Reproduction of neon at home. Aquarium fish neon. Babies and their care

Neon is a small aquarium fish, along the body of which a brilliant blue stripe resembling a neon glow stretches. They began their distribution at home in the 30s, and in our time it is one of the most common aquarium fish, giving bright rich colors to the underwater world.

neon fish

Due to its small size, a large aquarium is not required to keep the fish. Of course, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of other fish, if the neon will coexist with someone.

Characteristics of neon:

• Length - up to 4 cm;
• Color - red, black, blue;
• Number - schooling fish, at least 7 individuals are required for comfort;
• Layer of water - they prefer to be in the lower layers, closer to the bottom;
• Life expectancy - up to 4 years.

The water temperature greatly affects life expectancy, the higher it is, the faster the fish ages. So at a temperature of 22 degrees they live as long as possible, up to 4 years, and if the temperature is around 28 degrees, then a year and a half is the ceiling.

flock of neon

The fish are undemanding to the composition of the water, the main thing is that it be soft and settled for 3 days.

Nature endowed neon with a good disposition; for compatibility, they do not pose a threat to either little ones or harmless ones. Of course, they will not get along with predators, as they will feed on them. But it is worth noting that in vivo neons hide perfectly in dense thickets, and if you have a large aquarium with dense vegetation, then neons have every chance to get along with a fighting temper or.

Neons can be fed with any food for medium-sized fish. For good health it is better to alternate food with frozen, live and artificial mixtures from the pet store. One day a week it is possible (even useful) to arrange a fasting day.

Aquarium

Neon fish do not need water flow, they prefer standing backwaters, so it is enough to equip only a compressor with a fine spray, the smaller the bubbles, the better. Vegetation should be dense in all layers, as in the photo below, since neons, although they prefer the lower layers, are very playful, and sometimes a flock will rush in the upper layers.

dense aquarium

You don’t need to buy a lighting lamp, the fish prefer subdued lighting. A water filter is desirable, but not critical, especially if snails also live in the aquarium.

Water parameters:

• pH - up to 6.5;
• dH - up to 8;
• Water change - 25% per week.

These are ideal parameters, in fact, they will feel good in more acidic and hard water.

It is very important - the soil must be dark!

The darker the ground, the brighter and more intense the neon strip. And in general, arrange more dark areas at the bottom - snags, large stones, grottoes, this will bring them as close as possible to their usual living conditions.

That’s all, they don’t require any special care anymore, so they are highly recommended for beginner aquarists.

Buying a fish

We bought an aquarium, filled it with settled water and decorated it, it was time to go for the fish. You can buy neon fish at any pet store, this is a very common aquarium fish at a very low price - black and blue in the region of 50 rubles apiece, and red in the region of 100 rubles.

black neon

Try to buy a flock at once, and not one fish per week. Firstly, there is less stress for the fish, and secondly, beginners will not need to be kept in a separate quarantine bank for a couple of days. It will be a pity if the tenth fish bought turns out to be sick, and all relatives die.

If you make a purchase in the winter, then take a thermos with you, in which you will bring the fish home. A sharp temperature drop can be bad for their health.

Reproduction of fish

Reproduction of neon fish is not difficult. The female can be distinguished from the male with the naked eye:

• Females are slightly larger;
• The stripe in females in the middle of the body is slightly curved, in males it is clearly straight along the entire length;
• In females, the stomach is slightly larger (hence the curvature of the strip).

Sexual maturity occurs at six months of age. Before spawning, males must be transplanted, and females must be created ideal conditions(water hardness and acidity), lower the temperature to 20 degrees, and feed only live food. This goes on for about a month.

• Water depth - 15 cm;
• Temperature - 22 degrees;
• Hardness - dH 2;
• Acidity - pH 6;
• No artificial lighting.

Toward evening we transplant a couple of fish into the spawning ground. Usually in the morning the female already begins to spawn, but this process can drag on for a couple of days. During spawning, the fish are not fed anything.

spawning

From 50 to 300 eggs are born at a time. It is very important to catch this moment and immediately place the parents in a common aquarium, otherwise they will eat all the fry.

We cover the spawning ground with a dark cloth - the light for the game is destructive.

The incubation period lasts about a day. Watch the caviar, and if after 4 hours some begin to turn white, then remove them, there will be no fry from it, and the water will deteriorate.

After pecking the fry, they will stand still for another 4 days without moving. On the fifth day, they will begin to swim and take food:

• Special ready-made food for fry;
• Boiled egg yolk;
• Living dust - ciliates and rotifers.

Food for fry (clickable)

We increase the lighting gradually, within a month, after which they can be transplanted into a common aquarium.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!

Neon and other fish in the aquarium, video

A flock of mobile and cheerful neon lights is a worthy decoration of any aquarium, both inhabited by exotic fish, and the most classic hobby of a novice aquarist. Their cheerfulness and original appearance leaves no one indifferent. And watching how neons multiply is a bewitching and original sight.

The more conscientious the preparation, the more elegant the result ...

It is this motto that should inspire someone who decides to start reproducing neon offspring. From the first steps, it is necessary to learn that these babies do not belong to viviparous fish, such as guppies or swordtails. Fertilization takes place in external conditions, to which, accordingly, a number of specific requirements are imposed.

Initial stage - selection of partners

Neon breeding is a simple but responsible process that must be started with the selection of applicants for fallowing. Individuals must be:

• sexually mature ( optimal age 10-12 months);
• healthy;
• active;
• to eat well;
• have no defects.

Females and males are similar to each other. The difference is in size: the female is larger and rounder than the male. The dark stripe at the level of the middle of the body has a bend. The male is smaller and slimmer, the stripe is even and straight. As it becomes ready for spawning, a rounding appears in the tail area, which gradually increases.

To participate in breeding, male and female individuals are selected in a ratio of 2: 1, since the level of readiness of the female is almost twice the readiness of the male.

Two weeks before the process, separate keeping of the selected fish should be provided. At the same time, the water temperature in these aquariums should be within 19 o. It may not seem funny, but it’s worth arranging dates several times: planting selected individuals with each other in order to get to know each other and get used to it.

Preparing a "romantic nest"

Aquarium for spawning - Special attention. In the case of fallowing for one individual, the choice should be stopped on an elongated one-piece version with a water volume of 15-20 liters. In order to avoid damage to the delicate surface of the eggs, the bottom is not covered with soil, although several bushes of plants with large leaves will serve not only as a decoration, but also as a place for attaching the eggs. Instead of soil, you can put a special soft mesh or a foam mattress on the bottom, which, due to its cellular structure, will keep the eggs in good condition.

Java moss is suitable as a natural bedding. However, it should not have other living creatures, such as aquarium snails.

In order for fish to have a desire to breed, water must have the appropriate characteristics:

• maximum softness (within 0.5-3);
• be clean and aerated;
• have a temperature of 22 about to 25 about and pH in the range of 5.5-6.5;
• be thoroughly disinfected, possibly mixed with distilled water;
• not have mechanical and chemical impurities.

The aquarium cannot be filled to its full height, since the possibility of jumping out of the fish is not ruled out. It is better to put glass on top or cover with a special lid.

back and side walls in the aquarium should be conscientiously shaded, the front glass should not have direct hit bright beams of light.

Additional water flows are not needed.

So, let's begin…

From the moment the fish are placed in the aquarium for spawning, they are no longer fed and a cautious observation is established. It is better to choose evening hours for this, in which case the fertilization of eggs will occur around 4-5 am.

However, observing the behavior of fish during this period is quite an interesting and exciting process. The female and males, showing interest in each other, can produce, at first glance, strange movements. They either freeze at the same time in one place, then they begin to attack each other. The male is especially active: he wriggles, crouches dorsal fin to the female, then rushes around the aquarium back and forth.

The apogee of this behavior is 200-250 eggs, which the female throws on the surface of the leaves or the bottom of the aquarium. In this place, it is necessary to completely stop the light from entering the aquarium, since it is a direct enemy of young caviar. The attachment of eggs to the surface is facilitated by the presence of a special liquid in them, which prevents them from disintegrating or being carried away by water movements.

The fertilization of the eggs with his seminal fluid will be carried out by the male who will be ready for this faster.

Typically, the duration of such a process ranges from two to four hours. After graduation, parents should be immediately sent to common Home to avoid eating their own offspring.

The real enemy of eggs and, subsequently, fry is bacteria. To protect them, you can reduce the water level by 7-10 cm and add drugs such as methylene blue or tripaflavin to it.

Having ensured constant monitoring of the eggs, it is necessary to remove the damaged elements in a timely manner (they acquire an unhealthy whitish appearance).

The appearance of fry is an equally important stage

Caviar ripens on average during the day. The main condition for a favorable outcome is to maintain the water temperature in the aquarium within 24-25 o.

The hatched neon babies are attached to the walls of the aquarium and for the first three days they feed on the contents of their yolk sac. Approximately 5 days after birth, you can begin to accustom the cubs to the light.

Growing up, they eat with pleasure, for example, cyclops larvae. The neonatal period lasts approximately four weeks. A visual indicator of independent viability is the appearance of a strip on the body.

Babies grow and develop well when fed with ciliates, rotifers or just plankton. Most importantly, food must be of guaranteed quality and safe against bacteria.

Gradually, fry need to be accustomed to water of higher hardness. This is done by gradually adding water from the community aquarium to the water of the spawning tank.

As they grow older, neon fry should learn to independently search for food. Since they are primarily able to respond to light, food is given in certain place located in the area of ​​local illumination. Then the process of eating will not be stretched in time and food residues can be removed in a timely manner, preventing its undesirable decomposition.

As the fry acquire basic life skills, they can be transplanted into the main aquarium, but it is advisable to get away from large and aggressive neighbors who can suspect them of “live food”.

Taking into account all the above facts, it is safe to say that such a concept as "neons: reproduction in community aquarium' is unlikely to be viable. There are too many so-called "ifs" in this question. It is better not to take risks, given that the natural craving for the breeding process occurs in neons once a year: in late autumn - early winter.

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Reproduction of aquarium neons is a painstaking task that requires patience, attention and experience. In order for this process to be successful and your aquarium replenished with new specimens, read the rules for breeding them.

Preparing neon-producers for spawning

Aquarium neon fish reach puberty by 8 months and, when kept under optimal conditions, retain the ability to spawn for up to 4-5 years. However, males and females are selected for spawning at the age of 10-12 months, because. it is believed that this age is optimal for the successful reproduction of neons.

Distinguishing males and females is easy: Males are half a centimeter smaller than females and much "slenderer", their lateral stripe is even, without convolutions. In turn, females are noticeably larger and fuller than males, and their neon stripe has a bend in the middle.

Neon fish selected for breeding a few weeks before spawning should be placed in separate aquariums and provided with comfortable conditions. The water temperature in each aquarium should be between 19-22°. Fish are fed varied and plentiful, including live food in the diet.

Arrangement of spawning

To reproduce neon, take a glass container with a volume of 15-20 liters, preferably elongated. Wash it thoroughly and disinfect it, fill it with cationic or distilled water, previously settled and disinfected with ultraviolet light.

Next, add 200-250 ml. water from a common aquarium with neon. At the bottom of the container, put a small bunch of Javanese moss (make sure there are no snails on it first) or a fine mesh (artificial washcloth).

The second stage is water preparation. Neons can spawn in any water, but fertilization is possible only in soft water, so the optimal hardness should be about 1 °. Neons spawn in a slightly acidic environment (pH 5.5-6). Water can be acidified with special preparations or, for example, peat decoction. The water level in the spawning aquarium should not be higher than 20 cm.

Next, set up aeration. Purge in spawning should be done not very strong.

Then we raise the water temperature to 25-26? and launch manufacturers. It is advisable to do this in the afternoon.

The neon fish breeding tank should be shaded, leaving one side dimly lit to see the result of spawning. Already in the morning the process should be completed. The bulk of the game can be viewed on or under the substrate.

After spawning

Correct actions after spawning guarantee the appearance of offspring and its viability. For this:

1. We plant the producers back to the common aquarium.
2. Gently shake the eggs from the substrate to the bottom.
3. Next, we lower the water level in the spawning area to 7-10 cm.
4. Add a special antifungal drug (such as methylene blue, General Tonic, etc.).

5. We monitor the development of eggs, timely removing whitened eggs with a pipette, and wait for the appearance of fry, maintaining a constant temperature in the spawning room of 25-26 °. Caviar develops in about 36-48 hours.

The appearance of fry

Neon fry first hang on the glass, and after a while I start to swim. Babies have developed an instinctive orientation to light - phototaxis. This feature is used for feeding. In a darkened aquarium, leave a beam of light and place the ciliates? useful and nutritious food for neon fry. Infusoria will accumulate in a lighted place, and fry will rush there. Gradually, neon fry are transferred to feeding with Artemia, nauplii and rotifers, and later they give Cyclopes.

Over time, it is necessary to increase the hardness of the water in the spawning tank with fry by adding water from the community tank daily.

Reproduction of neon is not easy, but very exciting. If you are new to this business, we also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the video of the neon aquarium fish breeding process.

They reach sexual maturity by eight months and retain the ability to spawn for up to 4-5 years, of course, provided they are kept in optimal conditions for them. Ideally, immediately before planting for spawning, the producers should be seated for a week in different containers with a water temperature of 22 ℃. At this time, you need to feed hard and varied, be sure to include live food in the diet.

To breed neon, prepare an all-glass container with a volume of 10-20 liters. Disinfect it and fill it with distilled water. Add 200 ml of water from the aquarium containing neons to the same place. At the bottom of the spawning place, put a bunch of Javanese moss (if you are 100% sure that there are no snails on it) or a nylon washcloth.

The main thing in breeding neon is to properly prepare the water. Neons can lay eggs in any water (even in a common aquarium), but its fertilization is possible only in soft water (up to 3 °). Ideally, the stiffness should be about 1°. Neons prefer to spawn in slightly acidic water (pH 5.5-6). You can acidify it folk remedies- for example, a decoction of alder cones, peat decoction, or you can use special preparations (fortunately now there are plenty of them on sale).

Purge in the spawning area do not be very strong, raise the temperature to 25-26 ℃ and you can start the producers. Shade the breeding aquarium on all sides, leaving only one corner dimly lit to see the results of spawning. Everything should be done in the morning. The bulk of the eggs should be on and under the substrate. It is necessary to transfer the producers back to the general aquarium, and gently shake the eggs from the substrate to the bottom. Reduce the water level in the spawning area with eggs to 7-10 cm and add an antifungal drug (for example, methylene blue or General Tonic).

At a temperature of 25℃, caviar develops in 36-48 hours. The fry first hang on the glass, then begin to swim. Feeding neon fry is very difficult. AT early age neon fry see very poorly, they have developed only an orientation to light - phototaxis. This should be used for feeding. The entire aquarium must be darkened, leaving only a beam of light in one corner. In a lighted place, the ciliates necessary for feeding the fry will accumulate. With such lighting, neon fry will not remain hungry, they, falling into a cloud of ciliates, begin to actively feed. This makes it possible to save all the juveniles.

Gradually, the fry are transferred to feeding on brine shrimp nauplii and rotifers, and later on to small cyclops. Gradually, it is necessary to increase the hardness of the water in the spawning area with fry, adding daily a small portion of water from the general aquarium.

Video:, and other inhabitants of the aquarium.

Neons got their name due to the neon color of the body. These fish are often found in the collections of beginner aquarists, perhaps due to the fact that neon reproduction is not a very difficult process. - these are not viviparous fish, i.e. they lay eggs, and do not give birth to fry.

The male neon differs from the female in size - it is about half a centimeter smaller. The female is slightly fuller. This is clearly expressed in flocks. Against the background of women, the male looks slimmer. Another gender difference is the stripe on the body. In the male, it is even, along the entire length, while the female representative has a bend closer to the middle of the body. Neons begin to breed only after 8 months from birth.

Breeding preparation

Neon fish live in the rivers of Brazil and Peru. Breeding neon requires the creation of a microclimate that will be as close as possible to living conditions in wild environment. This requires soft and pure water rich in trace elements and minerals. In the wild, it is rich in beneficial particles, as plants decompose under water.

For reproduction, you need to use a glass container with a volume of 20–25 liters, which can later be easily washed and disinfected from germs. Before spawning, be sure to feed neons intensively, preferably with live food. .

Fill the container with distilled water and add about 300 grams of liquid from the main aquarium where the fish live. Water should be infused for about a day. Remember that water is the most important thing in setting up an aquarium. Spawning can occur even in a common aquarium where neons live, but fertilization is only in soft water. At the bottom you should put a nylon washcloth or a small piece of Javanese moss.

Water parameters

• Neons like to spawn in a slightly acidic environment.
• It is necessary to maintain the acidity in the aquarium at a pH of 5-6.
• Temperature aquarium water should be between 24 and 26 degrees.

AT natural environment spawning takes place mainly at sunrise, at dawn. The lighting of the spawning aquarium should be appropriate - diffused. Shade the container on all sides. If desired, leave one part open to observe spawning. After that, you can start the fish.

How do neons reproduce?

It is advisable to place the fish in one aquarium in the evening. Breeding neon is quite possible in an artificial environment, the main thing is to create the necessary conditions. Until the moment of spawning, the fish are not fed. You will need to wake up at around 4 am to watch the breeding progress, as neon spawn at dawn. Mating time is up to 3-4 hours. The female swims chaotically over the plants, laying eggs in the process. During spawning, the male is behind the female. She is able to lay about 200 eggs. The first few hours, the eggs are sticky, and falling on the plants, they can stick to the sheets. After a while they sink to the bottom. Producers can be caught and released into a common aquarium. It is not recommended to leave them in a container with eggs, as at home neons can destroy their offspring.

After spawning

After a couple of days, or rather, 36–38 hours, juveniles hatch. Not all eggs survive. Some of the neon eggs may be affected by the fungus, or simply die in the process of development. It is recommended to separate the fertilized eggs after 12 hours. You can do this with a pipette. Place fertilized eggs in another container, as the risk of infection is very high.

Lighting is an important factor. For neon fry, light is destructive. A few days after birth, they can't see well. It is worth leaving one open corner where the light will flow.

The fry feed on ciliates, which accumulate just in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe beam of light. Over time, juveniles are fed brine shrimp nauplii and rotifers.

The hardness of the water is gradually increased, adding liquid from the common aquarium every day. After a month and a half, the juveniles begin to prepare for life with the rest of the fish.

Conclusion

Following these tips and rules, even novice aquarists will be able to breed neon. Neon aquarium fish is quite whimsical. This is noticeable in terms of nutrition in the early stages of development. This is schooling fish, so you need to buy neon in groups of 4-5 pieces. Proper care will help reduce the development of bacteria, and increase the number of inhabitants of the aquarium.