All fish differ in their habitat at a certain water level. Moreover, each such group consists of several species. Bottom aquarium fish live in the lowest water layer, most of which are considered friendly and peaceful creatures, easy to care for. These inhabitants are perfectly compatible with almost all representatives of other species, and some of them carry out useful activities in their artificial space, clearing it of various sewage.
Brief information
Bottom aquarium fish include a large number of species from different families, many of which are similar in appearance, for example, with sharp spikes or antennae. They are hardworking, have a calm disposition and perform a cleansing function in the aquarium. Below we pay attention to some varieties of these fish, and also consider their content and main features.
Antsistrus aquarium
These fish are the most popular inhabitants of the aquarium world, they are also known as catfish. They contain and know everything: both pros and beginners. The Antsistruses have earned such respect due to their positive qualities. They are called "aquarium orderlies", they are extraordinary in behavior, unpretentious in maintenance and differ from many other cat-like structure of the mouth-sucker.
The body of the aquarium anticistrus is elongated and flattened. And the first ray of the pectoral fin is hard and sharp. The males have small "horns" on their heads; in adult males they also branch. The color of these fish can be varied and depends on the particular species, most often brown and gray shades, with dark spots, predominate.
Antcistrus Content
Most often, these aquarium inhabitants are active at dusk and in the afternoon, in the event of a drop in atmospheric pressure. Antsistrus loves clean, oxygen-enriched water, with a temperature of 22-24 degrees and hardness of up to 30 degrees. The life expectancy of representatives of this species averages from 5 to 8 years, puberty occurs at the age of one year. Antsistrus feeds mainly on plant foods, but driftwood is needed in the aquarium to aid digestion.
It is worth knowing that this fish likes to get inside the filter, which can lead to its death. That is why special attention should be paid to this nuance. The view coexists perfectly with other aquatic inhabitants, but males can arrange fights between themselves. Therefore, such a sexually mature individual is best kept separately. Water replacement, filtration and aeration are necessary.
These bottom aquarium fish are very useful due to the features of their mouth with suction cups. It allows them to clean the walls of the aquarium by scraping off algae and plants. That is why the people got the name "catfish-sticking" or "catfish-sucker".
Botsia clown
These fish belong to the family of bindweed. They have a triangular section, a torpedo-shaped body shape and a flat abdomen. The head is sharp, with six to eight antennae located on it. As a rule, the botsia clown has a bright color. There are suction cups on the ventral fins and chest, with which they are attached to snags and stones, scraping off algae. Therefore, we can say that the benefit of these inhabitants, as well as of the previous species, is to cleanse the territory.
Botsia are active at dusk. This species is considered to be flocking; in no case should they be kept alone. The group should consist of from five to seven individuals, alone, the fish become aggressive. In some cases, the bots may be embittered among themselves or in a pack. In this case, aggression spills out on one selected member of the family. If the flock is large, the negative behavior of the individual spreads evenly. As a rule, feeling the danger, these fish emit a click, sharply protrude the spikes and fix them horizontally.
Botsia are considered shy and appreciate the following conditions: shelter, dim light, various openings. Since the species is a river, it needs water movement in the aquarium and a low level of waste. All these are very important factors influencing the health of aquatic inhabitants.
A sandy substrate plays a special role, but it is not a panacea. If gravel is to be used, then all stones should be clean and rounded. It is worth knowing that the delicate antennae of the bots are prone to infections, and they can not delve into the substrate as well as detritus. In the decoration of the aquarium, which contains bottom fish, there should be no sharp edges. In addition, a reliable cover is required.
Neighborhood
This species is considered quite peaceful, but the problem is the excessive activity of the fish. For this reason, the content and compatibility of the bots-clown is fraught with some difficulties. For example, they are not recommended to be placed with slow-moving fish. Due to increased attention, they will be very stressful. Also, do not keep crustaceans and snails in the same aquarium with a clown, because with a lack of feeding, the bots will deal with them in the first place. Not the best neighbors will be fish with veil long fins, as clowns like to bite these parts of the body.
Good neighbors are:
- movable cyprinids, for example barbs;
- medium-sized characins;
- movable pecilli, for example a swordsman;
- other species of loach fish.
Feature
The botsiya clown has a unique feature - the infraorbital spine. It protrudes from under the fish’s eyes and hides when it is stressed or in danger. That is why it is necessary to be careful when catching bots. After all, this spine is easily confused in the net, can pierce the shipping bag, and in some cases injure the aquarist if he is not careful enough when handling this fish.
Corridoras speckled
This representative of the aquarium inhabitants has a small body, a convex back and a carapace consisting of two rows of bone plates. The color is most often gray-olive with numerous dark spots. The abdomen has a pinkish tint and a golden tint. Sometimes there are albinos.
Males are smaller, pale in color, have a high and pointed dorsal fin, and fewer spots on the body. The female reaches seven centimeters in length, and the male only 4-6 cm. Their life expectancy in the aquarium environment is on average from 8 to 10 years.
Content
The corridor is simple in content. It is recommended to use sand as soil. This species of bottom aquarium fish is very fond of shelters, therefore for its maintenance it is necessary to have snags, stones and grottoes, where aquatic inhabitants will rest and hide.
The water temperature should be - + 24-26 ° , dGH 4 °, pH 6.0-7.0. Necessarily the presence of filtration and weekly replacement of 1/4 of the water from the total volume of the aquarium. Aeration should be, but fish are not demanding on its quality.
It is worth knowing that corridors have not only gill, but also intestinal respiration. That is why it is recommended to keep the water-free surface of the plants so that they can swallow fresh air.
Representatives of bottom aquarium fish have a calm and peaceful character. As a rule, they are kept in flocks, and do not pose a particular threat to other inhabitants. Corridors are not picky about food. Their diet may consist of granules, flakes and dry food. It is worth noting that they take food only from the bottom.
General features of bottom dwellers
The maintenance of bottom aquarium fish is not difficult, as they are unpretentious, get along peacefully with their neighbors and adapt well in the aquarium. Depending on the species, the volume and parameters of the water may vary. Temperature fluctuations from 20 to 28 ° C, hardness 5-15, and acidity from 6 to 7.5 are allowed. It is best to provide bottom fish with high-quality aeration and filtration, as well as constantly replace the water.
It is important for representatives of bottom rocks to provide various shelters, lay out driftwood, and plant dense thickets of vegetation. In view of the love of most species for digging in the soil, plants with large roots are well suited. Lighting and soil are also selected based on the individuality of each breed.
Breeding
The description of bottom aquarium fish indicates that some species are not able to breed in captivity. In such cases, hormonal injections are administered to pets to stimulate this process.
For fish capable of breeding in an aquarium environment, as a rule, a separate spawning ground is prepared. First, the producers are separated from each other for 2-3 weeks and fattened, after which they are placed in a joint aquarium. At the end of spawning, the parents are separated, and the fry are fed artemia, ciliates and live dust.
Food
Feeding bottom fish is considered an important condition for their maintenance. After all, all aquatic inhabitants should be full. To provide everyone with food, you can make a device from a plastic bottle. To do this, cut it and insert the upper part into a piece of plastic pipe or into a hose so that a funnel forms. Pre-soaked dry food is placed in this device, after which the tube is carefully immersed in water to the location of bottom fish. Dry feeds are suitable in the form of granules or special tablets. Depending on the size and type of fish, food is selected individually.
Neighborhood with other species
The compatibility of bottom aquarium fish is almost complete: they coexist peacefully even with cichlids. Adult bots and catfish can defend themselves and give back to offenders, after which all conflicts are usually settled. The only ones with whom problems may arise are fry. In order to prevent this from happening, they differentiate the area into adjustable and age aquariums.
Conclusion
The fish that live near the bottom are of interest due to their sanitary properties and entertaining behavior. These aquatic inhabitants are omnivorous, unpretentious in content and fit perfectly into any interior. It should be remembered that the correct content of bottom rocks is the key to health and longevity of their life.