An unpretentious aquarium catfish tarakatum

Aquarium fish catfish tarakatum belong to the family of armor. These are large enough (up to 16-18 cm long) fish with a wide, slightly flattened head. Females differ from males in larger size and shape of pectoral fins (they are shorter and more rounded), in turn, in male tarakatums, the first of the pectoral fins is somewhat thickened and colored red.

Catfish aquarium: tarakatum and its contents

Tarakatums are pretty peaceful fish, so you can calmly populate them in a common aquarium. Additional intestinal breathing is another distinctive feature. Therefore, it is not unusual for owners of tarakatums to watch how the catfish come closer to the surface of the water and start to swallow the air. Moreover, sometimes these fish even jump out, so it is very important that the aquarium, in which the falcon of the cockroach lives, is constantly covered with a lid.

A pair of catfish is enough for an aquarium of 100 liters, and the larger the aquarium, the more likely that these fish will reach the maximum possible size for their species. Somik tarakatum - night fish, prefers darkness, so it is desirable that the aquarium had a lot of vegetation, in which the tarakatum could hide. It is possible to install there special caves, grottos and snags. This fish spends a lot of time at the bottom, looking for food in the ground. It should be added that catfish do not harm the fauna of the aquarium at the same time.

In eating, the cockroaches are not fastidious, they eagerly eat both vegetable and live food, which is collected mainly from the bottom. However, catfish sharing the aquarium with other fish species, often adapt to a joint meal at the surface of the water, sometimes even dispersing their larger neighbors.

Breeding

In breeding, the catfish tarakatum is unpretentious, the fertilization of eggs can take place both in a common aquarium and in a separate aquarium. To stimulate spawning is not difficult: you just need to constantly change the water and increase its temperature by 2-3 degrees. In addition, we must take care of the future nest for eggs: in order to do this, a sheet of plastic or foam plastic with a diameter of about 10 mm is laid on the surface of the aquarium water. Later male tarakatum will equip under this leaf receptacle of eggs. If several pairs of catfish live in the aquarium, then the sheets on the surface of the water should be set 1-2 times more than steam. This is done in order to avoid the male brawl.

Immediately after spawning, the nest with eggs can be transferred to another aquarium, or it can be left, because the male is able to take care of his offspring on his own. Female in the future fate of caviar and fry participation do not accept, as males begin to drive them away from the nest immediately after spawning. After 4-5 days, larvae from the eggs are hatched, which become fry after 2 days. As food, babies use artemia, a pipe man, a crook. Small catfish tarakatum grows very quickly, but is afraid of souring, therefore requires more frequent water changes. With good care these fish can live for about 10-12 years.