Aquarium cliffs: content and breeding

Among fans of wildlife aquarium fish are very popular. At this stage of aquarium development, more than 22,000 families of aquarium fish are known: carp, catfish, pecilia, haracin, and, of course, cichlids. It is to the last family and belong to the scalar, the content of which can be a serious test for a novice aquarist.

Choosing an aquarium for the scalar and their food

The size of the aquarium for the scalar is determined by several factors: the number of fish, their size, the frequency of water changes, the presence of filtration and temperature. Perhaps the most important parameter for determining the volume of an aquarium is the size of the fish. Scalarias, having the size of a two-ruble coin, should be allocated from 4 liters of water per piece; Fish, whose size can be compared with a coin of five rubles - from 8 liters; Adult mature individuals (9-10 months) - 20 liters; Tribal - 100 liters per pair. As for the proportions, it is best to choose an aquarium with walls with a height and width of 50 cm. In food, these fish are unpretentious, any kind of food - frozen, lyophilized or live in combination with a lure or larvae of other insects, is perfect for feeding scalars.

Fish scalar: with whom to support?

The natural habitats of the scalar are calm ponds and their areas: bays, overgrown coasts, lagoons, small river creeks. These fish do not like loneliness, so it is preferable to purchase several scalars at once. Do not forget that, like all cichlids, they behave somewhat aggressively towards representatives of other families. Therefore, do not put them in an aquarium, where smaller fish are kept, but on the other hand, they should not be populated by larger or more aggressive fish, for example, Sumatran barbs.

Really very restless and snooty are scalars, the content of which can bring a lot of trouble to the owner of the aquarium. The fact is that until a certain age the female of the scalar is not much different from the male, so if you couple a couple or several pairs of these cichlids in one aquarium, you can easily make a mistake in determining the sex. When, after reaching the fish of puberty, they begin to "steal", the scalars that have remained without a partner may be attacked by their more successful neighbors along the aquarium. As for the breeding of the scalar, the content of this species should not cause great difficulties.

Spaginated individuals

As described above, adult fish choose their own pair. If the owner of the aquarium is serious about breeding a scalar, the content of fish-producers should be one of his main concerns. The water temperature in the aquarium should fluctuate from 28 to 30 degrees, and the basis of the diet should be made live food. However, the fish should not overeat, since in the future this will negatively affect the eggs. Some aquarists transplant the formed pairs into separate aquariums, so that they can tackle the throwing and fertilization of the eggs.