Metinnis silver was discovered in 1923. The fish is found in the Amazon, Rio Negro, Paraguay and Gayana. Refers to the Piranevs.
People buy for the aquarium, trying to attract money to the house, because it is believed that metinnis acts on the principle of clover, fat girl and other currency talismans. By the way, he is herbivorous, but with pleasure he will eat live protein food, if offered to him.
Piranha are divided into three groups:
- Piranhas to fear. They live in the waters of South America. Representatives of the group are active predators.
- Herbivorous. This group includes 7 subspecies of fish, including Metinnis silvery. In aquariums they are kept next to the brown pack.
- Piranha parasites. This species does not feed on vegetation and protein. Their diet includes only the scales of other fish.
The hara-species subspecies, to which Mettinis also belongs, has 1200 species, divided into 14 families. About 500 of them are kept in aquariums (specifically in Russia there are 70).
Among them there are individuals dangerous to humans, such as piranhas (38 cm in size) or tiger fish, whose length reaches 1.5 meters.
Description
Characidae are generally considered to be schooling, live in thickets of algae. It looks like a piranha only externally, it also has a rhomboid body, but eats vegetation and is generally very peaceful.
Metinnis flattened on the sides, silver scales. The appearance of the fish depends on the lighting in the aquarium; it tends to change the shade from blue to brown.
Stripes and even spots may appear on the sides, depending on its variety and habitat. Crescent-shaped fins on top, tail not divided. In the wild, the body length reaches 15 centimeters, while living in an aquarium, even 13 centimeters is a rarity.
The eyes are silvery and have a pupil of black color. The teeth are sharp enough. To distinguish a male in a pile of fish, just look at the fin located next to the tail on the abdomen. It has silver metinnis red and straight.
Life span
Metinnis live about 10 years. In nature, they settled in the waters of the Amazon River and other basins of South America. For living, those parts of the reservoir that are densely populated by vegetation are chosen.
It is clear that at home the fish live a little less. Subject to all maintenance requirements, aquarium pets can live 7-8 years.
Neighborhood
The content of silver metinnis is quite simple. They are unpretentious in care and compatible with many species. Get along well with individuals of other peaceful fish. But, if you plant them with smaller breeds, it is likely that the latter will be eaten.
They swim at the top level of the aquarium, sometimes in the middle and rarely go down to the bottom. Choosing neighbors for silver metinnis for compatibility is worth those fish that occupy only the lower level. This is necessary to create contrast. These include, for example, catfish.
Water
It is recommended to choose a larger aquarium, since only one individual will need about 100 liters of water. It should not be cold, an acceptable temperature from +23 to +27 degrees.
Each week, it is recommended to remove 0.5 l of water from the aquarium and replace it with a new one. In addition, it is worth installing filters that will remind the fish of their natural habitat.
Shine
By their timidity, silver metinnises do not like bright light, which is much more pleasant to them. Strengthening lighting is relevant only during spawning. A standard room is slightly shaded with curtains.
Vegetation
The fish are voracious, they are able to absorb all the plants intended for decorating the aquarium, in just a couple of days.
To avoid serious damage, there is an option to partially populate the bottom of the aquarium with artificial algae. There are no requirements for the bottom, any soil will do.
Aquarium decoration
Metinnis should be able to hide, he is very shy. In addition to soil, at the bottom of the aquarium you can place thickets (both live and artificial), driftwood, grottoes, stones.
The open corners of shelters can injure fish, the scenery should be located so that the individual could freely and safely swim. Thickets are better placed along the walls of the aquarium, otherwise the fish may get confused.
What to feed?
The basis of the diet of metinnis in the wild is living vegetation. It does not have to be algae. Even greens that are popular in people's diets, like spinach and lettuce, as well as zucchini, dandelions, and other green plants, will do.
Before feeding, greens must be washed and pour boiling water for several minutes. For a change, you can enter live food and based on spirulina (dry). Supplements should be up to 20% of the total diet, but no more.
Breeding
Fish are bred in a separate tank, a male and a female are transplanted into it for at least one year old. The aquarium should be warm and spacious. Water volume 200 or more liters, constant temperature + 28 degrees.
Feed before returning to the general aquarium should only vegetation. Males during spawning acquire a reddish tinge of the abdomen, begin to chase the female throughout the aquarium, shake their fins, depicting a kind of dance. When the female has “matured” for breeding, she starts throwing eggs, which sinks to the bottom, where the male fertilizes her.
This type of fish does not eat its eggs, but everything exactly at the end of spawning should be removed adult fish back to relatives. One clutch of caviar consists of 2000 units, it takes them 3 days to hatch.
Of course, not everyone will be born and survive. The mortality of these fish is very high.
At first, the fry are given food like ciliates. The grown ups are gradually transferred to small, powdery feeds.
In fry, rapid growth is noted, with full nutrition they mature by 6-8 months of life. Puberty occurs only in a year.
Disease
Metinnis are hardy enough and almost never get sick. To extend the life of an aquarium resident, it is enough to adhere to the following rules:
- No need to run the aquarium. Fish will feel bad in the neighborhood with large accumulations of their own excrement and pieces of plants.
- The composition of the water must be suitable for the species.
- The presence of shelters, the right temperature, space and proper lighting will only benefit.
- Peaceful neighbors. Predators cannot be planted, otherwise the Metinnis will simply be eaten.
- It is worth paying attention to the expiration date and condition of the feed that the fish feeds on.
- Diet. Even if this species is able to eat protein foods, herbivores should receive herbal supplements.
Failure to comply with simple requirements can adversely affect the health and immunity of a pet. A decrease in immunity will lead to infection by pathogenic bacteria and, possibly, death.
Even such a strong fish as Metinnis silvery will not always be able to cope with a virus provoked by the carelessness or laziness of its owner.
In addition, it must be remembered that a preliminary consultation with a specialist will never hurt and will help to avoid many problems when keeping aquarium fish.