Shubunkin fish is a bright and beautiful representative of the Karasev family. This inhabitant of a home reservoir is absolutely unpretentious and very hardy. Shubunkins belong to goldfish. Even a novice aquarist can cope with their care. In the article we will consider in detail the conditions of keeping and breeding this fish, as well as its compatibility with other individuals.
general characteristics
Shubunkin fish, or calico is not found in the wild. She was bred artificially in the process of selection. This breed of goldfish was created in Japan in 1900. In Europe, the shubunkins began to be kept in aquariums only from the 1920s.
Almost all breeders note a beautiful, bright color and unpretentiousness of Shubunkins. Description of the fish can be found in many aquarium manuals. In the literature, it is reported that the Shubunkins grow up to 15 cm. However, calico reach such dimensions only under good conditions and in a properly selected aquarium. In a cramped tank, fish can grow only up to 10 cm. In Japan, the Shubunkins are bred in artificial ponds, in such a spacious habitat their body length reaches 20 cm.
Appearance
Multi-colored spots scattered throughout the body are a distinctive feature of this breed of goldfish. The Shubunkins have the most diverse coloration. Speckles can have yellow, blue, white, red or black. Specimens with blue and purple spots are especially appreciated. Because of the bright and motley body, the Shubunkins are called chintz comets. Finally, stain coloring is formed only by 3 years.
Most goldfish have a rounded body shape. Shubunkin is somewhat different in appearance from his relatives. His body is elongated, oblong and slightly compressed laterally. The fins are large and large, and the tail is bifurcated. Unlike most goldfish, calico have very thin and transparent scales that are almost invisible.
Shubunkin fishes reach maturity in about 2 to 3 years. Their life expectancy is about 10-15 years. However, there have been cases when fish lived for 20 years or more. Such longevity is quite possible under comfortable conditions of detention and good care.
Gender differences
Male and female Shubunkin is very difficult to distinguish from each other. Male and female fish have the same appearance. Sexual differences become noticeable only during spawning. During this period, convex white spots appear on the male’s head and gills. The body of the female is rounded due to gestation of eggs. Outside of spawning, determining the sex of Shubunkin is almost impossible.
Aquarium Maintenance
Consider the features of the content of shubunkins. Fish of this breed are quite unpretentious, but space is very important for them. Crowding negatively affects their growth and development. To calico feel comfortable, they need to create the following conditions:
- Space in the aquarium. The Shubunkins are quite mobile, so they need a lot of space. The volume of the aquarium for their maintenance should be at least 100 liters. When choosing it, preference should be given to rectangular tanks. In round aquariums, fish are hard to see and grow worse.
- Good filtration and aeration of water. A powerful filter should be purchased at the aquarium store. Shubunkins love to dig in the ground and often create a lot of turbidity in the water. You need to take care of buying a high-quality aerator. Calico is unpretentious and very hardy, but they tolerate a lack of oxygen poorly.
- Lack of heat and purity of water. Shubunkins are considered cold-loving fish. They feel bad in excessively warm conditions. The optimum temperature in the aquarium for fish should be from +20 to +23 degrees. Calico is not very sensitive to the purity of the liquid. However, it is recommended that 1/5 of the water in the tank be replaced weekly.
- Safety of soil and design elements. Calico can swallow small pebbles. These grains get stuck in their stomach and lead to the death of the fish. To eliminate this danger, only coarse gravel or sand can be used as soil. Sharp snags cannot be placed in the aquarium; this can cause injury to the fins.
- A large number of strong plants. Shubunkin loves to live close to the ground and dig algae roots. At the same time, calico feel comfortable in a well-landscaped aquarium. Therefore, you need to plant a large number of water plants with strong leaves and roots.
- Daylight. Shubunkins love natural sunlight, so the aquarium is best placed on the windowsill. It is very important to ensure that the water does not overheat, since heat is fatal to calico. Natural light can be replaced with artificial light, but the lamp should be bright enough and burn for about 8 to 12 hours a day.
Food
Calico goldfish are very gluttonous, but almost omnivorous. Nutrition Shubunkin must be complete, but overeating should not be allowed in any case. Excessively plentiful food leads to obesity, which significantly reduces the life of goldfish. Therefore, the insatiability of the Shubunkins must be limited. The daily diet should be approximately equal to 3% of the weight of the fish.
As the main food, it is best to use special prepared foods intended for cold-loving and goldfish:
- Tetra Animin Goldfish Color.
- Sera Goldy Gran.
- Sera Goldy Nature.
These types of food are produced in the form of flakes and granules that sink to the bottom of the aquarium. This is especially convenient, since the Shubunkins often dig in the ground. Ready-made dry food should be given to fish in a small amount, since an abundance of such food can provoke digestive problems.
You should not limit the diet to just finished food. The fish menu should be varied with live food, for example, bloodworms, earthworms, and tubule. Shubunkins with pleasure eat greens. They can be given fresh lettuce or cabbage.
Calico fish should be fed twice a day - morning and evening. It is necessary to ensure that within 10 to 20 minutes all food is eaten. If a certain amount of food remains, then it must be immediately removed from the aquarium. When eating fodder, Shubunkins strongly pollute water, as they like to get food out of the ground.
Compatibility
Shubunkin prefers to live in a pack. This fish does not like loneliness. Therefore, you should immediately run into the aquarium 4 - 6 individuals.
Kaliko is quite a peace-loving fish with a calm character. It should not be kept together with aggressive aquarium inhabitants. The following fish species are not suitable as neighbors for Shubunkins:
- barbs
- scalaria;
- cockerels;
- zebrafish
These species of fish can nibble on the long and lush fins of the Shubunkins. Together with calico, bottom catfish should not be kept. Both fish love to spend time near the ground and can perceive each other as competitors.
Together with calico, you should not keep fry and small fish species. Shubunkins can take them for food and swallow.
Ideal neighbors for calico are other breeds of goldfish and koi carps. These aquarium inhabitants also love cool water.
Breeding
Shubunkins belong to spawning fish species. It is quite possible to breed them in a home aquarium. Their spawning period begins in the spring. Before breeding, fish should be deposited in a tank of 30 - 50 liters. The water in the spawning ground should be warmer than in a conventional aquarium by 3-5 degrees. Care must be taken to keep the tank clean and maintain bright lighting.
At the beginning of the breeding season indicate the rapid movement of males around the females. Shubunkins lay eggs on algae. At one time, the female tosses about 10,000 eggs.
Calico fry is recommended to be fed predominantly with live food (rotifers, brine shrimp). With good nutrition, small fish grow twice in the first 2 months of life. It is important to remember that Shubunkin fry often show uneven growth. Fish can have different sizes at the same age. It is recommended that larger individuals be separated from smaller ones to avoid injury and accidental ingestion.