Golden catfishes: content and breeding in the aquarium

Goldfish was everyone's childhood dream. Do you remember how everyone thought she would fulfill any desire?

Unfortunately, such magic animals do not exist, but there are externally similar golden catfishes. Looking at them, you can imagine that they appeared in your house straight from a children's fairy tale.

I wanted to become the owner of a goldfish? In this article you will learn a lot about this wonderful inhabitant of the underwater world.

A bit of history

In some countries of South America, a catfish is really considered a fish that brings happiness. Many people think that the whole reason is its coloring, which resembles gold, and therefore it is turned on as a monetary mascot.

And some residents transmit from generation to generation a story about how a golden catfish helped one person in a difficult situation.

By the way, this legend is in many respects similar to our fairy tale about a goldfish.

Only there appears one fisherman who owes a huge amount to a local robber. The robber threatened a man with the death of his only daughter. Almost sobbing, the fisherman brought him a recent catch, consisting of a single catfish, more he had nothing. But the robber, when he saw the net with the fish, returned the daughter to his father. The man was long puzzled about the reason for such a strange act. After a long time, when the robber had already gone to the next world, among the things he found a fish figure made of pure gold. Then the fisherman realized that the catfish had turned into a piece of precious metal in order to save his daughter.

In gratitude for this, the man told this story to each of the settlements.

True or not, judge only by you. But in any case, with your care, the catfish can really become a talisman and bring good luck.

general description

Golden catfishes belong to the genus of corridors. The body of such fish is covered with bone plates, which protect them from external influences.

In nature, they live in Central and South America.

Since the fish eats the remains of food, which sank to the bottom of the reservoir, it has special thorns on the fins to move along the sandy bottom.

Sexual difference is in the form of fins. The males have a pointed tip, and in females it is more round. As a rule, female individuals are larger, so they can be easily distinguished from each other.

Interesting moments

Corridors come in all sorts of shades: from albinos to bluish-black. But you need to be careful when choosing them. If you see that the color of a fish is too bright and saturated, then it is better not to buy a catfish. Unfair sellers often use harmful chemicals to change the shade of the scales. Make a choice in favor of natural and natural colors, one of which has a golden catfish. Fish of this species will become an ornament of your aquarium. The sun's rays reflected in the water will make its color bright and iridescent.

The golden catfish, photo of which is presented below, is really a fish, worth breeding!

He does not require constant attention to himself, but everyone is interested in watching him!

Contents in the aquarium

Peace-loving behavior catfish perfectly fosters the neighborhood with other aquarium fish, which are well-behaved. It is better to organize him a company of six friends.

This fish is unpretentious, but needs suitable conditions for its life.

Golden catfish - aquarium Inhabitants who need a shadow. It can be created with the help of stones, large curved sticks, as well as other natural materials that can be bought at any pet store or brought from the nearest forest. Of course, if you decide to use the second option, then the stock for the aquarium should be thoroughly rinsed.

It will also be good to place in a future fish house a plant with wide leaves that will create a shadow.

Love for the constant digging of the soil in search of food can damage the antennae. Therefore, it is better to pour small sand into the aquarium, which is safe for such a whim of a fish.

Water should have a neutral pH balance, and it is not recommended to do more than 25 degrees.

Food

As the food you can use the most common, which you will find on the shelf of the store, but you should take into account the fact that the fish likes to feed on the remains left in the ground. Better still, buy a natural and proven option, having previously asked advice from a consultant at a pet store.

A golden catfish, the content of which does not require special expenses, will give you a good mood!

Breeding

Reproduction in the catfish occurs after the onset of their sexual maturity. It can begin at eight months, and at twelve.

Golden catfish, the breeding of which is quite simple, is very active during the spawning period. Although at the usual time he behaves modestly in the aquarium.

It is recommended to feed the fish with protein food before spawning. Worms or insects are suitable for this, but you can still use special pills.

Now we need to create the most comfortable conditions for spawning. A golden catfish, whose reproduction occurs before the beginning of the rainy season, is used to lowering the water temperature. Still need to provide him with a slightly acidic environment.

It is not always possible to create the necessary conditions for fish from the first time. But you can try again and again pour fresh water and lower its temperature.

Spawning occurs when males begin to drive a female along the aquarium. They tickle her mustache until she finds a suitable place to lay her eggs.

Mating begins when the male releases the milk to the female eggs already laid in the pelvic fins.

Next, the female individual cats for a place prepared in advance for this. There again occurs pairing, continuing until the female sweeps away all the eggs.

After the end of spawning, which can last a couple of days, the fish should be removed from the aquarium. If this is not done, then they can eat caviar themselves, which is marked on the plants or the walls of the aquarium.

Within three days, larvae may appear (they do not need to be fed, since they feed on their yolk sac), which in five days turn into fry. They should already be given food for catfish, which should be grinded first in a blender or in a coffee grinder. Also, many people use a mortar for this.

When the fry grows, you can gradually introduce them into the diet of finely chopped shrimp, and then try to give a full feed for catfish.

General information

As you can see, golden catfishes can live in the most ordinary conditions, so their breeding is not difficult even for beginners in this matter. The main thing is to remember that the fish also need love and care, then they will please you for a long time! When choosing a feed or gear for an aquarium, it is advisable to consult a pet store representative.