changes in the composition of the water, which in turn is an incentive for spawning. It is almost impossible to reproduce natural cycles in a home aquarium without the use of hormonal injections used in fish farms.
Fish diseases
The main cause of health problems is an unsuitable living environment. If the first symptoms are detected, you should check the water parameters and the presence of high concentrations of hazardous substances (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, etc.), if necessary, bring the indicators back to normal and only then proceed with treatment. Read more about symptoms and treatments in the section "
Killer catfish is an amazing fish, the varieties of which amaze with their diversity. Perhaps the most common species is the Siamese killer whale. The brightness of the color of such a fish depends on its age and size. Females are larger than males, and their abdomen is fuller.
The body of such a fish is elongated, and the caudal fin has well-developed blades and an adipose fin. The fins on the back and chest are covered with spines. The body color is yellow-silver, with wide dark stripes on the sides. Siamese killer whales grow up to 20 cm and live in captivity for 5-6 years.
These are peaceful, but sometimes predatory inhabitants of the aquarium. Active at night. If two males in one aquarium are crowded, then they will defend their territory. This species prefers the middle layer of water.
Siamese killer whale catfish needs a species aquarium with a volume of at least 100 liters with a closed lid and dim light.
These fish can be kept in a common aquarium, but neighbors should be selected of the same size and similar character. It is not recommended to keep together with small types of aquarium fish, as well as those with long fins.
Orca catfish (aquarium) loves when there are snags, shelters, and polyvinyl tubes in the aquarium.
The joints of the jagged rays of the fins emit creaks and change the intensity of the color. Many shifters are covered with a yellowish integumentary mucus, which is often poisonous. Males are larger, brighter and slimmer than females, plus everything, their fins are more developed, and their head is more massive.
He loves natural algae and clean and aerated water. For such fish, the replacement is done by a third of the volume - weekly. These killer whales are fed live food (daphnia, frozen shrimp, bloodworms, insects, coretra) and dry food. Adults are fed in the evening or at night, often, but little by little.
To breed this species, you will need an aquarium of at least 100 liters. Before spawning, the females noticeably thicken the abdomen. The owner, in preparation for the replenishment of the fish family, should use the method of pituitary injections, and then select the caviar manually, as well as the milk from males. Fertilization itself occurs artificially in a container specially designed for this. In the "maternity hospital" water hardness should be up to 10 °, temperature 26-28 ° C, and acidity 7.0. Small aquarium killer whales are fed rotifers.
Another common species is the changeling catfish (killer whale, like the Siamese species, but with its own characteristics).
This is an unusually beautiful and non-standard catfish, but during the day it is not visible at all: at this time it hides in secluded places in the aquarium, and swims up only at night. If, during a night walk, a catfish-shifter in a room with an aquarium turns on the light, then it will quickly swim back to the shelter.
Most of these types of fish at home do not need special conditions, what must be is shelter.
These aquarium killer whales do not have scales. The pectoral and dorsal fins have hard, serrated spines.
The species of these fish were not bred artificially, they were domesticated. Homeland aquarium catfish killer whales - fresh waters of Asia and Africa. So this species has come a long way on its way to fame as an aquarium pet. He gained his popularity quite quickly due to his interesting "appearance".
This subspecies can grow up to 25 cm. However, it is not interesting at all for this, but for the method of moving around the aquarium: the changeling swims with its belly up, which is probably why it got its funny nickname. If you keep such a fish in a low aquarium, then when he falls asleep, he can be stroked on his soft tummy, and he will not wake up right away.
This catfish, unlike the Siamese species, is an active predator, and therefore it is necessary to select large individuals as neighbors that will not let themselves be offended.
Amazing shifters can be kept both alone and in a company, although they can sort things out with representatives of their own species, but this does not threaten a serious danger.
For a full healthy life, such fish need a water change at least once every half a month. Aeration and filtration must be effective, and the volume of the “dwelling” itself must be at least 300 liters.
This species is fed only with a large type of food: shrimps, tadpoles, as well as small fish, etc.
Even though these catfish are very hardy and can do without frequent water changes and soil cleaning for a long time, you should not tempt fate. After all, such a pet can not only decorate the aquarium, but also become a full-fledged pet for a person!