Peeling skin can be caused by a variety of factors. To deal with ...
Catfish are unpretentious and beautiful fish that even aquarists with little experience can breed without problems.
Catfish are beautiful schooling fish that get along well with many non-aggressive species of your aquarium inhabitants!
The habitat of catfish is South America... In their natural environment, these fish live in a stagnant muddy reservoir, where they can easily get their own food digging out of the silt:
- larvae;
- worms;
- other animals.
In home aquariums, catfish play the role of cleaners, eating food debris from the bottom of other fish and cleaning the walls of the container from plaque and microorganisms.
Unlike fish living next to them, aquarium catfish are completely unpretentious to the conditions of detention: they can eat almost any live food for fish, the acidity and hardness of the aquarium water for them important criterion is not.
A sharp decrease in the water temperature in the aquarium by a couple of degrees will not cause any harm to the catfish. Due to the unique structure of the respiratory system, these fish can live in very muddy and dirty aquarium water where there is no air aeration.
Almost all types of catfish live at the bottom of the aquarium, where they carefully examine in looking for food shallow soil. From time to time they rise to the surface of the water to swallow air bubbles, which are subsequently absorbed in their intestines. The behavior of the catfish is not affected in any way by the purity, quality and aeration of the water in the aquarium.
How long do catfish live?
To the question "How many catfish live in an aquarium?" no answer. It all depends on many factors, such as:
- water temperature;
- type of catfish;
- water quality;
- food quality;
- aeration of water;
- salinity of water;
- fish living in the neighborhood.
If a clean aerated aquarium with thickets of dense plants, with an acidity of up to 8.2 and a water temperature of up to twenty-five degrees Celsius, then catfish in the aquarium can exist for about eight years.
The food that catfish eat also affects their lifespan. Live food is optimal for feeding these soil inhabitants of your aquarium. Know that it is forbidden to keep catfish in salted or salt water- this will lead to the extinction of fish.
Aquarists reviews
Somehow my experienced Platidoras crawled out of his hiding place, looked at this miracle and wondered how old he was? They gave it to me along with a one-liter aquarium, the owner sold the aquarium and gave me this miracle as a gift, with the words “take it, he was left alone, and he will not live long, he is about six years old, and he lived in a rotten jar for the last months, which there was no one to do. "
The aquarium looked really in a deplorable state, all overgrown ... Well, so I took this beast ... It was about 2003. After a while, the owner of the aquarium, learning that the beast is alive, was very surprised ... in excellent mobility(specially made an inspection from all sides), does this mean he is 18 years old?
In addition to this catfish, I also have a girik, I bought it in February-March 2002, I am also vigorous, alive, he drives and builds everyone in the aquarium.
An ordinary Ancistrus has been living in my aquarium for seven years already ... Daddy is wonderful.
I have had an acanthic in my aquarium since about 2003, there were three of them, more recently I saw two, on this moment one left.
My friend's pter has been living since 1999, in a healthy 700 liter jar, about forty centimeters in size. In general, catfish live much longer than other aquatic organisms purchased on the market. Why so, it is better to find out from the professionals, just as far as I know, the life of a fish in an aquarium is calculated for a couple of three years, then they either die or get bored and pass into the hands of the next aquarist.
Catfish are one of the most popular fish to keep in an aquarium. The most common types of these fish can be easily purchased at almost any pet store. In total, more than 2000 species of catfish are known to science, but hardly anyone can say how many of them exactly. They are among the most ancient fish on our planet. These fish have been around for roughly 70 million years.
Among the catfish, you can find fish of really huge sizes - more than 300 kg and several meters in length. And there are catfish, the body size of which does not exceed 3 cm. It is the relatively small species of catfish, whose homeland are both warm tropical reservoirs and cold waters of mountain streams, are able to live in captivity as aquarium fish... Mostly catfish are inhabitants of freshwater reservoirs. But there are those who prefer brackish or salty water.
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Catfish appearance
For almost all types characteristic feature is the specific shape of the head - slightly flattened on top, with a fairly wide mouth. Catfish food is very diverse. Some species specialize in hunting from shelters, others - in eating the remains of large fish meals and searching for bottom animals, there are those who feed exclusively on algae.
Catfish do not have scales as such. Their body is either completely devoid of it, or the scales in the course of evolution acquired the form of rigid plates that protect against predators. It is such scales that the aquarium fish of the corridors have. Most types of catfish have a mustache. It is an essential tool for finding food and finding your way. Many species are able to breathe atmospheric air and have the ability to breathe skin.
Conditions of detention
Catfish, as a rule, are representatives of relatively small species... For the most part, they are quite unpretentious in keeping and breed easily in captivity. These are the kind of fish that any experienced breeder would recommend to the aspiring aquarist. But when acquiring such a pet, it is worth remembering that catfish are fish that prefer twilight or dark time of the day.
It is not difficult to create conditions suitable for keeping these fish in the aquarium. A temperature of 22 to 27 degrees is quite suitable for them. But most species tolerate short-term temperature jumps quite well. The acidity is neutral, and the water hardness is 2 - 12 °.
See a pair of white-spotted agamixis looking for leftover food at the bottom of the aquarium.
Life span of various catfish
Many novice aquarists are interested in how long their pets will live. Depending on the type of fish and the suitability of the conditions for optimal maintenance, these aquarium fish can live up to 8 years. However, it should be noted that large catfish in the wild often live up to 100 years or more. Aquarium catfish are very diverse. If you do not take into account the hybrid forms bred by amateurs, then in captivity conditions today about 800 species of these fish can be kept.
Chain catfish, known as loricaria, are one of the most unusual representatives of catfish. Their second name comes from the ancient Roman name for the lat legionnaires "lorica". The bodies of fish of this family are covered with bony plates that have grown together. Their favorite food is algae. The mouth is lower, often a sucker. The most popular aquarium fish are loricaria: ancistrus, ototsinklyus, loricaria, sturisoma. Representatives of this family live long enough. For example, ancistrus may well live in suitable conditions for up to 8 years.
Representatives of armored or callichtoids are very popular with aquarists. Their body is covered with two rows of bone plates. Hence the name, because this "shell" is a good defense against predators. Catfish of this family are able to breathe atmospheric air. Males are usually slightly smaller than females. How long are these fish able to live? For example, corridors popular with aquarists live on average 6-7 years. Dl aquarium fish that's a lot. Common members of the family are Dianema and Tarakatum.
Representatives of the armored family are also frequent residents of aquariums. Their body and head are covered with bone plates, which gives the impression of a cut. These fish have three pairs of rather long antennae. Popular fish: white-spotted agamixis, striped platidoras. A rather large fish, Platidoras, for example, lives in captivity for up to 15 years. In nature, she is able to live for more than 20 years.
Of great interest to aquarists are representatives of the fringed family - the synodontis catfish. How long can they live in an aquarium? 5 to 15 years old. According to some reports, in nature, some individuals live for more than 23 years.
See how the stellar synodontis play.
They are appreciated for their bright color and catfish are flat-headed or pimelodovye. The appearance of these fish to a certain extent resembles African killer whales. These are quite large fish. Often, aquariums contain only juveniles that have not yet reached their full size, such as copepod sorubium. The question of how long these fish can live in an aquarium is difficult to answer unequivocally. From 5 years and more. In nature, their life expectancy is quite high.
These are representatives of not all catfish families that can be kept in an aquarium. To determine how long a particular fish will live, it is important to know the duration of life in the wild and what conditions it prefers. Having created them, you can be sure that the pet will be as comfortable as possible, and his life will be healthy and long.
Reproduction
Catfish reproduce easily even in an aquarium. They are all spawning. For successful spawning, it is worth choosing a spawning box that is suitable in terms of volume and equipping it according to the preferences of a particular type of fish. The only rule common to all catfish is that high atmospheric pressure can negatively affect this process. Caring for fry, as a rule, is not difficult, and specially created feed for young fish is quite suitable for the first months of a fish's life.
Since ancient times, it has been surrounded by myths and riddles. And all this is due to longevity (which is unusual for most river inhabitants) and a hidden way of life. Soma is credited with incredible weight and body size. Many believe that fish can live for 100 years or more. This article will help you figure it out.
How many catfish live: truth and fiction
An ordinary catfish does not shine with beauty, and it becomes even worse with old age. Waterworms in a large number stick to his body and head, making our long-liver completely ugly.
River catfish, by the way, live longer than lakes. There is also a slow-growing species called reed. His favorite habitat is littered river pits, backwaters with a large layer of silt.
How many catfish live in the river? Everything, of course, depends on the ecology and food supply. If the fish habitat is not polluted, and there are many frogs and small fish in the neighborhood, then the catfish live up to 40 years. Although there are individuals that live for 60 years. But this is rather an exception.
Lake catfish live 10-20 years less than their river relatives. Basically, their age reaches 15-25 years. The fact is that there is not as much food in the lake as in the river, and it must be shared with other inhabitants of the closed reservoir.
How many catfish live: age of spawning
At the age of 4-5 years, the named fish reaches sexual maturity. Catfish leave their pits and backwaters for about a month. During this period, males find their female - 3-4 applicants swim behind one female. She chooses a pair for herself, and then the two of them drive away the rest of the gentlemen.
The couple then builds a nest for future offspring. It is usually made in a primitive form in coastal vegetation. Here the female lays large eggs - the diameter of the eggs is 2-3 mm. Their number varies. It all depends on the age of the female - the young one lays 10-15 thousand, and the female at the age lays 350-450 thousand eggs.
Until the youngsters hatch, the catfish protects the nest from uninvited guests. With its huge tail, it slaps on the water, terrifying all nearby living fish. At first, the baby is in the nest, feeding on silt and vegetation. And then the offspring spreads out in all directions and begins to lead a predatory lifestyle.
Hunting and feeding catfish
The question of how long catfish live is directly related to the food supply. The abundance of food allows the inhabitant of bottom pits to hunt nearby. He cannot spend a lot of energy looking for food, because his body is not adapted to fast swimming and long-term pursuit of his prey.
Usually the catfish bursts into the flock suddenly and unexpectedly. Or he grabs the first fish that comes across, which accidentally approached him. Often during the hunt, catfish use their wide tail, which stuns several fish at once.
However, the fish always gets to him with difficulty. Therefore, the inhabitant of pits and backwaters prefers to hunt frogs. For him, this is a delicacy and easy prey. Catfish does not disdain mice that fall into the water, catches chicks at home and wild bird, devours various molluscs and crayfish. Old and fat catfish easily attack adult waterfowl, they are able to drag even a dog to the bottom of the reservoir.
There is an opinion that hardened catfish even hunt calves and pigs. But reliable facts have not yet been recorded, so this is more fiction than reality.
Most often, people do not give soma to live to a ripe old age. For a fisherman, drawing out a large and old catfish is the ultimate dream. Fish fillet also plays an important role in its catch - it is juicy, fatty and not tough.
Based on all of the above, it becomes clear how long catfish live. On average, 10-15 years, or even less. A rare specimen lives to a ripe old age.
Catfish for aquarium
River catfish are not the only representatives of this species. It is in great demand among aquarists, as it is unpretentious in food, maintenance and perfectly adapts to any living conditions.
Aquarium catfish feed on almost any food - both live and dry. For them, the hardness and acidity of the water in the aquarium are not significant. Even an unexpected drop in water temperature is not scary for them.
Aquarium catfish can easily live in muddy and highly polluted water. And all this thanks to its unique respiratory system... However, what better conditions the habitat of catfish, the longer they live.
Novice aquarists are interested in the question: how long do aquarium catfish live? Everything just depends on the conditions in which they live. On average, they live 7-10 years.
However, this is not an indicator for all catfish. Some species live for 13-15 years. And some varieties of aquarium catfish live a short life, only 3-5 years. But despite how many years the catfish lives in captivity, it is an adornment of any aquarium.
Catfish can be attributed to the oldest fish that inhabit fresh water planets. These scaleless creatures are the undoubted champions in size and weight among their freshwater counterparts. You can often hear legends about man-eating catfish, which have been living at the bottom of rivers for more than a century.
River catfish
Catfish are freshwater predators that live primarily in rivers. This fish chooses a hole at the bottom of the river for its dwelling, which it leaves only to search for food or during spawning. Catfish feed small fish, crustaceans and even frogs.
Less often you can find catfish in lakes and ponds. In these reservoirs, they are most often by accident. Outwardly, lake catfish practically do not differ from river catfish; the only difference is more dark color the skin. In the lake, these fish do not live as long as catfish live in rivers. It is related to the diet. Indeed, in stagnant lake water, there is not much choice in food. It is because of this nutrition that lake catfish are not large in size. On average, the weight of such fish does not exceed 5 kg. The average catfish in such conditions is much less than that of river dwellers. river fish - 80 years old. This is the answer to the question of how many catfish live in favorable conditions(lakes and ponds can hardly be attributed to those). From this we can conclude that it will not be possible to find long-livers among lake catfish.
Aquarium catfish
Ornamental and hybrid ones are very popular among lovers of aquarium fish, they are often called an aquarium orderly because of a sedentary lifestyle and a sucker-like mouth.
In keeping, these fish are quite unpretentious and easily get along with other species without creating conflicts. The colors of catfish are never bright and beautiful - this is due to the fact that the fish disguise themselves under the bottom on which they spend most time. Catfish are active at night, so it is advisable to have shelters for these fish in the aquarium. For this, driftwood, stone castles, caves or other secluded places are suitable. How long do catfish live in an aquarium? It depends on the conditions in which the fish are kept. If you observe the temperature conditions and the feeding regime, then catfish can live for about 8 years. But some hybrid species of such fish can live up to 10 years with good maintenance. They should be fed in the evening, but they themselves can find food for themselves. For example, by filtering the bottom of an aquarium, catfish find food leftovers from other fish.
Long-lived catfish
This one is famous for its bold and delicious meat, so the fishermen simply do not let the catfish grow. V natural conditions catfish can easily live for over a hundred years. But humanity is constantly contaminating water resources, thereby calling into question the normal existence of fish. Therefore, how long catfish live depends primarily on the conditions of their habitat.
There is a lot of evidence in history, the weight of which reaches more than 300 kg. Accordingly, scientists suggest that the age of such individuals is more than 100 years. It can be assumed that there are older catfish, which, according to legends, hunt swimming dogs and even people, but this information has not yet been confirmed.
