Lovers ornamental fish takes pride of place platydoras striped.This is a beautiful big catfish with a bright color.It has a peaceful character, so he fit multi-species tanks.Active life prefers to fish at night, but in the comfort of it can "walk" during the day, delighting their owners curious disposition.
Description
homeland fish are the waters of South America.Catfish striped platydoras doradidae belongs to the family, so is easy to guess that it has a kind of "armor" in the form of rigid plates on the body and head.Moreover, the spikes are on the sides, on which can be pricked.On both sides of the head are two pairs of antennae dark.No less remarkable and painting.From head to tail stretch broad bands of black and bright colors.The older the fish, the less pronounced pattern becomes.This big fish.Adults average reach 15 centimeters, although they will grow to 20. The females, when viewed from above, appear larger and thicker than the males.By outward appearances of these fish can be confused with a long-nosed catfish.To distinguish between them they can be the length of the muzzle and adipose fin, long-nosed, they have more oblong.In good conditions platydoras striped lives about 12 years.
Content catfish
This fish is undemanding and hardy, so it does not require meticulous care.For catfish will be enough to change 30% of the water once a month.This pet prefers liquid medium hardness, which will be enriched with oxygen.The volume of the tank should be at least 120 liters.Lights dimmed.If you like to observe the life of the fish at night, you can set the LED lamp that emits red or the color of the moon.
platydoras striped need shelter, nooks and places to explore.For this suitable clay pots, voids in driftwood, plastic tube.In addition, the bottom must be a good sand, since this will fishes like dig into it.Due to the fact that they dig for aquarium plants may appear easy touch.Catfish do not tend to eat the algae, but exception may be small plants.If you monitor the condition of the aquarium and the quality of food, the risk of disease is very small fish.
Feeding
in nature striped catfish feeds on crustaceans, molluscs, detritus, and all that falls to the bottom, so you can say that it is omnivorous fish.Mainly fish from the diet should be protein food with the addition of herbal ingredients.This may be pellets (which settles), together with an ice cream moth.Catfish also like earthworms, pipe makers and even live moths.
Feeding should be every day, but at the same time it is necessary to control the amount of food.We know that the striped catfish platydoras prone to overeating.There were cases when they died from binge eating.The best moment is feeding time before turning off the light in the aquarium.
Reproduction
There are many fish that can be successfully bred in the home, but not one of them platydoras striped.Reproduction of catfish for sale is carried out using hormone injections, but in a natural way, even in large aquariums, it happens very rarely.Information on this process is very small, because most successful at spawning breeders were already floating fry.
for spawning is necessary to prepare a separate aquarium, which is controlled by temperature (270), acidity (pH 7), rigidity (up to 60) and the water level (20 cm).Also started floating plants.In addition to spawning producers is important to keep separate and feed them live food.The nest of leaves should build male.The female lays about three hundred eggs.But for spawning must use the pituitary suspension.After this process, manufacturers are being evicted.The incubation period is 72 hours.On the fifth day the larvae begin to swim.Young animals are fed live dust mikrochervyachkami.Growth last long.
Compatibility aquarium inhabitants
striped catfish are bottom and peace-loving fish.Regardless of the size of their "neighbors", they are good for them.But there is a risk that very small fish catfish are considered as food.They can podselyat aggressive fish as striped platydoras has a strong armor, which protects.For example, to suit the neighborhood characins, carp, gambuzievye, anabontidy and catfish, which have no express territorial rivalry.You can also hooked Central and South American cichlids.
striped catfish suitable for group and solitary confinement.If the aquarium is home to several platydoras, they can be territorial feud, and from time to time will be clashes.But do not be afraid, because the harm to each other, they did not cause.Over time, this behavior can be changed, and they will be able to dwell in a shelter because nature often slipping into flocks.
