The selection of inhabitants for your aquarium is a difficult and responsible task. In fact, the state of a closed ecosystem directly depends on this. Therefore, the fish you are interested in need to be studied very carefully, get acquainted with their habits and only then go for them to the pet store. Today we will talk about bright fish called labidochromeis Hongy.
Famous Family
Beginners in the field of aquarium sometimes wonder why so many underwater inhabitants have the same name. Actually the answer is simple. The subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae includes the genus labichromis Hongi. Today it includes 18 species of fish. Therefore, it turns out that in one pet store several varieties can be sold. Accordingly, a tag hangs on the aquarium with the name of the genus and a few more letters indicating a subspecies, which few people pay attention to.
Natural habitat
This is another of the African inhabitants who moved from there to our aquariums. Fish live in the waters of Lake Malawi, which washes the shores of three African states. The rocky shores of Tanzania are especially attractive to them. Here they gather in large flocks. Hongy's labidochromis feeds mainly on small arthropods and larvae that live on algae among pitfalls.
Fish features
Like the close relatives of the cichlids, these charming creatures are predatory. This determines their anatomical features. Labidochromis Hongi has a small mouth with small elongated teeth on the upper jaw, as well as a number of thin conical teeth that are bent in the opposite direction. That is, their arrangement is like tweezers.
The body of the fish is oblong and has the same contours as the majority of cichlids. Depending on the specifics of the body, the body may be coated with stripes or have a uniform color. Body dimensions do not exceed 10 cm. That is, the fish belong to dwarf cichlids. They have a poorly developed sense of smell and only one nostril. This structure forces the fish to retain water in the nasal cavity.
Differences between species
Today on the shelves you can find most often two varieties. This is Hongi and Kimpuma. Sellers themselves often confuse fish with each other and sell under different names. But there is no big trouble in this, since the conditions of detention, feeding and care are exactly the same. The difference between species is their color. Kimpuma resembles a goldfish, its color is reddish-orange. And the Hongid Schweden labidochromeis is yellowish. Under good conditions, they grow up to 12 cm in length. The brightness of the color depends on the quality of the food. In particular, they cannot be completely transferred to plant food.
Content Features
It is desirable to keep Labidochromis Hongi in small groups, including 4-6 fish. Among them there must be one male, otherwise you run the risk of watching constant battles and the speedy death of one of the rivals. For such a quantity of fish, a sufficiently spacious aquarium is needed, no less than 200 liters.
Another important condition is the presence of a large number of different shelters. Each fish should be able to find a suitable refuge in order to retire, and later to spawn. But you can’t fill all the free space with algae and stones. Leave the area free of scenery so that the fish can swim freely there.
You can keep fish with other peace-loving representatives of the underwater world. Labidochromis live mainly in the middle layers of the water, so feel free to plant catfish that will occupy another niche.
Interesting feature
Labidochromis Hongi, the photos of which are presented in the article, are quite peaceful loving schooling fish. Nature took such good care of their survival that it gave me the opportunity ... to change sex. If the male dies, the adult female takes on his role. She completely transforms, changing sex and color. The reverse process is also surprising. If a new male appears in the aquarium, it gradually becomes what it was before.
Conditions
To increase the life expectancy of your pets, it is necessary that the water indicators correspond to certain parameters. The temperature should be in the range +24 ... + 28 ° , hardness - from 8 to 20, acidity of 7.5-8.7 pH. No less important is aeration, filtration and weekly replacement of part of the aquarium water with fresh.
Fine gravel or coarse sand is best used as soil. Lighting should be bright, and the daylight should be at least 10 hours a day. It is recommended to feed the fish at one time, then they get used to it and are already waiting for the next portion of food. In this case, hungry fish instantly grab it, and the remnants will not rot at the bottom of the aquarium.
The diet of fish is usually bloodworm. It is also necessary to introduce herbal supplements, otherwise your planting will suffer. Fish enjoy eating frozen seafood, as well as dry food in the form of granules and cereals.
Breeding
By about a year, Hongidi Schweden labidochromis reaches maturity. The photo (see above) allows you to evaluate how bright its color becomes during this period. Especially males change. If you plan to engage in reproduction, then it will not hurt to get acquainted with the secrets of experienced aquarists.
Spawning is stimulated by an increase in water temperature by 1-2 degrees. Before spawning, the male prepares a place for spawning. Usually a large stone acts as such. In the process of spawning, the female spawns a relatively small number of eggs, about 50 pieces. After the male fertilizes them, she will collect them in her mouth. For 25 days, she will serve as a living incubator, protecting her offspring. After this, the fry begin to leave their shelter, eat and swim on their own. The first days they catch live dust, they can eat artemia.
Instead of a conclusion
The lifespan of these fish is about 8 years. But for this you need to adhere to all of the above rules. Any violation will lead to the rapid development of the disease epidemic among the inhabitants of the aquarium. In one case, the owner can react and save the fish in time, in the other, he won’t even have time to understand what happened.