Catfish with a white stripe along the body. Striped Platidoras (Platydoras armatulus). Striped platidoras - diet

The striped platidoras fish is a freshwater catfish, a representative of the armored or side-scaled catfish family.

They got this name due to the presence of bone growths on the sides along the entire body, which form bone spikes and teeth. The entire body of the fish is covered with dense scales creating a strong shell. Also, these catfish have the ability to make different sounds, reminiscent of grinding and chirping. AT natural conditions they thus warn relatives of impending danger. A platydoras living in an aquarium produces these sounds when stressed or frightened.

The habitat of the striped platydoras

These catfish are native to South America and were first discovered in Peru and Brazil. They inhabit the waters of the Amazon, the Orinoco and Essequibo river basins. Platidoras prefer bodies of water with little current or places with stagnant water. In small streams and wetlands, they hide under the flooded rhizomes of trees and among aquatic plants, and also burrow into the soft sand at the bottom of the river.

Appearance of the striped platidoras

Thanks to their original coloration, they have gained the love of many aquarists and have become very popular inhabitants of home aquariums. Two distinct white stripes stretch along their dark brown or black body. These stripes originate at the caudal fin and join on the head between the eyes. The body is elongated and tapers towards the tail.

Abdomen and muzzle painted in White color as well as the lower part of the head. In young fish, the color is clear and bright, and with age it becomes dimmer and blurry. The pectoral fins are large and well developed, they also have spikes, and a sharp hook is located at the end. The front edge of the fins along the entire length has white stripe. The head of the Platidoras is large with a wide mouth and large eyes.

There are antennae on the upper and lower jaws. The upper pair is about 7 cm long, the lower whiskers are 2 pairs: on the sides (4-5 cm) and in the center (2-3 cm).

Striped platidoras living in natural conditions can grow up to 24 cm, and those grown in an aquarium are on average 15-18 cm long.

They are considered centenarians, in favorable conditions these fish can live 10-15 years. Sexual differences in representatives of these fish are insignificant - often males are smaller and more slender than females.

Maintenance and care of striped platidoras

Platidoras striped is unpretentious in content. For a pair of such catfish, an aquarium with a capacity of 120-150 liters is suitable. Optimum temperature for them is 25-27 ° C, pH in the range of 6.5 - 7, hardness up to 10 °. They do not like strong currents and bright lighting. Must be installed in the aquarium a large number of snags, pots and grottoes so that the catfish have plenty of hiding places. To create shaded areas and areas with subdued light, floating plants and several bushes with a strong root system are placed in the aquarium. Fine gravel with non-sharp edges or sand is used as the soil.

Water change is carried out with a frequency of once every 10-14 days, at a rate of 30%. For these aquarium inhabitants, you need to provide good aeration. Platidoras is a peaceful fish, any species of fish, except for the smallest ones, which he can perceive as food, will suit him as neighbors. And thanks to its shell, this catfish gets along well even with aggressive cichlids.

Like most catfish, this species leads night image life. In the daytime, it hides in snags, swimming out only a couple of times to inspect the surroundings, and with the onset of dusk, the platidor becomes active and goes out in search of food. You can watch these bottom dwellers only in the first year of their life, then they are still active during the day and scurry around the aquarium without stopping.

Feeding the striped platidoras

These bottom fish are omnivores, so you can feed them with a variety of foods. Although platidoras is not a fastidious fish, and will eat any food, you still need to pick up proper diet nutrition. It should consist of protein and vegetable components. These catfish are happy to eat bloodworms, coretra, tubifex. Such feed can be both live and frozen. A variety of dry food in the form of sinking granules or tablets is also suitable. Since catfish have a nocturnal diet, it is better to feed them after turning off the light.

The rattle of large fish is heard from under the water at a distance of 25-70 m. Some large species are considered commercial. These fish easily tolerate a very significant oxygen deficiency, and they can be transported without water in a humid environment for 2-4 hours.
The fish of the family are exclusively nocturnal, and the sounds serve them for communication with each other. Especially great importance they have during the breeding season, because with their help, males not only attract a female, but also let rivals know that the place is occupied. After all, armored catfish, like all other representatives of the catfish order, guard the nest (usually made from floating plants) and the laying of eggs.
Observations in the aquarium show that amblydoras (Amblydoras hancockii) "sing" most beautifully, the sounds they make resemble the melodic trills of small tree frogs. But the star-shaped agamix (Agamixis flavopictus) just croaks; like him, but a little more tenderly communicate with each other and chocolate acanthodoras (Acanthodoras cataphractus). These catfish are popular with amateurs and breed quite successfully in aquariums, and platydoras (Platydoras costatus) has become quite a common species.

"Singing Catfish"

Several hours have already passed, as the light was turned off in the aquarium, but iridescent trills and loud croaking, similar to "talks" are heard from the room tree frogs. This is how armored catfish communicate with each other, many species of which are kept in aquariums.
The Bronyakov family (Doradidae) includes almost a hundred species, united by different experts in 35-38 genera. These South American catfish reach a length of 25 cm. They are distinguished from other South American catfish by large scales with spines and powerful serrated first spines in the chest and dorsal fins. These are the fish that produce different sounds.

When keeping armored catfish, the aquarium is "supplied" with many shelters (snags, pipes, etc.), in which the fish sit out during the day. Water hardness 8-12°, pH about 6.6, temperature 22-24°C. Armored catfish are fed with live food: bloodworms, tubifex, coretra (up to 75%) and plant foods (fouling, algae, scalded lettuce, spinach and cabbage). You can also use artificial food prepared with agar-agar. Fertility large species reaches 3-4 thousand, small - 500-800 eggs.

based on materials from the almanac Aquarist

Among lovers of ornamental fish, a place of honor is occupied by striped platydoras. It is a beautiful big catfish With bright color. It has a peaceful nature, so multi-species aquariums are suitable for it. The fish prefers to lead an active life at night, but in comfortable conditions it can “walk” during the day, delighting the owners with its curious disposition.

Description

The homeland of the fish is the waters of South America. Catfish striped platidoras belongs to the Armored family, so it’s easy to guess that it has a kind of “armor” in the form of hard plates on the body and head. In addition, there are spikes on the sides that can be pricked. On both sides of the head are two pairs of dark antennae. No less remarkable is the coloring. Broad and light colors stretch from head to tail. The older the fish, the less pronounced the pattern becomes. it big fish. Adults reach an average of 15 centimeters, although they grow to 20 in the wild. Females, when viewed from above, appear larger and fatter than males. By outward signs these fish can be confused with long-nosed catfish. They can be distinguished from each other by the length of the muzzle and adipose fin, in the long-nosed they are more oblong. AT good conditions striped platidoras lives for about 12 years.

This fish is unpretentious and hardy, so it does not require careful care. For a catfish, it will be enough to change 30% of the water once a month. This pet prefers a liquid of medium hardness, which will be enriched with oxygen. The volume of the aquarium must be at least 120 liters. The lighting is subdued. If you like to watch the life of fish at night, you can install an LED lamp that emits red or moonlight.

Platidoras striped needs shelter, nooks and spaces for research. For this, voids in snags, plastic tubes are suitable. In addition, at the bottom must be good sand because in the wild these fish like to burrow into it. Due to the fact that they dig, a slight coating may appear on them. Catfish are not inclined to eat algae, but small plants can be an exception. If you monitor the condition of the aquarium and the quality of food, the likelihood of the fish getting sick is very small.

Feeding

In nature striped catfish feeds on crustaceans, molluscs, detritus, and everything that falls to the bottom, so we can say that these are omnivorous fish. The main diet of the fish should be with the addition of plant components. This can be pelleted food (which settles) along with frozen bloodworms. Catfish also like tubifex and even live moths.

Feeding should be daily, but at the same time, you need to control the amount of feed. The striped catfish is known to be prone to overeating. There were cases when they died from immoderate consumption of food. best moment feeding is the time before turning off the lights in the aquarium.

reproduction

There are many fish that can be successfully bred at home, but they do not include striped platydoras. These catfish for sale are propagated by hormonal injections, but naturally, even in large aquariums, this is very rare. There is very little information on this process, since most often, with successful spawning, breeders found already swimming fry.

For spawning, it is necessary to prepare a separate aquarium in which temperature (27 0), acidity (up to 7 pH), hardness (up to 6 0) and water level (20 cm) are controlled. Floating plants are also launched. In addition, before spawning, it is important to keep producers separately and feed them with live food. The nest of leaves must be built by the male. The female lays about three hundred eggs. But for the implementation of spawning, it is necessary to use the pituitary suspension. After this process, the producers are evicted. The incubation period is 72 hours. On the fifth day, the larvae begin to swim. Young animals are fed live dust, microworms. Growth takes a long time.

Compatibility of the inhabitants of the aquarium

Striped catfish are bottom and peaceful fish. Regardless of the size of their "neighbors", they treat them well. But there is a danger that very small catfish fish will be regarded as food. They can be hooked to aggressive fish, since the striped platydoras has strong armor that will protect. For example, characins, cyprinids, gambusias, anabontids and catfishes, which do not have pronounced territorial rivalry, are suitable for the neighborhood. You can also add Central and South American cichlids.

Striped catfish is suitable for group and single keeping. If several Platydoras live in an aquarium, they may show territorial enmity, and skirmishes will occur from time to time. But do not be afraid of this, because they will not cause harm to each other. Over time, this behavior may change, and they will be able to live in the same shelter, since in nature they often huddle in flocks.

Striped Platydoras (Platydoras armatulus) Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1840

Platydoras: Platys = wide; doras = cuirass = animal hard cover, carapace armor.

Family Armored* (Doradidae).

Common Names: Striped Raphael Catfish, Spiny Catfish, Chocolate Catfish, Striped Talking Catfish...

Talking catfish got theirs common name from the creaking or clicking sounds they make, especially at night.

*family freshwater fish order catfishes, including up to 70-100 species of fish, are mainly nocturnal.

Range and Habitat

It has a huge natural distribution area, covering the Orinoco basin in Colombia and Venezuela, the Rio Essequibo in Guyana, parts of the Amazon basin in Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, the Rio Tocantins and Rio Parnaiba river basins.

Slow flowing and stagnant waters, including tributaries, streams and swamps. It usually finds shelter among submerged roots or underwater vegetation.

Description

It has a cylindrical body in the shape of an arrow with a flattened belly and big head. The eyes are large and set to the side. The mouth is large, there are three pairs of jaw whiskers. They are located on both sides of the mouth, one on the lower and a pair on the upper jaw. Bone outgrowths form spiny curved spines along the lateral line. The dorsal and pectoral fins are serrated.

The body is dark brown to black with a distinct and continuous light middle lateral stripe (from white to yellow), a pair of which converge with a line on the back in the interorbital region. Bottom part head and Front edge pectoral fins also white.

The size

The maximum standard length is 24 cm. In the aquarium, specimens of this size are rare, but can easily grow up to 15 cm.

Behavior and Compatibility

Totally non-aggressive, but they will eat small fish so not really suitable for common aquarium. It can be kept with most peaceful species that are large enough not to become food, including medium sized characins, cyprinids, labyrinths, viviparous, cichlids and other non-territorial catfish.

They are tolerant of catfish belonging to the same species, and such a group can usually be kept without any problems. If multiple are present, they will often share the same cover during daylight hours. Although they sometimes have skirmishes over their chosen positions, no physical damage usually occurs.

Aquarium

This catfish is not very active, but because of its potential size, you still need a container with a size of 120x30x30 cm or at least 110 liters.

It is a cautious and shy daytime, nocturnal species, so it is best to keep the aquarium dimly lit. Aquarium with sand substrate or fine gravel. Provide plenty of cover in the form of various grottoes, clay pots, plastic pipes, snags and stones. Plants are not necessary, but are useful for reducing the amount of light reaching the bottom of the aquarium and providing additional cover.

If you get one of these for your aquarium community, you'll probably notice that it will head straight for hiding places and stay there until dark. If you want to see it more often, consider installing red spectrum lights or moonlights above the aquarium. They can't see red light waves, so if you turn them on at night, you can watch him foraging. Usually they become much bolder as they grow, adults will often swim around the aquarium, whether with the lights on or not.

Water parameters:

Temperature: 24 to 30°C
pH: 5.8 to 7.5
Hardness: 2 to 20°dH

A 20-25% water change should be done once a week.

Food

Omnivorous and easy to feed. Use good quality sinking pellets or tablets as your main feed. Supplement this with live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, small earthworms/earthworms and the like. It is best to feed after the lights have been turned off so that Platidoras stripe gets its fair share.

Try not to overfeed, these catfish are prone to gluttony. A full, round abdomen shows that he is full and until the stomach becomes flat, he does not need food.

Sexual Dimorphism

Adult females are broader when viewed from above.

Breeding

In nature, it apparently spawns among vegetation.

Rafael striped catfish are still bred only using hormonal injections.
In the aquarium, cases of the appearance of fry are noted, but this is an accident.

Life expectancy is over 20 years, in an aquarium they usually live about 15 years.

Notes

This popular species is often regarded as the ideal beginner catfish, hardy and tolerant of a wide range water conditions. However, its secretive nature, adult size, and propensity to snack on small tankmates mean it should only be considered for an aquarium community with larger fish.

The nickname "talking catfish" comes from the fish's ability to make sounds when communicating with conspecifics or when threatened. It can play these sounds in two ways. The first involves partially blocking the pectoral fins in their recesses, fraying with spikes, while creating a "buzzing" sound. Second, by rapidly contracting and relaxing a muscle that is attached to the back of the skull at one end and the front of the swim bladder at the other. This causes the swim bladder to resonate and produce a somewhat deeper and louder sound. The sounds are clearly audible and can sometimes be heard through the aquarium glass or when the fish is in the net. Be careful when fishing for these catfish, as the spikes on the body and fins can easily get tangled in the net. The sharp chest spikes can cause a painful wound if you accidentally prick them.

Unusual catfish from the family of armored (side-scale) successfully settled down at the bottom of millions of aquariums around the world. the globe. The most original and cutest of them is the striped catfish Platidoras, which boasts not only a comical round belly, non-standard color and sharp spines, but also the ability to make loud, displeased sounds.

For a comfortable stay of the prickly "grouche" in a home reservoir, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for keeping, focusing on the correct selection of the main factors and parameters of the habitat:

• the amount of free space;
• indicators and composition of water;
• availability of soil, plants and places for shelter;
• compatibility with other hydrobionts.

If all the nuances of the content are taken into account, then the catfish can grow up to 15 cm, live for more than 10 years and even give birth.

Aquarium size

When calculating the necessary space for the life of the armored ones, you need to remember that they grow quite large. So a baby the size of half a finger will not stay that way for long.

If, nevertheless, it is decided that the striped catfish will settle in the aquarium, then a container with a volume of 100–150 liters must be provided in its possession.

It is important to consider that almost all catfish lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, so too high vessels with a small bottom area are not suitable for keeping these fish species.

It is best to use an equipped rectangular aquarium with a wall height of 35–60 cm and a similar width.

In addition to a large bottom area, such containers have another advantage - most aquarium plants feel good in them.

Water parameters

It cannot be said that the striped catfish aquarium is picky, but there are quite strict requirements for water indicators.

• the content of calcium and magnesium oxides (hardness) - 6–15 ° dH;
• pH (acidity) - 5–7 pH;
• water temperature - 22–30°С.

Most comfortable condition catfish habitat is a soft neutral environment without salts, warmed up to 26-30°C. This is not surprising, because in their homeland in South America rivers are filled with rain and melting mountain snows.

However, a huge part of the tropical fish sold in Russia was bred and raised by domestic aquarists.

These individuals are better adapted to local realities, they feel fine in a rather tough and acidic water and are not afraid of short-term hypothermia.

But the presence of aeration, filtration and the creation of a small bottom current will significantly improve the health of the fish. Do not forget to change 25-30% of the water in the tank once a week.

Soil composition and bottom design

In its native element, Platidoras (striped catfish) is used to living on a soft bottom, hiding in thickets, in piles of snags or among stones. In the aquarium, you should try to create similar conditions, so the soil should be with a fine structure. A 5-10 cm layer of small round gravel or sand is suitable for this.

The presence of abundant vegetation, snags and hidden places is also important. The catfish prefers to be at the very bottom, but often likes to swim all over the aquarium, so it is desirable to have floating dense plants, such as Elodea.

Armored animals lead a twilight-night lifestyle. Too bright lighting unnerves, frightens them and forces them to look for shelters, in the role of which ceramic pipes, pots, artificial caves and grottoes, large stones can be used.

Food and diet

The striped catfish is an aquarium glutton that eats both animal food and plant food.

Due to the tendency to overeat, it is necessary to constantly monitor the size of his tummy and, noticing that he has greatly increased, do not feed the fish for a couple of days.

Feeding is done once a day, before turning off the lights.

Platidoras happily eats the following sinking foods:

• live and frozen bloodworms, tubifex, enchitreus, grindal, coretra, earthworms;
• small pieces of meat and fish, caviar of other fish, various crustaceans;
• special tableted, granulated feed, flakes;
• pieces of zucchini and cucumbers, spinach, lettuce and seaweed.

It is important that the protein component of the diet is 3-4 times more than the amount of plant components. In search of food, the striped catfish comes out at dusk and remains active all night. The fish picks up food from the bottom or searches for it, loosening the soil, which helps to keep the aquarium clean and improves the aeration of the substrate.

Compatibility and livability

fry and small fish a few centimeters long are perceived by a striped catfish as an aquarium delicacy and will be sure to be eaten at the first opportunity.

The situation can only be saved by the presence of extensive dense thickets of tall or floating plants, in which small fish can safely hide.

With larger specimens, the catfish behaves peacefully and does not offend them.

Good neighbors for living together with Platidoras will be

• cichlids,
• Goldfish,
• angelfish,
• large gourami and barbs.

The striped catfish carefully guards its territory.

If there are more individuals of this species in the aquarium, then for each of them it is necessary to create a separate shelter and allocate a sufficient section of the bottom, otherwise conflicts cannot be avoided.

Reproduction of Platidoras

Puberty striped catfish occurs at 2 years of age. Breeding them at home is extremely difficult; gonadotropic injections are used for this.

Spawning takes place in a separate shaded container with a volume of 100 liters or more, in which enhanced aeration and filtration are established and a small current is created. The water in the aquarium is poured to a column height of 20 cm and should be soft (6-7°dH), heated to 27-30°C.

The spawning area needs cover and a large number of small floating plants such as Riccia in order for Platidoras to create a ball-shaped nest for eggs. Excited catfish can eat their own caviar, so they must be removed immediately.

Due to the large spines on the fins of the fish, they cannot be caught with an ordinary net; plastic containers are used for this.

The incubation period of eggs lasts up to 3 days, on the fifth day the fry begin to swim and try to eat.

Summing up

The striped catfish belongs to hydrobionts with an average complexity of keeping. The parameters and conditions for comfortable living coincide with the requirements for the maintenance of most "serious" aquarium fish. Therefore, if a large aquarium is launched, equipped with filtration, aeration and water heating mechanisms, and the presence of small schooling fish is not expected, then you can safely populate Platidoras in a reservoir. A fish with a restless character and charming appearance will become a real decoration of the aquarium and bring a cheerful confusion to the measured life of its inhabitants.