In modern aquariums, the most diverse and numerous group of haracin fish is considered. Photos and names of representatives of this family are often published by special editions. Among them there are vegetarians, and real predators, giants and dwarfs, peaceful and aggressive species. Most of them reproduce for a long time in home aquariums.
In this short review, we will present you only the most popular types of haracin aquarium fish, and the photos and their names will help you better navigate when choosing a new aquatic inhabitant.
General description of the family
It is truly huge: 12 subfamilies, about 1200 species and 165 genera. Characin fish are widespread in the reservoirs of Central and South America, Africa. They prefer to live in standing or in bodies of water with a weak current and with a lot of vegetation, a sandy or silty bottom and soft water.
The Kharacin aquarium fish, the photos of which we posted in this review, can be confused with small piranhas: a similar body shape, the speed with which they eat any food that gets into the aquarium, whether it is live bloodworm or cereal. Such a similarity is not accidental: the tetras are actually relatives of piranhas, which, accordingly, belong to the piranha squad. They, in turn, belong to the haracin family.
These fish have long been known in the aquarium industry. They are widely used due to their exquisite beauty, unpretentiousness and ease of breeding. Some species are very hardy, and therefore they can be recommended even to people who are just starting to get acquainted with the underwater inhabitants.
Despite the fact that the haracin fish, photos of which you will see below, differ in color and size, they also have obvious external similarities. This is a tall body, slightly compressed from the sides, large eyes, a raised stigma, wide fat and anal fins. Due to the variety of colors and sizes, characin fish are of interest not only to beginners, but also to experienced aquarists. We will talk about the most popular of them.
Neons
This is not only the most famous species in the family, but also one of the most common aquarium fish. Neons are fertile and easy to breed, so the cost of these tiny fish is usually low. Most effectively they look in the company of representatives of the same type. In spacious aquariums, where neons live in packs, their luminous stripes attract attention. It is thanks to these marks that resemble burning neon, they got their name.
There are 4 types of these haracin fish: red, black, green and the most common is blue. They are very similar in appearance, although there are significant differences, including susceptibility to various diseases.
Blue neon
Having first entered the aquarium in 1936, this fish made a splash. For a small flock of blue fish, aquarists gave huge amounts of money. Such a high price was determined by the value of the fish - at that time it was believed that neon in captivity does not breed, and therefore absolutely all individuals were obtained from natural reservoirs.
Later it turned out that, despite the fact that neon can live in hard water, the fish require very soft water for reproduction - up to 3 ° dH. After the breeding process was established, the price of neon fell sharply.
This is a small fish. The length of her body is not more than 3 cm. Her back is painted in a pale olive color. A bright blue stripe runs throughout the body from the front edge of the eye to the tail, which is colored red from the front edge of the anal fin to the stem.
Terence
A very peace-loving and hardy fish, which has an average size for the family - about 6 cm. Its body is high, slightly flattened from the sides, and because of the wide anal fin it seems round. In the reflected light, the silver scales sparkle, giving the fish a resemblance to a coin.
The most striking part of the thorn is the anal black fin, which resembles a skirt. The background color of the thornsia is light gray. Two black vertical stripes are clearly visible in the front of the case.
Ornatus
There are several types of these haracin fish. Ornatus vulgaris is painted in brownish-brick color with white tips of fins. In recent years, breeders have received different forms - pink, veil and white fin.
Black phantom
A species of ornatus. The phantom body is flattened laterally and rather high. The dorsal fin is high and the caudal fin is two-lobed. The main background of the male is from dark gray to black, the abdomen is lighter. On the sides are black spots of irregular shape, surrounded by a luminous fringing of purple. All fins are black except pectoral.
In the male, the dorsal fin is high, curved backward; in the female, it is much lower and shorter. Young individuals are dominated by reddish tones. In length, a black phantom grows to 4-5 cm.
Reddish Ornatus
Sometimes this fish is called a tetra with a bleeding heart. She looks really interesting - her gray body with pinkish tones, anal and dorsal fins with white marks, and in the center of her body is a red dot that looks like a wound. A ruby neon strip runs along the ridge.
Sickle
Hardy haracin fish of light brick color. Among other members of the family is characterized by a cocky disposition. It can be dangerous for fish with veil fins, and for other civilians it is not dangerous.
A feature of the sickle is a rounded tail fin. Breeders brought out the color variation of sickle, which has an intense red color, which is known among specialists as the "minor".
Lemon tetra
This yellow beauty is especially effective in large flocks. Lemon color, the intensity of which depends on the intensity of consecration, prevails in its color. The brightest parts of the fish are the black and yellow anal and dorsal fins. Under natural conditions, during the danger, lemon tetras are brought together in huge flocks. Their bright fins of a potential predator are confusing.
Glass tetra
One of the most unusual haracin fish. The average size of a glass tetra is about 6 cm. She has a slim, elongated and transparent body. The skin is also transparent, and through them the internal organs and spine are clearly visible. The body of the tetra is painted in pale blue or bluish-gray. Her head is small, and her eyes are disproportionately large. The ventral, anal and lateral fins are transparent. The dorsal is yellowish and the caudal fin is bright red.
At the age of 5 to 7 months, the fish reach puberty. Like most small characins, females of an adult glass tetra are significantly fuller in the abdomen, especially during spawning.
Golden bellfish (platinum)
These fish from many other species are distinguished by an unusual body shape. Combined with simple content, this makes the wedge-ginger an excellent choice for beginner aquarists. This is without a doubt one of the most common species among hatchet fish. The fish is widespread in all large river systems: Orinoco, Parana, Amazon and others. It prefers mostly stagnant waters - swamps, floodplain lakes, quiet backwaters. Most often live in areas with an abundance of surface aquatic vegetation.
Adult individuals reach 7 cm in length. Canteen-bellies have a wedge-shaped body shape, compressed laterally. It resembles an ax blade. The back is yellow with golden hues, the abdomen is silver. At a certain angle of light flux, bands can appear that are cast in blue.