The dream of many - to have aquarium fish - is broken about the need to contain something similar to a medical device from the intensive care unit (a bunch of wires, hoses, filters, etc.). But one wants, as in childhood, a crucian in a bank ... Few, however, remember where those crucians go (their fate is regrettable). Almost all underwater inhabitants in captivity need an artificial respiration apparatus, and you just can’t hold them in a bank. But the dream still remains. What to do?
Bring home a small but insanely
beautiful fish Betta (fighting cockerel fish). Breeders (thank you very much for that!) Have brought out so many shapes and colors that it is simply impossible not to please anyone. And their main advantage is the ability to live without a compressor - they breathe atmospheric air. Saturated with oxygen, often with a strong current from the filter, they really do not like the aquarium. No one claims that these fish should be kept in three-liter jars, but the fact that they will feel great in a small container without filtering and aeration is a fact. The only difficulty may be the breeding of fish of males, but not everyone wants to become a professional breeder. Almost all contain Betta just for the sake of enjoying the beauty. Therefore, we will discuss the issue exclusively from this point of view.
Cockerels-fish: keeping at home
Representatives of the macropod family are unpretentious in the fullest sense of the word. They will forgive you stale water and rare food, thanking you with frightening poses, which we take with pleasure as an indescribable sight. True, you should not think that fish can change the water once every six months and feed “once-never”. Not! To scoff at those who were tamed is sacrilege. We are responsible for them.
What do
males love
? Fish ( captive) require warm stagnant water. Ideally, the temperature regime should be maintained in the range from 24 to 28 ° C. If your apartment is constantly warm, then you can not install a heater in the aquarium, otherwise it is vital. Moreover, the temperature difference should be minimal: Betta is able to catch a cold by swallowing cold air. If the difference is significant, cover the container with the cockerel lid, but not too tight so that there is a possibility of fresh oxygen.
What do cockerel fish eat? Maintenance in the aquarium involves the use of live food as the main source of nutrition. Ideally, these are mosquitoes, midges. You can purchase frozen bloodworms or artemia at a pet store. In extreme cases, dry specialized food is suitable. Overfeeding fish is prohibited! They need moderate nutrition. The more hungry the males, the stronger their immunity, which means the longer they live. But from overfeeding Betta gets fat, becomes lazy and ceases to arrange beautiful demonstrative fights. What kind of cockerels there might be ...
The fish, the contents of which we are considering, tolerate daylight well . Therefore, it is advisable to install the aquarium in a well-lit place. Direct sunlight, however, should not fall into the aquarium - this will cause the water to bloom. It is advisable to plant a small plant in the soil of the aquarium, which will supply the aquatic environment with oxygen. Be sure to install a decorative ornament in which the fish can hide from time to time.
What is the difference between males? These fish belong to very aggressive representatives of the water world. Therefore, it is desirable to keep them in a separate aquarium, so to speak alone. Otherwise, some of the "guests" will have to lay their heads during systematic fights. In order for your cockerel not to get bored in the “solitary confinement”, hang a mirror for him. He will fight with his own reflection. It is safe and very beautiful. But do not do this often. The cockerel will get used to it and stop responding to it.