With whom does the scalar get along? What fish get on with the scalars?

The mysterious world of the aquarium attracts many people. How wonderful after work to sit and watch the slow progress of life of its inhabitants. To avoid dramas in the blue waters, we must carefully consider the choice of fish, today we will talk about who gets on with the scalar.

Features of the content

Scalaria is not very fastidious and is quite accommodating with many underwater inhabitants. Do not dig up or spoil the plants, like other cichlids, in particular the beautiful chromis. Grunt - this is not her element, the scalar will not dig it up and pick up mud. But these fish are demanding of the chemical composition, the degree of pollution and the level of oxygen in the water.

This is a schooling fish, so if you decide to have them, take several individuals at once. One she often dies in the first days after the purchase, as if not experiencing her loneliness.

Aquarium Equipment

If you want to keep a scalar and diversify the underwater world with other inhabitants, then take care of a large aquarium. The volume of 100 liters (and even better by 200) is the minimum that will be required. A sufficient amount of free space will ensure peaceful coexistence with neighbors, while a lack of space will provoke conflicts.

The second thing to take care of is equipment. Good filtration and aeration are necessary for the scalar to feel fine. A heater with a temperature control system will not allow sharp fluctuations, which is undesirable for these heat-loving fish. In addition, you will need tests to determine the various parameters of water. So, too hard water can lead to their death. Optimum acidity Ph 6.0. Favorable temperature regime is 25-27 degrees.

Plots with abundant vegetation in the aquarium are desirable, they contribute to the normal functioning of the ecosystem and serve as a refuge for fry or smaller inhabitants. So, with the basic requirements of these cichlids to the environment figured out, now you need to select the neighbors to whom they also fit, and find out with what fish get along with the scalars.

Good-neighborly relations

When choosing a composition for your aquarium, first of all pay attention to the size of the fish. The scalar grows large enough and, like any of the cichlids, can try for a tooth that is smaller. Therefore, it is better to take all the inhabitants at once with fry, than to run the young to adults. Another point: these fish are very slow, and therefore the quick neons are very close to them.

The first of those with whom the scalar gets along is soms, on the other hand, nobody quarrels with them at all. Each of them has its own area. Whichever fish you start, they will completely ignore the presence of benthic catfish.

Scalaria and barbs are often recommended as ideal neighbors. They have almost the same requirement for temperature, stiffness and acidity. But the temperament is different, and nimble barbs are quite capable of leaving leisurely fish without lunch. Again, it depends on the nature of the specific fish that have come to you. Some live very amicably, and somewhere barbs are taken to chase cichlids.

Another unbeatable option - a scalar and gourami. This composition looks very bright, all the fish are large enough (which makes corresponding demands to the size of the water area). If you take fish with fry, then the problem will most likely not arise. Adults with gouramas can sometimes only train stuck acupuncture for their tails and fins.

Often among the amateurs there are disputes, whether the scalars and guppies will get along.
In fact, it's really lucky. Someone caught peace loving individuals, and small fish continue to peacefully swim, while in other cichlids quickly realized how to drive them into a corner and have a snack. If all fish are bought at an early age, the aquarium is large and there are shelters, then most likely, life will pass peacefully and calmly.

Experienced aquarists emphasize the quiet neighborhood of the scalars and zebrafish, in addition, one of the most accommodating consider pecilia. Labeo, tetras, discus, swordbands, cockerels and iris are also well suited.

Who should not settle with a scalar?

Despite the fact that they themselves belong to this family, they do not get along well with other cichlids. Often the scalars are slower and calmer, and therefore can suffer from distant relatives themselves. They are incompatible with goldfish. Large predators, such as piranhas, are intended only for individual contents.

Telescopes can not be planted together with flat beauties, they quickly lose sight, they will die. By the way, to beat out their eyes like not only cichlids. Having settled into the aquarium any new kind, even if you are sure that these are the ones with whom the scalar gets along, be sure to closely monitor the behavior of the fish. If you notice aggressive behavior, ragged fins and tails, then it is better to evacuate the affected fish and give it in good hands.

Selection of fish

About the fact that the scalar is undesirable to keep with goldfish, we have already said. Let us explain: cichlids are thermophilic, the same, on the contrary, they love cool water. In addition, goldfish are large gluttons, strongly clog the aquarium and love digging the soil, and the scalars do not tolerate dirty water.

You should not keep herbivorous fish (tilaria, hemigramus, viviparous carpophages) and predators, which include scalars. Mixing different feeds can have a bad effect on the condition of the water and the health of its inhabitants.

Breeding period: how the behavior of the scalars changes

This territorial fish, and during spawning, as well as care for the offspring, can drive all the other inhabitants of the aquarium. Even relatives during the pairing may come hard. There are several exits: either to set off a couple to spawn in a separate aquarium, or to plan the planting of large bushes and to build a cave and a backwater on which the fish can hide from each other.

It should be noted that at this time the male is usually aggressive, especially if there is another competitor in the aquarium. Several females with one male will be much more livable. Spawning in these fish occurs quite often, several times a month, which is the reason to think whether it is necessary to populate neighbors at all or to keep a monobreed aquarium.

Brief conclusions

Answering the question about who gets on with the scalar, we will note the following points. It should be heat-loving fish, as cichlids can not tolerate temperatures below 23 degrees. It is desirable that the neighbors are not too small, that is, they do not fit predators in the mouth. The purchase of too large and aggressive individuals is fraught with unpleasant consequences for the scalars themselves (an example is the astronotus). Fish should carry well soft water. This condition is not suitable for everyone, so Malavi cichlids automatically drop out of the selection list .