This beautiful, rather large fish is able to attract the attention of a person who is not even interested in aquariums. The velvet color contrasts surprisingly against the background of calm algae or the bottom of the aquarium. It is these characteristics that can be given to scalars. It attracts experienced aquarists not only with its positive qualities, but also with its origin. What is the story of this beautiful inhabitant of a small world? What are the nuances in the content of black scalar? With which inhabitants can it be combined, and with which - no? What to feed?
The appearance of velvet beauty
The entire surface of the body of the scalar has a surprisingly radical shade of black. Both fins and eyes do not differ in color from scales. It is a pity, but purely black specimens are such a rarity that they require constant breeding work to transfer color from one generation to another. Without this, the offspring gradually brightens, and among the black scales appear white or shiny, mirror-like. However, the quality representatives of the breed confirm the second name - Black Velvet angelfish.
The sides of the fish are very flattened, and the upper and lower (anal and dorsal) fins have a smooth transition from the head and are pointed at the ends. Because of this, the fish strongly resembles a crescent. Rays are clearly visible on the tail, and their extreme strings are elongated and stretch much further, bending when the fin turns. This is explained genetically: in the natural habitat, her sisters need to disguise themselves as algae, and such a transition allows this to be done. Artificially grown individuals reach 15 cm in length. Males are usually larger, have a convex forehead and large pointed fins.
Habitat
Only in the 20th century did this fish first appear in Europe - the rivers of South America are considered the native edges of the scalar. Ideal conditions for her are the warm, algae-filled pools of Orinoco and the Amazon. There is not only where to hide, but you can also enjoy your favorite Daphnia, bloodworm and other tasty inhabitants of the reservoirs.
Decades later, people began to export and distribute fish throughout Europe. For two centuries, black scalar can be found in all corners of the world, and the color scheme is very diverse. Despite the fact that you can choose females or males of various shades among the representatives of a beautiful view, Black velvet remains in first place in popularity.
Maintenance and care
First of all, you should think about where to place these angel fish (another name for the species). An ordinary aquarium of 20 liters is not suitable here, as fish like to live in packs. You can settle one individual, but for its own benefit it is better to buy a couple or more. Long aquariums are often chosen, since each fish needs a place for free swimming. Depth is also important - for the required water level you need at least 45 - 50 cm in height.
To make the flock balanced, the females and males get equally. Even after procreation, it is ensured that the next generation has the same ratio of both sexes. It is noteworthy that scalars quickly choose a mate and never cheat on her. Even for breeding purposes, when two scalars are brought together from different pairs, they produce offspring, but the eggs are left without care. Parents do not recognize them for their own.
To make the aquarium comfortable, you need to maximize the living conditions to the wild. For this, you do not need to take special water: it will be moderately hard, with a neutral environment, but enriched with oxygen, as in rivers. Once a week, 1/5 of all water is changed to a new, previously defended. Scalarians love clean, clear water, and for this, appropriate filtration should be organized. Temperature is important so that the pack does not start to hurt. Ideally, it should not go beyond 24 - 28 degrees.
Advantages and disadvantages
Amazing vitality is possessed by individuals who are competently cared for. They live 10 years without losing beauty and always pleasing to the eye with their elegance. You need to acquire young people who have not had time to find a mate, or already with a mate. For scalars, the following features are characteristic:
- Surprisingly calm attitude to other species living with them in the same pond.
- Not too demanding attitude to the feed, so they can be listed as unpretentious fish for the aquarium.
- Simple care that even novice aquarists can handle.
Settling them with other fish or crabs, crayfish and other inhabitants of the home aquarium, you need to pay attention to whether the neighbors are aggressive in nature: if the crab eats fish, will not scalar become a tidbit for it? The only thing that can become between a scalar lover and his pets is the arrangement of the aquarium itself. In the corners should be arranged thickets of algae, where the fish can hide, and in the middle - a place for free swimming. The price of algae, filters and feed can unpleasantly surprise a beginner.
Behavior and character
As a new generation of scalar forms forms from fry, the need for a satellite and free space appears. They themselves choose a mate, and the owner is not able to do it for them. Those without a pair are often sold, as they will not feel comfortable, but can choose a pair in another aquarium. Young fish begin to need a lot of space, and an aquarium of 20 liters, only if steam is not the only one in it, will not do. You need 50, 75 and more liters, so that fearful fish have a lot of habitat.
To a sharp sound, a change in lighting, a sharp movement they have one reaction - to hide. This requires vertical threads of algae, long locks, standing snags and other objects, higher than the fish itself. In addition, scalar can be at risk: it should not be kept next to those species that are able to bite its threads on the fins, or with larger fish. She herself will never attack, she will actively defend herself during spawning. The bottom will not tear, algae does not gnaw.
Feeding
For good appetite and reasonable intelligibility in feed, angelfish rightly gained a reputation as an unpretentious fish for an aquarium. Regardless of which type of food for the pet will be cheaper, you need to provide a complete and varied diet. Black angelfish will be grateful for such care - it will not hurt and try to eat the small inhabitants of the aquarium (guppies, neon fish). She needs to be given:
- Daphne.
- Motyl.
- Artemy.
- Coretra.
- Plant food.
- Boiled fish.
- Dry food (should not prevail - only as an additive).
Many experts do not prohibit giving frozen, combined food, but the main part of the diet is live, fresh organisms. One thing you need to know about quantity: moderation will never hurt. Angelfish must remain a little hungry, otherwise they will have digestive upsets. Such problems are fraught with the death of pets, and this is important to remember.
Scalar compatibility with other fish
Aggressiveness is a trait that is not at all inherent in these fish. But this does not mean that you can add them to everyone. Neon fish, guppies and other small inhabitants of the aquarium can be eaten because they will be mistaken for food. Also, one should not ignore the danger that scalars can bite fins. Large, fast fish can physically injure a scalar, and therefore you need to choose not too active neighbors for it.
Slowness is another extreme that does not suit the neighbors of velvet scalar. Compatibility with other fish is otherwise excellent. Somics are perfect neighbors, gurus will not cause trouble for the owners either. But goldfish, for example, have too delicate eyes, scales and a slow character. Because of this, a scalar becomes a dangerous neighbor for them, capable of injuring delicate goldfish.
Breeding black angelfish
In order to create the necessary conditions for eggs, you need another plant that has wide flat sheets. Echinodorus and critocorinum are considered excellent representatives. In the aquarium, aeration and a temperature of about +27 degrees should be maintained. After that, the couple sits in a pond. You can increase the temperature to +30 degrees - this will serve as an incentive for spawning. Before giving offspring, the couple will begin to clean the leaves to lay eggs on them.
After this peculiar signal of readiness for spawning the next morning, eggs appear on the leaves. Black angelfish are caring parents. They look after the offspring all the time, cleaning and selecting dead eggs. Three days later, fry hatch. A week later, on the 7th day, they begin to swim. Imitating adults, fry swim in flocks after parents. They continue to take care of the offspring, even when the fry are already starting to swim.
How to raise fry
Adults are considered individuals at 10 to 12 months. Prior to this, immediately after birth, they are fed with ciliates, rotifers and brine shrimp artemia. They are grown from the dry eggs found in each pet store. This is the best option for feeding up to 1 month of life of fry. Then you can give daphnia and special food for fry. From 3 months they give chopped bloodworms, and from 6 - full-fledged adult food.
Thus, beautiful black scalars are not only unpretentious in maintenance, but also not too demanding on neighbors, food and breeding conditions. Purchased once, they are able to delight the owner's eye for a decade, which monitors the aeration of the water and does not forget to feed the fish on time.