Small light green aquarium fish as they are called. The smallest fish in the world

The underwater world in all its glory with its amazing ability to calm, give calm joy and every minute pleasure from communicating with nature - all this can be very close, in a small cozy apartment or even one room. From the first aquarium, a hobby begins that accompanies a person throughout his life. After all, it is impossible not to love a world where beauty and peace reign or where amazing events unfold.

It is believed that aquarium keeping is a rather expensive hobby, but here it all depends on choice. If your dream is a huge aquarium, or even several, with delicate inhabitants who are demanding of temperature, water quality and food, this is really not cheap and is fraught with many problems and concerns about the health of the beauties.

It’s very cool to admire such transparent, miraculous reservoirs in shop windows, but not everyone can maintain them themselves. You should always start with small aquariums, which can completely replace huge ones if you choose the right soil, plants and inhabitants.

Choosing the size of the aquarium

If a person was not born into a family of hereditary aquarists, everything usually begins with a sudden impulse. Having seen a corner of your acquaintances or friends with a mesmerizing beauty, in which everything is harmonious and wonderful, you decide that this is what you or your child needs. Few people at first learn in detail about what difficulties may await, what unexpected surprises await on the thorny, without exaggeration, path.

After all, novice hobbyists, as a rule, sweep off the shelves everything that sellers in pet stores offer. Often, eyes glowing with excitement serve as a signal to not-so-scrupulous “well-wishers” who recommend purchasing only the most expensive things – from equipment to inhabitants.

Important! The first rule before going to the store: think everything over, calculate it, decide what kind of world you want to create, what is required for this, who will live in the biosystem you created and what plants will help emphasize the beauty and uniqueness of your aquarium.

The second point will be to discuss ideas with people who have experience in this complex matter: they will be able to tell you what kind of fish you should get first, and where it is better to buy them. Well, the third and most difficult thing is to be able to stop when you see what choice breeders offer today, not to buy everyone in a row, but to soberly assess your capabilities, advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Many people had their very first aquarium with a capacity of no more than 20 liters. This makes it easier to change the water, maintain the appropriate temperature, and care for algae. Up to 20 small fish, for example, rerio or swordtails, or several pairs of fairly large ones - catfish, angelfish, goldfish - can easily live in such containers. Vallisneria and several bushes of cryptocoryne will beautifully shade the background, and pistia will decorate the surface and help the kids hide.

One of the most important conditions for placing a fish house is a stand, cabinets or flat surface. A small aquarium can be installed on a desk or any cabinet near which a chair sits comfortably, and the backlight can also be used as additional lighting when reading.

This is interesting! Picturesque and beautiful living corners look great in any apartment; they become a decoration for the living room, children’s room, and fit into any interior.

When the impulse develops into a real hobby, such aquariums are used for raising fry, keeping acquired fish in quarantine, and the population of the main aquarium is transferred to it during a complete water change.

An aquarium up to 50 liters is already serious; you need to choose the right place to install it so that an accident does not happen. You need to think about a water heater with a temperature controller, filters for water purification, and lighting. The water in such aquariums is changed infrequently, maximum once every 10-12 months, unless special circumstances require it (severe pollution due to a broken compressor, overcrowding, infection or rapid growth of microscopic algae).

You can populate here with up to 40 small fish, or a couple of angelfish, goldfish, macropods, etc. A flock of neon chicks along with rerio, platies, swordtails, or a pair of predatory cichlids will feel great in it.

A couple of decades ago, mini aquariums containing up to 10 liters of water were rare. But now they are found more and more often: round, cylindrical, rectangular, very original and beautiful at first glance. However, apparent beauty comes at a very high price. Caring for such a baby is much more difficult than caring for a 100-200 liter one.

It’s not easy to maintain a constant temperature in it, change the water, and you have to clean it almost every day, which the inhabitants don’t really like. Fry feel great in it if the temperature can be stabilized, a couple of guppies, calm platies, but even unpretentious goldfish will suffer from lack of space. Although there are amateurs who use several tiny aquariums to create beautiful compositions, imitating the ocean floor, the sea coast, quiet backwaters and coral reefs.

Pisces compatibility

Having decided on the size of the aquarium and your preferences, you can go to the pet store. At poultry markets there is always more choice, prices are lower, but the risk of buying sick or underdeveloped birds is higher. It is from there that contagious diseases are most often introduced into aquariums, so until well-known sellers with a proven reputation appear, it is better to purchase fish and plants at specialized retail outlets.

When purchasing pets of different species, there are several factors to consider. The water temperature should be suitable for everyone - the health and beauty of the fish will depend on this. Some require salty water, although most tropical fish are freshwater.

Important! Calm fish should not be housed with hooligan bullies, much less predators, this ends badly.

Sellers will definitely tell the buyer about schooling fish that simply do not survive alone or in pairs.

You should take into account the subtleties of keeping, diet, size, aggressiveness, as well as temperament in general.. Very lively and active swordtails can drive calm guppies to death; cockerels, for all their beauty, offend almost all viviparous animals; when playing, they even force labyrinthine ones to jump out of the water. It is very easy to offend even calm ancitruses. Ideal for small aquariums are either fish of the same species, or equal in size and similar in temperament.

Catfish that do not attract attention get along with calm platies, nimble flocks of neon, very peaceful and beautiful proper feeding, a pair of swordtails.

Important! Guppies will get along with zebrafish, and with swordtails, and with.

A place of honor among the inhabitants of small aquariums is occupied by pitch-black mollies, which are very impressive with swordtails.

When populating aquariums, you need to remember an immutable rule: almost any fish will eat the one that is smaller in size and fits into its mouth. Peace-loving guppies perceive even their own fry as live food, like other livebearers. But the cockerels are fighters ready to fight to the death for their fry, and the dads are champions in this.

A small aquarium is a small but beautiful world if you take proper care of it. The correct selection of bottom fish, schools of those who prefer to live in the water column, as well as labyrinthine fish, the ability to breathe both oxygen dissolved in water and atmospheric air, allows you to beautifully fill the aquarium.

The smallest aquarium fish

Small aquarium fish or nano fish are no less beautiful creatures than their larger counterparts, and they are not just fish for small aquariums, sometimes they are not. But below you will find the names and photos of the smallest aquarium fish, the most famous, commercially available and popular. These are not all representatives of such a group; this is only a small sample.

First, let's figure out what small aquarium fish are. Even in the last century, fish measuring 4-7 cm in length were considered small. However, time has made its own adjustments, and very small, so-called nano aquariums, have become especially popular. Currently, a nano aquarium is usually called an aquarium with a volume of 5 to 50 liters. Of course, it is difficult to keep fish in such quantities, especially a group of fish.

On the other hand, natural aquariums are now very popular, with many live plants, bright and green. In such a landscape, any fish, even the palest one, will look wonderful. Professionals say that an ordinary silver fish will look even more attractive. If previously the most common fish for a small aquarium were guppies and blue neon, now you can find much smaller fish on sale. We will focus our attention on them.

Rasbora (microrasbora) galaxy. This small aquarium fish burst into the world of aquarium hobby only in 2006, and immediately captivated professionals and amateurs. In just 10 years it has become incredibly popular, thanks to its small size and stunning beauty. The scientific name of these fish translates as “heavenly fish decorated with pearls.” They are only 2 cm in size! This is an ideal candidate for a nano aquarium.

Although these are not schooling fish, it is better to keep them in a group, and better in a species aquarium. An aquarium with a volume of 40 liters is suitable for the Microassembly Galaxy group. Water parameters are not particularly important, the water just needs to be clean.

Guppy. Of course, representatives of this species are among the smallest and hardiest aquarium fish. Males are usually no more than 3.5 cm in length, while females can grow up to 6 cm. The variety of varieties of guppies is sometimes simply amazing, and you can always choose to suit your taste. Endler guppies, for example, are very popular and are always on sale.

It is better to keep only males in a small aquarium, since with females the population will constantly increase. A 20 liter aquarium can accommodate 3 males. For males and females, it is better to take a larger container - 30-50 liters.

Tetradon dwarf. These small aquarium fish are not very popular, but recently, thanks in large part to the Internet, dwarf tetradons are in great demand. The fact is that these fish have amazingly interesting behavior, and it is a pleasure to watch them. Their maximum size is only 2.5 cm, and they are perfect for keeping in a nano aquarium. However, these fish can exhibit territorial and very aggressive behavior.

Tetra Amanda. A small, bright, beautiful fish, no more than 2 cm in length. Since this is a tetra, the fish must be kept in a school of 6 or more individuals. For a small group, a 30-40 liter aquarium is sufficient. It is better to choose a panoramic, elongated aquarium, rather than a cube. Amanda tetras are ideal peaceful fish for a natural aquarium and are easy to keep as long as you keep the water clean.

Dwarf Corydoras (Pygmy, Hastatus, Habrobus). It is also advisable to supplement nano aquariums with bottom inhabitants, which will help clear the bottom of food debris and create movement in the lower part of the aquarium. Dwarf corydoras are ideal for this, because the largest size they can grow to is 2-3 cm. These are the smallest known aquarium catfish. Please note, however, that these species love oxygenated water, good currents and room for swimming, so it is still recommended to take a larger aquarium for them.

Microassortment of erythromicron. The name of these little ones speaks for itself - their size is no more than 2 cm. Microrasbora erythromicron is almost as popular as microrasbora galaxy, and almost as attractive. It is better to keep this species in a school; for 15-20 fish, an aquarium with a volume of 35-60 liters is enough. It is recommended to keep fish in a group and in a large aquarium due to the warlike dominant behavior of males. It is not recommended for beginners to keep these fish, since the water in the aquarium with them must be crystal clear.

Rasbora espei. This species has long been known in the aquarium hobby and is often used in natural panoramic aquariums. Espeys grow up to 3 cm and are best kept in a group of 7 or more individuals. An aquarium of 35-75 liters is suitable for a group.

Nannostomus marginatus or dwarf. Very beautiful yellowish fish with dark horizontal stripes, 2.5 - 3.5 cm. Outwardly they resemble zebrafish. A little known, not very popular species. But a group of 10 fish needs an aquarium of 30-40 liters. Nannostomus adore driftwood and living plants.

Neoheterandria elegans or tiger teddy. Outwardly not very bright, but quite attractive viviparous aquarium fish, it appeared on sale quite recently. The maximum size is 2.5 cm, and 10 liters is enough for a couple of fish. For 7-8 fish, a 30-40 liter aquarium is ideal. Quite hardy, undemanding fish.

The babies are 2 - 2.5 cm long with an unusual body shape, reminiscent of a tree leaf. Like all similar fish, they live in the upper part of the aquarium, closer to the surface of the water, so they need to be provided with a fairly long aquarium, at least 50 cm in length and 30 cm in width.

Tetra elachis. This is another little tetra, 2cm long, quite rare and would be difficult to acquire. The amazingly slender silver body looks great against the backdrop of driftwood and plants. Keep in a group of 6-10 fish; for a group it is recommended to take an aquarium of 45 liters or more.

Formosa. This dwarf viviparous fish is gaining popularity and becoming more and more available for sale, and is also quite inexpensive. Males are 2 cm, females are 3 cm. The minimum aquarium required for the life of these fish is 12 liters. Formosa is not picky about water parameters and can live even in slightly salted water.

An amazingly beautiful, bright fish only 1.5 - 2 cm long. Despite, however, their small size, microrasboras need enough space for swimming and for the territories of spawning pairs with aggressive males. It is better to use an aquarium 45 cm long and 30 cm wide, approximately 40 liters in volume. The housing for these fish is set up like for the fish of the Amazon basin, with dense growing and floating vegetation.

The largest officially recorded size of this fish is 16.7 mm. This is probably the smallest aquarium fish; in appearance, Danionella looks more like a fry. Despite its small size, an aquarium of 40-50 liters is recommended for keeping a group of fish (ideally 15-20). The fish got its strange name because of its two huge “fangs” - bone growths located on the upper jaw (in males). However, you are unlikely to find this fish on sale - it is still a very rare species.

Do you want to join the aquarium hobby, so you need basic knowledge. For beginner aquarists and those who do not have the opportunity to spend a lot of time caring for aquatic inhabitants, there are unpretentious aquarium fish. Maintenance boils down to feeding and water changes.

Danio

There are dozens of species of these peaceful and beautiful fish. Pink zebrafish and zebrafish remain popular. Maximum body size 7 cm.

Cardinal

Beautiful, reaching 4 cm in length. They keep in flocks of 6 or more. Easy to keep and breed. get along well with other similar fish.

Labyrinthine

Distinctive feature - structure respiratory system. They breathe air and regenerate well. They do not need aeration. It is important to provide access to air. This is why they are often called.

Macropod

Aquarium fish up to 10 cm in length with a memorable appearance. Known as paradise fish. The caudal fin is distinguished by its large size and pointed shape. The scales shimmer in the light, adding shine. Aggressive and cruel, but at the same time caring parents.

Cockerels

The species have multi-colored veil fins. Body length 6 cm. Demanding about the purity of water, otherwise unpretentious. Take care of compatibility with your neighbors. aggressive towards smaller companions, cichlids and other predators. Intraspecific conflicts between males are not uncommon.

Other families

Cute fish with a serpentine body up to 10 cm in length. They belong to the loach family. They spend time searching for food among the soil and help in cleaning the aquarium. We recognize it by its yellow-brown color in the form of rings encircling the body. The absence of scales makes acanthophthalmus vulnerable to medicinal drugs. Myers' species are also popular.

More difficult in content

Among unpretentious aquarium inhabitants, there are species that are demanding on the quality and parameters of water: more attention and time for caring for the aquarium.

Lyalius

Conditionally peaceful owners of a labyrinthine respiratory organ. They require frequent aquarium maintenance and a large water space. Timely cleaning of the soil and water changes will ensure a comfortable existence. They grow up to 8 cm and are colored with alternating bluish-green and orange stripes.

Gourami

Neons

You will need soft and slightly acidic water. Water changes should be carried out unnoticed. do not need a large aquarium and are kept with peaceful species. They grow up to 5 cm in length. They live longer with low temperatures from 18 degrees in a flock of representatives of its species.

Ternetia

Tetras

Friendly, kept in flocks of 8–10 individuals. In dim lighting the color becomes brighter. The combination of beauty and unpretentiousness makes tetras common among aquarists.

Cichlids

There are more than 2 thousand species in the cichlid family. Mostly predatory and territorial, they take care of their offspring. Cichlids are demanding. Take care of the compatibility of residents and maintaining the cleanliness of the reservoir. The least demanding ones are distinguished, for example, angelfish and black-striped cichlases.

Angelfish

Cichlids with a diamond-shaped body reaching 15 cm in length. They move smoothly and gracefully. prefers live food with a high protein content. Temperature 22–26 degrees, bright lighting and clean water will be required.

Black-striped cichlazomas

They also call it. Large, inhabit an aquarium of 100 liters or more. The striped color attracts attention. Caring for them includes periodic feeding, changing water and monitoring their condition. Aggressive during spawning.

Catfish

The appearance of catfish is recognizable; many people like their peaceful disposition. Unpretentious in food and maintenance, catfish demonstrate endurance and vitality. They take part in cleaning the aquarium from uneaten food and lower algae. Ideal neighbors for most fish. Large and small ancistrus are common. Popular species: speckled, spotted and panda catfish.

They grow up to 20 cm at home, so choose an aquarium with a volume of 200 liters. They are thermophilic, the optimal temperature ranges from 26–30 degrees.

Corridoras

A genus of catfish with a body length of up to 7 cm. They are kept in groups in soft water. During the day they hide in shelters. Activity hours are at night.

Selection rules

Unpretentious fish for the aquarium are selected taking into account the following characteristics:

1. Compatibility of temperaments.
   Look at your habits certain type so that conflicts do not arise.
2. Required conditions.
   For proper settlement, the requirements for the habitat are taken into account. Comfortable temperature, acidity level and water hardness are considered.
3. Size adult.
   Having a clear idea of ​​what size the fish will reach will protect you from a common mistake.
4. Pack keeping
   Most small fish live in schools in their natural environment. For the well-being of pets, several individuals are accommodated.
5. Eating habits
   The inhabitants of a reservoir produce food at different levels: feeding at the surface of the water and obtaining food from the bottom. An ill-conceived nutrition system has a detrimental effect on the health of pets.

Compatibility

Introduce aquarium inhabitants similar in character. Predators and aggressive large fish should not be placed with small peaceful species. Even calm, large inhabitants can inadvertently eat small ones. Mobile schooling fish will be bad neighbors for calm and slow species.

Number of fish for settlement

Universal rules for determining quantity:

1. The aquarium population is selected based on the net volume of water. 10–15% of the space spent on decorations, plants and soil are not taken into account.
2. Large fish are placed in a spacious aquarium. For small, active and social animals you will need a container of 40 liters or more.
3. The calculation is based on oxygen exchange. If there are plants and additional sources of oxygen, then the number of inhabitants of the aquarium increases. To dissolve oxygen, the water temperature rises. Overpopulation is indicated by the concentration of fish near the surface even with good aeration.
4. How bigger fish, the more waste it produces. To determine the permissible number of inhabitants, measure the level of nitrogen compounds and impurities in the water. Water tests are purchased at pet stores.
5. In a mixed-sex aquarium, the number of females is 2-3 times greater than males.

Examples

1. A 10 liter aquarium contains 4 guppies, cardinals or neons.
2. For a flock of 4 danios, a pair of gourami or lalius, a 20-liter container is enough.
3. A flock of cherry or four-striped barbs can be placed in a 40-liter pond.
4. For one cockerel - 2 liters of water.
5. A pair of angelfish, black-striped cichlas or large gourami will need an aquarium of 100 liters or more.
6. Two small gouramis are placed in a 20-liter vessel.
7. When settling catfish, other neighbors are often not taken into account, since the habitat occurs at different levels: catfish are at the bottom, and the rest inhabit the middle and upper tier.

Even the most unpretentious aquarium fish receive a minimum level of care and comfort. Unassuming fish are sensitive and fragile creatures.

Most aquarium hobbyists can afford to install aquariums only small sizes. Such models, with a capacity of up to 100 liters, are perfect for the interior of the apartment. Such small tanks are easy to maintain and require little investment, just like the small aquarium fish that inhabit them.

Fish breeding is a fascinating and at the same time complex process, the main thing in which is the result, namely the contemplation of the colorful living underwater world. The advantages of large aquariums in this sense are high, however, compact options can also successfully perform this decorative function. It all depends on how well you select its inhabitants - the smallest fish.

Viviparous small fish

An excellent option is breeding the most persistent fish - guppies. They are not the smallest, but they demonstrate high vitality and are the hardiest of the school inhabitants of the home “reservoir”. Your aquarium will be filled with bright colors thanks to main beauty these schooling little fish - the caudal fin, especially if you purchase interesting specimens. A flock of 15 - 20 fish will paint your aquarium with bright lights.

An excellent solution for populating a small aquarium will be swordtails, which got their name due to the fact that a xiphoid process appears on the caudal fin of males during puberty. Feeding swordtails will not cause difficulties, because. A variety of food suits them: dry, live, and frozen. You should not breed them in aquariums with a capacity of more than 50 liters, because swordtails in such conditions can grow up to 10 - 12 cm. The most ideal recipe for breeding them: put a company of 15-20 waterfowl in 50 liters of water at a temperature of 20 - 25 and, voila . Your eyes will already be delighted by the magnificent red, black, green and even spotted and brindle representatives of this genus.

A flock of 10 miniature mollies of an elegant black color will look very interesting. However, such sophisticated beauty requires better care. The key to the fact that they will give you joy from contemplating them is bright light and periodic addition of salt to the water, maintaining the temperature at least 20°C.

Spawning fish

Among this type of aquarium pets, barbs (Sumatran, fiery, black-striped ruby, tiger) are widespread, which prefer live food and grow to about 6 centimeters. They are quite unpretentious, but they should be purchased in pairs. These smallest aquarium pets cannot be housed with relatives of veil forms because Barbs are capable of nibbling their fins.

See what barbs look like in real life.

The presence of the smallest aquarium fish - zebrafish or zebrafish inle - will be spectacular. These most active and very playful small schooling fish prefer live or dry food, and their size reaches 3 - 5 centimeters. Unfortunately, excessive mobility of waterfowl is dangerous for them. Zebrafish often jump out of their tank, so only closed aquariums are suitable for raising them.

When talking about the smallest fish for breeding, one cannot help but mention the well-known neons. These smallest inhabitants of indoor ponds are famous for their amazing coloring, or rather the neon luminous stripe that runs through the entire body. Like all small fish, neons are schooling, so they should be housed in groups of 10 or more.

Look at the aquarium with neons.

Whatever schooling fish you choose, it is very important to understand that their attractive colorful appearance and cheerfulness depend entirely on you. It is necessary to take into account that the minimum permissible volume of water for each specimen cannot be less than 3 liters. Too many aquatic inhabitants will turn your source of inspiration and positivity into a kind of “communal apartment” and will not have the best effect on their behavior. Maintaining optimal temperature, weekly water changes by 20 percent, the presence of an aquarium filter, aeration and suitable food - these simple procedures will help you enjoy contemplating the splendor of bright colors in the aquarium.

And here’s another great selection of nano fish - take a look:

Popular aquarium fish

Speaking about the popularity of fish, it should be said that this concept has a meaning: prevalence among aquarists, accessibility, ease of keeping - unpretentiousness of fish, etc. That is, a popular fish is a fish that has earned authority and demand in the aquarium market. Popularity does not depend on the size or type of fish. As a rule, this question is asked by novice aquarists who are planning to purchase or purchase additional fish.

In this connection, you should pay attention that when buying fish, first of all you need to take into account the compatibility of aquarium fish, and only then their popularity.
So, we present to your attention our selection of the most popular aquarium fish (in alphabetical order, with photos and descriptions).
Ancistrus

The most popular sucker catfish. Ancistrus are not fussy to keep; they are the orderlies of the aquarium world. They have a sharp character and can even chase small neighboring fish.
Squad, family: carp-shaped, chain-mailed catfish.
Comfortable water temperature: 22-24 °C.
Ph: 6,5-7,5.
Aggressiveness: not aggressive 10%.
Ancistrus has a mouth with horn-shaped suckers, which actively scrapes off algae in the aquarium - cleans the walls of the aquarium and eats dead organic matter. He eats any live and dry food with pleasure. The activity of these catfish appears at dusk or when the aquarium lighting is turned off during the day.
Astronotuses

These fish can hardly be called easy to keep, since they belong to the family of cichlid fish, moreover, they are large, predatory fish. Nevertheless, thanks to their beauty, their qualities: behavior, intelligence - astronotuses have gained a leading position in popularity among cichlids.
Squad, family: cichlids.
Comfortable water temperature: 22-28 оС
Ph: 6,0-7,5.
Aggressiveness: aggressive 99%
Aquarium volume for astronotuses it should be from 300 to 500 liters.
Aeration, filtration, and regular water changes (weekly 30%) are required. Special attention You need to pay attention to filtration - it should be powerful (a second filter would not be superfluous). The aquarium can be decorated with large stones and driftwood; the decor should not be sharp. Provide shelter for the fish.
Barbs

An amazingly diverse family of fish. Nimble, schooling fish that are interesting to watch. Barbs live relatively peacefully with similar medium-sized neighbors in the aquarium, but they can nip smaller and weaker fish.
Squad, family: carp
Comfortable water temperature: 21-23 °C.
Ph: 6.5-7.5.
Aggressiveness: 30% is quite aggressive.
Compatibility of the Sumatran Barb: barb, gourami, moth, parrot, catfish, thorns, tetri.
Most species of these fish can be kept in aquariums of 50 liters or more. Their lifespan in an aquarium is usually 3-4 years. When keeping barbs, you need to take into account the characteristics of a particular species, since the variety of different varieties of this fish often confuses novice aquarists.
Guppy

Everyone knows these fish, even those people who have never kept an aquarium. This is not surprising, because they were the most popular inhabitants of all Soviet aquariums. Guppy fish have also earned their popularity due to their unpretentiousness in nutrition and maintenance, resistance to unfavorable living conditions and low price.
Poecilia reticulata or Lebistes reticulata
Squad, family: Poeciliidae.
Comfortable water temperature: 2 0 - 26 °C.
Ph: 6,5 - 8,5.
Aggressiveness: not aggressive 0%.
Guppy Compatibility: Compatible with all non-predatory and small fish.
Over many years of keeping guppies in aquariums and careful selection, many types of guppies have been obtained, the care and maintenance of which are not at all so simple. Currently, it is very difficult to classify guppies, since as a result of numerous crossings, more and more new breeds are developed every year.
Gupeshki can be kept in a general aquarium (but not with fast-swimming species that can tear off their fins) with a length of 60 cm, in places with dense thickets of plants, including small-leaved ones, reaching the surface of the water (among them, Limnophila indica and glider are desirable), floating plants with roots hanging down, as well as riccia, where the fry will find shelter. Guppies are not picky about the size of the aquarium.

Gourami

Another large family is labyrinthine fish. The beauty and popularity of these fish lies in their diversity and beauty. And also in the fact that they are not demanding on aeration of the aquarium and can do without it for a long time. This is due to the fact that the gourami’s homeland is the rice fields of Asia, where there is little oxygen in the water, and the water itself is stagnant. These fish, as a result of evolution, have learned to breathe atmospheric air, which they capture from the surface of the water using the gill labyrinth.
Squad, family: labyrinthine.
Comfortable water temperature: 24 - 28°C.
Ph: 6,5-7,5.
Aggressiveness: not aggressive 40%.
For maintenance you need a lighted aquarium (overhead lighting) with a volume of 100 liters or more with thickets of living plants and free space for swimming. The presence of snags is desirable (the fish constantly stay near them). Filtration, light aeration and weekly changes of up to 30% of the water volume are required.
Danio

These are small, nimble fish that primarily swim in schools near the surface of the water. Pink danios are especially popular. They are unpretentious in maintenance, inexpensive, and can get along even with large, non-predatory neighbors. An interesting fact about zebrafish is that they were the first fish to undergo the now fashionable trend GloFish- an artificially bred form of luminous fish.
Pink Danio Brachydanio albolineatus
Squad, family: carp
Comfortable water temperature: 21-25°C
Ph: 6.5–7.5, water hardness: 5-15°.
Aggressiveness: not aggressive. The fish are kept in an aquarium in a flock (from 6 specimens) in an aquarium with a length of 60 cm and a volume of 20 liters.
Discus

Discus fish are the kings of the aquarium. These fish cannot be called easy to keep or unpretentious. Moreover, their cost is very high, and their character is so capricious that sometimes even an experienced aquarist finds it difficult to cope with them. Nevertheless, the disc-shaped body of these South American cichlids and their coloring are simply mesmerizing. This fish is popular because everyone wants to have it in their aquarium, but not everyone can handle it.
Blue discus Symphysodon aequifasciata haraldi
Squad, family: South American cichlid.
Comfortable water temperature: 25-30 C.
Ph: 5,8-7,5.
Aggressiveness: 10% are not aggressive.
Discus is a large fish. In the natural environment it reaches a length of 20 cm, in aquariums the size does not exceed 12 cm. The body shape is disc-shaped. The dorsal and anal fins are very long, wrapping around almost the entire body. The ventral fins are narrow. The body is brown with vertical blue stripes. The entire body is decorated with numerous blue strokes. Males are larger and brighter than females, and the fins of males are more pointed.
Discus fish are demanding to care for and require a tall and spacious aquarium to keep them. The minimum size of an aquarium for a couple is 150 liters. However, the fish are schooling and to keep them (5-6 individuals) an aquarium of 300 to 500 liters is required.
Goldfish

Now we have reached these gorgeous representatives of the aquarium world. Perhaps everyone not only knows these fish, but has also seen them. After all, even with mother’s milk, we have all heard the fairy tale: “About the Fisherman and the Fish,” where the prototype of the mistress of the sea was precisely this popular fish, or more precisely the veil-tail. In addition, since time immemorial, namely since the times of Ancient China, monks have been engaged in the selection of these fish, while obtaining amazing forms from the progenitor of all Goldfish - the silver carp.
Squad, family: crucian carp.
Comfortable water temperature: 18-23°C.
Ph: 5-20.
Aggressiveness: 5% are not aggressive, but they can bite each other.
Compatibility: with all peaceful and non-aggressive fish.
Many novice aquarists, trying to make friends with these fish, take a whole horde of young goldfish. However, you should always remember that this is a large species of fish and for a couple of Goldfish you need an aquarium of at least 100 liters.
Corridors

This is a family of chain catfish. Popular, easy to keep, not whimsical, peaceful catfish. They have intestinal respiration, i.e. can breathe through the butt - the anus.
Corydoras paleatus
Squad, family: armored catfish.
Comfortable water temperature: 24-25° C.
Ph: 6,0-7,0.
Aggressiveness: not aggressive.
Compatibility: any fish. The only things that are not desirable are Labeo, Botia modesta, and Ancistrus, because they chase them (although it's more like a game). Large cichlids are also not the best neighbors. The most famous catfish and excellent aquarium orderlies - keeping them with “Goldfish” will ensure the cleanliness of the soil in the aquarium.
Lyalius

Another member of the labyrinthine fish family. In this topic it is highlighted separately, since Lalius have a calm and peaceful disposition. Unlike gouramis, they coexist peacefully with the most harmless fish.
Squad, family: labyrinthine.
Comfortable water temperature: 18-20 °C.
Ph: 6,5-7,0.
Aggressiveness: not aggressive 10%.
Lyalius is one of the most beautiful, attractive fish of the labyrinth family. The fish is not large in the aquarium and can reach 5-6cm. Fish body flat shape. The color of the lalius is greenish-blue with transverse stripes of red and blue-blue, the abdomen near the gills is blue. The fins of the lalius are covered with red spots. The male lalius differs from the female in being brighter in color. They are the same size. Lalius do not live long, only 2-3 years.
The fish has a shy character. It is advisable to place Lalius in an aquarium with calm, peaceful fish. It is recommended to keep the fish in a school of at least 3 pieces, this way the fish feel more confident.
Swordtails

Bright, lively representatives of viviparous fish. Hardy, active, inexpensive. It is possible to keep with peaceful cichlids, for example, angelfish.
Xiphophorus helleri
Squad, family: Poeciliaceae.
Water temperature: 20 - 25 oC.
Ph: 7,0 - 7,5.
dH: 5-20°.
Aggressiveness: 10% are not aggressive.
These fish have a variety of shapes, appearance and colors. They have a specific tail fin, unique to them, for which they are popularly named. In addition, swordtails are a species of viviparous fish and therefore their breeding is not difficult.
The combination of the above factors affected not only the popularity of these fish, but one might say made them popular among the people.
Neons

Neons are one of the smallest aquarium fish and look beautiful in a school. Absolutely peaceful, harmless fish that you can talk about for hours.
Paracheirodon
Squad, family: cypriniformes, characins
Comfortable water temperature: 18-24°C
"Acidity" Ph: 5.5 – 8°.
Hardness dH: 5-20°.
Aggressiveness: not aggressive 0%.
Content complexity: light.
Neons Compatibility:
Not compatible:
Cockerels or Bettas

A very beautiful fish, its veiled tail and fins are simply mesmerizing. The colors of the fish are different. The most common color is inky with a reddish tint. Males are much brighter in color and have longer fins than females. The size of the fish is up to 7 cm.
Squad, family: labyrinthine.
Comfortable water temperature: 22-24°C.
Ph: 6,0-7,5.
Aggressiveness: Males are aggressive towards each other.
Compatibility: with all the peaceful fish. You should not plant them with swordtails, barbs, gouramis, especially cichlis.
Angelfish

Angelfish are popular American cichlids. They favor peaceful and not very large neighbors. Angelfish do not uproot aquarium plants, as many cichlids do.
Latin name: Pterophyllum scalare.
Squad, family: Perciformes, cichlids, cichlids (Cichlidae).
Comfortable water temperature: 22-27° C.
"Acidity" Ph: 6-7,5.
Hardness dH: up to 10°.
Aggressiveness: 30% are not aggressive.
Content complexity: light.
Scalar compatibility: Although angelfish are cichlids, they are not aggressive. Even small, peaceful fish and even livebearers are favorably treated. As neighbors we can recommend: red swordtails (look great with black angelfish), thornets and other tetras, zebrafish, all catfish, gouramis and laliuses, parrots and elows, and other non-aggressive cichlids.
These South American cichlids simply fascinate with their elegance and the beauty of their sailing fins, which, like the wings of an angel, support them in measured weightlessness. Actually, it’s not for nothing that these fish are called Angels abroad.
Ternetia

Ternetia is a small, popular dark silver fish. It can be found in any pet store and in many home aquariums. Its unpretentiousness in maintenance, ease of breeding, and peaceful character deserve the attention of beginners in the aquarium hobby.
Latin name: Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
Synonyms: Ternetia is black, mournful.
In English: Black skirt tetra, Black Widow tetra, Black tetra.
Squad, family: Characinaceae.
Comfortable water temperature: 21 - 24 C.
"Acidity" Ph: 5,7 - 7,0.
Rigidity: up to 6-16°.
Aggressiveness: 20% are not aggressive.
Content complexity: light.
Torakatum

Takarkatums are one of the most common catfish in our aquariums. Their popularity is due to the unpretentiousness of keeping, endurance and peaceful disposition of these fish.
Latin name: Hoplosternum thoracatum.
Correct name: Many people call this fish tArakatum, probably comparing it with a cockroach, but it is still correct to say thorakatum, from the Latin “thorax” - shell.
Synonyms: Torakatum, hoplosternum, catfish thoractum, tarakatum catfish.
Squad, family: Armored catfish.
Water temperature: 22-28° C.
Ph "acidity": 5,8-7,5.
dH: Up to 25°.
Aggressiveness: 0% are not aggressive.
Content complexity: Very light
Compatibility: In fact, any fish - these catfish - do not pose any threat to other inhabitants of the aquarium.
Cichlazoma black-striped

Black-striped cichlasoma is one of the most popular fish of the cichlasoma family. These are relatively small fish, unpretentious in keeping, with a beautiful, sophisticated body color and, importantly, unlike many cichlids, they have a calmer character.
Latin name: Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum. From the Latin words “nigro” - black and “fascia” - ribbon, belt, stripe.
Russian synonyms: Black-striped cichlazoma, black-striped cichlazoma, black-striped cichlamosis.
Foreign names: Zebra Cichlid, Zebra chanchito, Convict Cichlid, Zebrabuntbarsch Grunflossenbuntbarsch, Blaukehlchen.
Order, suborder, family: Perciformes, Perciformes, Cichlidae.
Comfortable water temperature: 20-28°C.
"Acidity" Ph: 6.8-8.0.
Hardness dH: 8-30°.
Aggressiveness: 30% are relatively non-aggressive; they show aggression during the period of spawning and caring for offspring.
Content complexity: light.
Some might say that the peak of their popularity has passed, that now there are many other more colorful forms of cichlids and cichlases in particular. However, the statistics don’t lie! Today, the black-striped cichlasoma, the most popular of all cichlasomas in the Yandex search. Every month more than 2200 users of this search engine apply for this request.
We also recommend that you look at the colorful brochure “Popular Types of Aquarium Fish.” This brochure contains all the popular types of fish, with a description of their keeping conditions, compatibility, feeding + photos.

Video about popular aquarium fish

Unpretentious aquarium fish - don’t disturb the owner

Is it difficult to keep aquarium fish? This question is often asked by beginning aquarium hobbyists. They are afraid that they will not be able to cope with the care, feeding, and boarding of their pets. Like any living creature, an aquarium fish requires attention and care, but how to create comfortable conditions life for her if you don’t know enough about the aquarium business? In this case, unpretentious aquarium fish can become your pets. They are not difficult to keep; the unpretentious fish are considered very hardy, tenacious, and get used to humans. If you are very busy and do not have enough free time to care for your animals, then the most unpretentious aquarium fish will significantly reduce the time you spend in your aquarium.

List of unpretentious small fish

What unpretentious aquarium fish are good for a beginner who does not have much experience in maintaining an aquarium? When you want to create good living conditions for your pets, you can choose small and beautiful fish with a peaceful disposition that can live in not very capacious tanks.

Guppies are one of the most popular ornamental pets in the aquarium. Externally they are very bright, cute, and have a beautiful tail. Can be kept in small tanks of 40 liters or more; they can withstand changes in water parameters. Some guppies can tolerate a lack of filtration, aeration, and plants, although such housing is strictly not recommended. Guppy fish are fertile and viviparous. They get along well with small and peaceful fish. For this reason, they have been popular in our country for many years. In addition, the variety of colors is amazing - you can choose a school of fish of different colors, whose offspring will be even more colorful.

Watch a video about keeping, caring for and breeding guppies.

Swordtails - they are easily recognized by their caudal fin, which in males ends in a “sword” at the lower base of the tail. There are also many varieties of swordtails: color variations, sizes, and behavior patterns prove that these are very interesting pets. The main advantage is that they are hardy, get along with many ornamental fish, and do not spoil aquarium decorations. It is advisable to settle in a 20-50 liter tank, where there is a lot of shelter and dense vegetation. Swordtails can stand up for themselves - they can be housed with active fish that like to bother their neighbors. Swordtails are tenacious also because the female of this species suddenly becomes a male, which saves her in a critical situation.

Mollies – viviparous fish family Poeciliaceae. Relatively hardy, can withstand small changes in water parameters. However, their body does not withstand poor biological load - dirty water, low temperature water, fresh water. They prefer salted waters and bright lighting. Some mollies can come into conflict with swordtails and barbs. The character is peaceful, but unpredictable.

Tetras are another popular fish of the Characin family. Unlike corydoras and guppies, they will not be able to survive in strict conditions of detention - they require a lot of dissolved oxygen in clean water. Schooling fish can be placed in a common tank with a volume of 35 liters or more, in a school of 5-6 individuals.

Gourami are easy to keep fish and are suitable for beginners. They need portions of atmospheric oxygen, so you will have to monitor aeration. Gourami know how to fend for themselves and eat live, frozen and plant food. Sometimes gourami can show aggression towards fish of their own species.

See how to keep pearl gourami.

Barbus are easy pets to care for and maintain, but with what character! Considering that they are schooling fish, they can bother other neighbors, especially those with bright fins and lush fins. These are pirates of home aquariums; they can disturb even large cichlids; they are not suitable for small ones. general aquarium. The advantages of barbs are endurance, livability, and beautiful appearance.

Unpretentious large fish

The most famous aquarium fish that have relatively large body sizes are representatives of the Cichlid family. Not only are they very beautiful, but they are also peaceful, interesting, and smart. Cichlids quickly get used to humans and can feed from the hand. They form a pair from a young age and skillfully care for their offspring. Representatives of this family common in domestic aquariums are freshwater astronotuses, angelfish, discus fish, African and South American cichlids. The size of cichlids is from 15 to 30 cm, so they require housing in a spacious tank with a volume of 100 liters. They get along well with some peaceful fish, but they differ in territorial behavior. They tolerate changes in water parameters, but not sudden ones. There is one “but”: some species of cichlids cannot be fed with tubifex and bloodworms, they are harmful to them. This point should be taken into account when moving into a common tank.

Black fish for the home aquarium

Black aquarium fish look aesthetically pleasing and, without a doubt, will decorate your home pond. If you like aquariums in a minimalist style - without a lot of decorations, without soil, then fish of this color will definitely suit you. Nowadays, there are dozens of species and breeds of fish with dark body colors, which are distinguished by their unpretentiousness and interesting behavior.

Small fish with black body color

The black telescope fish is an aquarium pet with an original appearance. These are the descendants Carassius auratus- the well-known goldfish. Telescopes have a velvety charcoal body, a veiled tail fin and large eyeballs. Telescopes can be kept in an aquarium without decorations due to the possibility of eye injury. A minimal amount of plants and decor actually keeps it alive. Black telescopes prefer warm water, so they are best kept in a tropical aquarium. Look great in an aquarium with white soil.

Black mollies belong to the Poeciliaceae family. A beautiful fish with a brilliant blue tint to the body. The body length reaches 10-12 cm. The behavior is peaceful, molly prefer to live in a small flock. Some representatives of the breed may be unevenly colored. These mollies sometimes give birth to albino fry, or with a lighter body color. Mollies are able to interbreed with platies, guppies and swordtails and produce hybrid offspring. These aquarium fish look very beautiful among green plants, against the background of white soil.

Labeo bicolor is a fish with a dark body and a bright red tail. Body size - from 10 to 12 cm. The body is elongated, slender, flattened on the sides. Above upper jaw there is a pair of antennae. An algae-eating fish that uses a suction cup mouth to scrape algal growths from plants and other surfaces. The fins are large - the dorsal fin is sharp and high, the pelvic and anal fins are colored charcoal. The caudal fin has a red tint. The character is active, territorial. Labeos look good against the background of light stones and wooden driftwood, which they love very much.

Look at Labeo bicolor in a community aquarium.

Ornatus black phantom is an unpretentious aquarium fish. The body is small (4-5 cm), oval and flattened on the sides. The dorsal fin is high and sail-shaped. The color of the scales is silver-charcoal, the tail is dark, the ventral and anal fins have a charcoal “patina”. This is a gregarious ornatus that can be kept in the company of several relatives. The character is agile, peace-loving. To maintain a small flock, an aquarium of 50-80 liters is required.

Black velvet angelfish is a breeding form of the common angelfish. The body color is intensely charcoal, the eyes and fins are also black. Good specimens should not have shiny scales. In the process of constant selection, the breed loses its original qualities. Angelfish are peaceful fish that can be kept with other fish from the time they are young. But the older they get, the more aggressive they show their character. It is recommended to keep them in pairs and in a species aquarium. The veiled forms of these angelfish have longer fins.

Large fish with black body color

Apteronotus, or knife fish, are elegant aquarium fish, the body length of which is 12-20 cm. The body is elongated, the pelvic fin is long and well developed, for which the fish got its name. The body color is black; there are several white stripes at the base of the tail. Apteronotuses are characterized by a peaceful nature, however, it is better to keep them alone. The fish lead night look life, smaller neighbors are perceived as food. It is also not recommended to keep them in pairs (especially in a cramped aquarium); they show aggression towards relatives.

Look what a knife fish looks like.

Astronotus “Black Star” is distinguished by its pronounced intelligence and interesting behavior. Aquarium fish Astronotus are the favorites of many aquarists. Over time, they recognize their owner, are playful, and can accept food from hand. The body color is dark, with orange or red streaks visible on the scales. As members of the Cichlid family, they prefer to live in pairs, in a spacious tank among rocky scenery. The offspring may produce green, white or red pigments. It is recommended to keep it in a species aquarium, since small fish are perceived as food.

Labeo black, or black shark, is a fairly large aquarium fish with a body length of up to 60 cm. The dorsal fin is high, triangular in shape, the color of the scales is velvety black. The color of young individuals is silver-black. Aquarium fish of this species grow quickly, so as they age they require spacious living conditions. The black labeo is territorial and cannot be kept with members of its own species. The best neighbors are cichlids, plecostomus, gourami, and bala sharks. Labeos are active during the daytime and swim in the middle layers of water.

Predatory aquarium fish with photos, names and links

Predatory aquarium fish

Quote:“He who wants to live must fight. And who doesn’t want to resist in this world?
eternal struggle, he has no right to life.”

Dear reader, this article is about predators in a freshwater aquarium. There are many fables on the Internet regarding this issue, to the point that Angelfish are fierce predators of the aquarium.

Therefore, before posting our selection predatory fish ok, let's define the concepts with you.

All animals can be divided into predators and herbivores:

PREDATORY- These are those who eat exclusively meat.

HERBIVORES- These are those who feed exclusively on plants.

Now it is worth noting the fact that in nature it is very rare to find a PREDATORY ANIMAL that feeds exclusively on meat. For example, cats! Cats are predators, but all happy owners of Barsiks and Murziks know that their pets love to chew grass and house plants.

The same situation is with fish. In the huge aquarium kingdom it is very difficult to find a “meat-eating fish”. Perhaps there is no such thing. I don’t promise, but the diet of all aquarium fish includes both plant and animal food.

From the above we can conclude - PREDATORY AQUARIUM FISH in the true sense of the word does not exist. When talking about fish predation, the word aggression is most likely appropriate. But there is also a problem with aggression - after all, even guppies show intraspecific aggression, although they are not at all like predators.

Thus, we can derive a certain vector of understanding of the phrase: “PREDATORY AQUARIUM FISH” - these are overly aggressive, large, territorial aquarium fish, whose diet mainly includes meat food.

A SELECTION OF PREDATORY AQUARIUM FISH (with photos and descriptions)
CICHLIDS

Many people know that the cichlid family of fish are mostly aggressive, territorial fish, this statement especially applies to African cichlids. In some species of cichlids, there is even the most severe intraspecific aggression, which manifests itself not only in males towards each other, but even between male and female, for example, as in Labeotropheus trevavas. Sometimes it comes to the point that keeping a female and a male together becomes simply impossible, since the latter kills an individual of the opposite sex to death.

Astronotus is the most popular and widespread cichlid with a predatory disposition. A large, aggressive fish, which is best kept in a species aquarium and in pairs. Astronotuses perceive all small neighbors as food. And with large species, clashes constantly occur. It’s almost impossible to hook someone up with an adult couple.

Fish can reach 35 cm. Astorontus is native to the Amazon basin, the Parana, Paraguay, Rio Negro river system. The volume of the aquarium for such cichlins is from 300 to 500 liters.

Water parameters: pH 6.0-8.0, temperature 22-28°C. Of course, aeration, filtration, and regular water changes (weekly 30%) are necessary. Particular attention should be paid to filtration - it must be powerful (a second filter will not be superfluous). The aquarium can be decorated with large stones and driftwood; the decor should not be sharp.

CICHLID KNIFE Haplochromis longsnout

She has a territorial character and is jealous of those who “enter” her territory. Longsnout cichla rushes at various shiny objects. In skirmishes with other fish it catches the eye, for which it has received the nickname “eye eater” . These fish are fierce killers in nature.

Comfortable water parameters: temperature 25-27°C, dH 8-20°, pH 7.5–8.5. aeration, filtration, weekly replacement? parts of fresh water with the same parameters.

PIRANHA

Piranha predators are literally armed to the teeth. The teeth are plate-like and razor-sharp. Piranhas have powerful jaws; an adult can bite through a wooden stick as thick as a human finger.

It is worth noting that aquarium piranhas lose their natural aggressiveness, while maintaining their menacing appearance. But for some reason people’s fear does not disappear because of this.

Piranhas are a schooling aquarium fish, so it is best to keep them in a school of 5-8 fish of the same size and age.

SACAGILLY CATFISH

These catfish are not just predators, but “fierce killers.” In their homeland, in Asia, they destroy all the fish that are in their reservoir, and when there is no one left, they crawl onto land and crawl to the nearest new reservoir for a “new victim”, while simultaneously, on land, eating those that come to hand » insects and small frogs. We must pay tribute - in the aquarium these catfish behave much calmer.

TETRADON

The fish has an uncooperative, grumpy character and shows aggression. Tetradon can be kept with large, active fish. Some authors recommend keeping this fish only in a species aquarium.

For a flock of tetradons, you need a large aquarium volume of 150 liters. The fish leads a twilight lifestyle and is afraid of bright light. Therefore, the aquarium is equipped with many stones, caves, driftwood and floating plants.

ACANTHOPHTHALMUS

To close the article, I will give an example that clearly shows the rapacity of any living creature, even the most harmless.

Acantophthalmus is a small loach-like worm-like fish. A peaceful, harmless inhabitant of the aquarium bottom. But…. in nature, if acanthophthalmus is grabbed by a medium-sized predator, then a sharp thorn will force it to immediately spit out and remember this striped fish. Large birds or catfish often swallow acanthophthalmus whole. What they really regret later!!! A small fish breaks through the walls of the animal’s stomach, and sometimes comes out. The gluttonous predator dies.

The struggle for life, alas, forces many to become predators and cold-blooded killers. And the world of aquarium fish is just a small springboard for fighting for life and procreation.

(to view or download, click on the picture)

Video about predatory aquarium fish

What kind of fish should I put in a 20-liter aquarium?

Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to purchase a large aquarium. But almost everyone dreams of having their own little underwater world at home, which would bring a lot of positive emotions and would become a source of joy for the whole family. In this situation, the best option can become a 20 liter aquarium that will fit harmoniously into the room small size, will greatly facilitate cleaning time and cost much less. And if you listen to the opinion of aquarists, in such a small aquarium individuals of one species can feel great, thereby forming a small flock, fish of completely different species, or a couple of beautiful betta fish.

Shiny neons

The ideal option for an aquarium of approximately 20 liters is peaceful, shiny neons. Thanks to their unpretentiousness, neon chicks will feel great in a 10-liter vessel, but only if their number consists of 4 individuals. It's worth remembering that this type fish are schooling aquatic inhabitants, so the aquarium should be a little larger.

Paying attention to the appearance of the fish, distinctive feature The color is a shiny blue horizontal stripe, the body itself has different colors: blue, black, red and blue. By nature, charming neons are friendly, sociable, very active and playful, not picky and not difficult to keep. Catfish, goopish and minors will be good neighbors for them.

Danio - rerio

Striped aquarium inhabitants zebrafish - rerio, another ideal option for a 20-liter reservoir. In addition to their cheerful multi-colored color, zebrafish are cheerful, agile and very active. That is why they will become a real decoration for a small aquarium of 20 liters.

They are not picky, as they can live calmly in water with temperatures ranging from 16 to 30 degrees, they love vegetation and are content with good natural light. It is preferable to feed with live food, for example, daphnia, cyclops or live bloodworms. They spawn easily and do best in schools.

Friendly guppies

The most common inhabitant of home aquariums is guppies; they will not cause any trouble for their owners, which is why they are considered the most the best option for beginner aquarists. In addition, guppies, in addition to being unpretentious, have many beautiful colors and are fertile. After just a few weeks of living in a 20-liter aquarium, you can find a huge number of fry, which are quite difficult to catch.

Guppies eat absolutely everything and can survive a week-long hunger strike just fine, tolerate absolutely any temperature and can be content with natural light. But in order for the color of the fish to acquire a more saturated palette, it is worth installing artificial lighting, paying attention to frequent feeding and periodically changing the water, adding approximately 1.5 liters of water to a 20-liter aquarium once a week.

Cardinals

A beautiful slender cardinal, it is considered one of the few fish that feel great in a small aquarium of 20 liters. Cardinals have a beautiful brown-olive hue with a silver tint. The caudal fin is bright red and has small yellow stripes. The cardinal fish in small spaces in the aquarium can reach approximately 4-5 cm.

Cardinals are friendly fish, which is why it is better to keep them in small schools in the company of red neon, zebrafish or rhodostomus. To make the cardinals feel at home, it is necessary to decorate a small 20-liter pond with vegetation. Dry mixtures and live food are ideal as food.

Norman's Blue Eye

The cute schooling blue-eyed fish is an ideal solution for a small aquarium. Experts are confident that even in a 10-liter vessel these fish will be able to swim to their heart’s content. Distinctive feature The blue-eye feature is the bright frame of the eye shell, which glows with neon light, thereby making the atmosphere of the aquarium extremely charming.

The peaceful but slightly shy blue-eye will get along with peaceful fish species, but it is better to keep large inhabitants away. The blue-eye loves various shelters, plant thickets, dark soil and a little free space. It eats almost all types of live food and does not disdain substitutes.

Luxurious cockerels

For beautiful betta fish, owners of luxurious fins and bright colors, a pond of a small number of liters is also ideal. However, to keep these fish it is necessary to create certain conditions. For example, too low or too high a temperature can lead to diseases that will lead to the death of bettas. A mandatory condition is to change the water, approximately several liters weekly,

The fish's daily diet consists of live food. You can use frozen food, or dilute their diet with flatworms or snails. They get along with swordtails, minors, catfish, gouramis, etc. But active fish like guppies, neons, and barbs can inadvertently damage the gorgeous fin of a cockerel, which will lead to fighting fights.

See also: Small aquarium fish.

Latin name: Paracheirodon

Squad, family: cypriniformes, characins
(in Latin Characidae).
Comfortable water temperature: 18-24°C
(for manufacturers up to 22° C)
"Acidity" Ph: 5.5 – 8°.
(for future producers pH up to 6.8°)
Hardness dH: 5-20°.
(for future manufacturers - dH up to 10°)
Aggressiveness: not aggressive 0%.
Content complexity: light.

Requirements for care and maintenance conditions of neon

Feeding any aquarium fish should be correct: balanced, varied. This fundamental rule is the key to the successful keeping of any fish, be it guppies or astronotuses. Article “How and how much to feed aquarium fish” talks about this in detail, it outlines the basic principles of the diet and feeding regime for fish.

In this article, we note the most important thing - feeding fish should not be monotonous; the diet should include both dry food and live food. In addition, you need to take into account the gastronomic preferences of a particular fish and, depending on this, include in its diet food either with the highest protein content or, conversely, with plant ingredients.

Popular and popular food for fish, of course, is dry food. For example, you can find food from the Tetra company, the leader of the Russian market, on aquarium shelves all the time and everywhere; in fact, the range of food from this company is amazing. Tetra’s “gastronomic arsenal” includes individual food for a specific type of fish: goldfish, cichlids, loricariids, guppies, labyrinths, arowanas, discus, etc. Tetra has also developed specialized foods, for example, to enhance color, fortified, or for feeding fry. You can find out detailed information about all Tetra feeds on the company’s official website - Here.

It should be noted that when purchasing any dry food, you should pay attention to the date of its manufacture and shelf life, try not to buy food in bulk, and also store the food in a closed state - this will help to avoid the development of pathogenic flora in it.

The homeland and natural habitat of neons are the streams and rivers of South America: Peru, Colombia, Brazil. Rivers - top of the river Amazons from a certain Sao Paulo de Olivenza to Iquitos live heavily in the river. Putumayo and R. Purus do Boca do Tapaua. As you can see, the natural habitat of neons is very distant and mysterious. That is why the chronicle of these fish in the aquarium world is quite young. The starting point of neons as aquarium fish can be considered 1935, when a French citizen A. Rabo discovered these neon fish in the waters of the Putumayo River (Eastern Peru).

Discoverer Auguste Rabeau was delighted and surprised by the beauty of the discovered red-blue fish, which prompted him to bring several individuals to the United States of America and Old Europe. A year later - 1936. This type of unusual fish was studied and described by the American ichthyologist S. Myers. Germany is considered the second birthplace of neon. This is due to the fact that it was the Germans who were the first to manage to breed neons under artificial conditions. At that time, it was a sensation, since neither in the United States of America nor in France did fish reproduce under artificial conditions. The German breakthrough in neon breeding was due not so much to the merits of man as to the presence in Germany of very soft water, which neon fish love so much. Description: Neon is a small, nimble fish. In aquarium conditions, males reach sizes up to 3 cm, and females are slightly larger - up to 3.5 cm in length.
Neon color: Exist different kinds neon and the color of each is different. In general, all neons have one thing in common - a neon strip running along the entire body, which actually gives the shine unique to these fish. Behavioral features: Neons are peaceful, schooling, nimble fish. The fish feel great in an aquarium in a large group. Their agility requires the aquarium to have space, which is so necessary for maneuvers. Corydoras (speckled catfish) are considered the friends and helpers of neons; they monitor the cleanliness of the aquarium soil without interfering with the neons.

Reproduction and breeding of neons

Initially, I would like to say that the reproduction of neons is not very difficult. By at least, does not require special difficult conditions or hormonal injections.

Sexual differences: Neon males are smaller than females, about half a centimeter, they are much slimmer than “girls,” and their neon side stripe has a clear, even shape, without convolutions. In turn, females are larger than males, they are fuller, “potbellied”, the neon stripe bends in the middle of the body. Preparation of producers for spawning: Neons reach sexual maturity at 6-9 months. For successful breeding, “neon parents” are initially kept in comfortable conditions, which include the presence of a wide aquarium house, varied feeding and comfortable water parameters. Before spawning, males and females are kept separately and fed abundantly with live food for half a month. When living separately, the water temperature is lowered to 19 °C.
It is believed that the best producers are fish aged 10-12 months. IMPORTANT: strictly follow the recommended aquarium water parameters and maintenance conditions! Due to very hard water, the eggs are not fertilized by sperm (the shell does not release), but from very hard water bright lighting- the eggs are dying! Arrangement of a spawning aquarium: an aquarium from 40 centimeters in length, the bottom should be without soil, a separator mesh is installed on the bottom, the back and side of the aquarium are darkened, the substrate should be dark. Water parameters in the spawning tank: level 15 cm, temperature 20-22° C, hardness dH up to 2°, KH 0°, pH 5.5-6.5°, natural lighting only. It is recommended to disinfect spawning water with ultraviolet radiation or ozone. Neon Spawning: Having prepared the aquarium for spawning, males and females are planted in the afternoon towards evening in a ratio of 1:1 or 3 males to 1 female. Usually the fish spawn by the next morning at dawn. However, this process may take up to 3 days. During the spawning period, neons are not fed anything.
Females lay non-stick eggs from 50 to 200 eggs at a time.
Immediately after spawning, I remove the parents and darken the nest (remember, light is detrimental to the eggs!!!). Producers must be planted in mandatory, because they eat fry.
Within four hours after spawning, you need to monitor the eggs and, if whitened eggs appear, remove them immediately.
The incubation period for neon eggs is approximately 22 hours.

Caring for neon fry

Fry require mandatory aeration, a water temperature of 20-22° C and a daily change of 1/10 of the water volume; the water in the aquarium should be at a level of up to 10 centimeters.
From the moment the fry begin to swim (4-5 days), they must be fed in portions often. As a starter feed, it is necessary to use special feed for juvenile fish. This food is sold in many pet stores, for example, TETRA MIN Baby and TETRA MIN Junior or sera MICROGRAN. You can also feed: ground boiled egg yolk, rotifers and ciliates.

What do neons cause?

USEFUL TIPS:

It is better to feed neons once a day and regularly arrange fasting days (once a week), which in turn will help improve the health of the fish.
- when decorating an aquarium for neon lights, you should use dark tones of the ground and background.
- a sign feeling unwell or stress in neons causes their color to fade; they can fade until they turn completely grey.
- you should carefully use aquarium preparations containing copper - neons cannot tolerate it.

All types of neon fish

Neon blue (Paracheirodonsimulans)
Neon red (Paracheirodonaxelrodi)
Neon green (Costelo)
Neon black (Hyphessobryconherbertaxelrodi)
Artificially obtained:
Neon gold (Paracheirodoninnesivar.)
Neon diamond or diamond (Paracheirodon innesi diamond), an "albino" form of neon

Neon blue or common (Paracheirodon innesi)

Neon blue (Paracheirodon simulans)

Neon red (Paracheirodon axelrodi)

Neon green

(church)

Neon black (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi)

Black neon
Neon golden (Paracheirodon innesi var.)

Neon gold
Neon diamond or diamond (Paracheirodon innesi diamond)

Neon diamond or diamond
Neon voile

Neon orange or orange

A rare sight! Neon resembles a transparent orange slice. It is the subject of hunting by gourmet gourmets of the aquarium world.
Interesting facts about neons
"Neons: A Bloody History" As it was already said earlier, a certain French citizen, Auguste Rabaud, was the first person who became interested in neons. Well, since he was a dashing businessman and was looking for gold in the tropical forests of the Amazon River, and at the same time he was catching exotic butterflies and collecting orchids, again not for idle curiosity, but for further sale– then the reflection of neon fish greedily reflected a gold coin in his insatiable eyes.
Everyone knows that greed and greed do not lead to good because these acts are included in the list deadly sins. Rabo also paid for this. And it all happened like this:
Auguste Rabeau wandered through the tropical forests of the Amazon and caught an infection - tropical fever. Fortunately, it was pumped out by local aborigines - Peruvian Indians. Having recovered, Rabo, in one of the Indian huts, first saw neons floating in a makeshift bowl. It was then that Rabo came up with a business idea on how to profit from these shiny fish.
He organized the transportation of fish to the continent, and the little neon fish were stuffed into wooden boxes, coating the cracks with resin, and in addition the fish were not fed anything during transportation. However, the neons turned out to be resilient and arrived safely in the United States of America.
Rabo sent most of the surviving neons to Germany, and gave the rest to the fanatic and expert on tropical fish, William Innesi. Remembering the nature of O. Rabo, it should be said that this was done not out of the kindness of his heart, but for the purpose of complaint - after all, Innes was the publisher of an aquarium magazine and Rabo was hoping for the publication of an article about his mega find, with all the ensuing profit-making consequences...
The article was published, in addition, Inessi handed over the fish to ichthyologist D. Myers, who in 1936. published scientific work with a description of a new species of fish and named them in honor of Inessi - Paracheirodon innesi.

Reference:
William Thornton Innes (1874 -1969)– Born in Philadelphia, USA, where he graduated from school. Upon completion of his studies, he began working for his father in the publishing house. In 1917 he published his first book, “About Goldfish.” In 1932 founded his famous magazine "Aquarium", which existed for 35 years. In addition, since 1920, Innes regularly organized aquarium exhibitions. Also in 1932 published the book “Exotic Aquarium Fishes”, which was regularly reprinted.
George Myers (1938–1970)– US citizen: ichthyologist, zoologist and herpetologist, was a professor at Stanford University from 1942 to 1994. - Professor at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. Thus began the neon boom! Employees of the largest aquarium companies made Auguste Rabaud rich by generously and regularly paying him decent sums for the supply of neons. Aquarium businessmen hoped to reproduce them and thereby return the funds spent on Rabo. But that was not the case, all the swept neon eggs died for unknown reasons.
In turn, Rabo, realizing the benefits of his monopoly position, strictly kept the secret of the neon habitat and secretly went to the Amazon for a new batch of fish. This situation lasted three years until spies from aquarium companies tracked Rabo down to the Ucayali River, where he was killed. A year later, the supply of neon fish was established without the participation of the deceased.
Neons, what else?!- Neons are called the initiators of aquarium chemistry. This is due to the fact that in order to breed them and obtain the “necessary soft, spawning water,” aquarists had to carefully study the hydrochemistry of water, which is why aquarium business rose to an even higher level.
- Eggs and juveniles of neons are catastrophically afraid of lighting, from which they inevitably die. The neon genetic program plays such a cruel joke on them, which allows the fish to develop only in twilight, as happens in the tropical natural environment Amazon River.
- Neons have scales, but under it there is skin, which consists of special pigment cells - chromatophores. Actually, they produce the neon-metallic color of the fish from the blood.
- Fish do not emit light, it is only reflection and refraction of incident rays of light.
- Not only neons can glow neon, but also many other inhabitants of the aquarium world. For example, the neon goby oceanops (Elacatinus oceanops), the size of which is comparable to neons and is 5 cm.



in the photo there is a neon goby oceanops- Many fans of the aquarium world wonder why neons need such an attention-grabbing color, because it is very dangerous? To date scientific explanation There are no fish of this color. There is only an assumption that they need it to attract a partner during the mating season, as well as in order to confuse the predator, disorienting it when the flock of neons scatters. Recommended reading about neon:
1. Kochetov S. “Neons and small characinids”
2. Kochetov S. “Characinids in the aquarium: from neons to piranhas”
The author of the books talks about many types of tropical fish, including neon fish and other small characins. From the books you will learn how to prepare an aquarium for neons, their conditions of maintenance, feeding and reproduction.

Beautiful photo review of neon fish

Residents for a small aquarium

And so, you’ve read my article about launching a nano-aquarium, or you’ve just wanted to start your own little aquatic world for a long time and now you’re thinking about who to put there.

There are quite a lot of options)

All inhabitants of the underwater world can be divided into vertebrates, invertebrates and mollusks.

Vertebrates include various types of fish. Invertebrates include shrimp, crabs and crayfish. For shellfish - snails.

You can choose one of these kingdoms (for example, make a shrimp tank), or combine two, or even all three.

An aquarium inhabited by fish is considered traditional. But you can’t put everyone in a small aquarium; you’ll have to choose small schooling fish or one or two medium ones.

Possible options for populating a FISH aquarium:

1. Cockerels:

Very famous and common fish. Males are very beautiful, have luxurious fan-shaped fins. Females are less elegant, but also very brightly colored. Breeders are constantly working to develop new colors of cockerels.

They are content with small volumes of water (but, you must admit, keeping a fish in an aquarium of less than 5 liters is both cruel and ugly). The water temperature is ideally 26 degrees. The cockerel breathes atmospheric air, swallowing it from the surface. Therefore, you need to make sure that the air in the room is not too cool. You can cover the aquarium with a lid, but leave a few centimeters from the surface of the water.

Male cockerels are very pugnacious, so it is better to keep them alone or in families (1 male and 3-4 females).

The body length of an adult betta is about 6 cm.

2. Neons

Also a fish known to Russians. Neons prefer to live in flocks, so it is better to house them in groups of 5 or more individuals.

Water temperature is 22-25 degrees (ideally); at higher temperatures, the lifespan of these fish is reduced. In principle, neons are unpretentious, they love soft water and an abundance of plants. They are prone to obesity, so they should be fed very moderately.

An adult neon can reach a length of 4 cm.

3. Danio rerio:

As a rule, these small fish are always recommended for beginners. Active, cheerful and unpretentious danios feel best in schools. They can live in a temperature range of 15-30 degrees and be content with 1 liter of water per 1 fish (that is, even in a five-liter aquarium you can put a group of 5 zebrafish). They spawn easily in an aquarium.

There are several color forms of this fish.

Body length up to 5 cm (but more often 3-4).

4. Guppy:

Probably, this is the fish where aquarium hobby begins for most people. It was guppies, living in three-liter jars, that became frequent inhabitants of Soviet (and then Russian) apartments. They are loved by millions for their unpretentiousness (they can live even in the most extreme conditions), beauty (thanks to the many unique colors, everyone can find the “fish of their dreams” =)) and fertility (you can buy just one female, and in a month she will give birth to you 20 fry).

Guppies are viviparous, i.e. they do not lay eggs, but give birth to live fry. They eat absolutely everything. They are not demanding on water temperatures.

At first I really liked them, but now they have multiplied uncontrollably. It’s even annoying that every week I find at least 20 newborn fry in the aquarium.

Male guppies are slender, with a bright body and a luxurious tail. The females are larger, thicker, gray and inconspicuous. But there are also quite beautiful purebred females.

Breeders are constantly working on new breeds of guppies.

Dimensions: male – 3-4 cm, female – up to 6 cm.

(last 2 photos are females)

5. Endler's Guppy:

Essentially the same guppies. But Endler's guppies are a wild form that breeders have not had time to work on. These fish are found in Venezuela. easily cross with simple guppies and produce very nice hybrids)

Endler's guppies are smaller than ordinary guppies: males reach a length of 2-3 cm. Look great in small aquariums with a dark background!

6. Corridors:

The so-called "speckled catfish". In fact, there are many types of corydoras, but the speckled one is the most famous of them.

Corydoras love company, buy 3-5 individuals at once. These harmless catfish do not exceed 5 cm in length; some species (such as the panda corydoras) do not grow more than 3 cm at all.

Unpretentious, can live without aeration. The soil should be free of sharp stones so that the fish do not damage their delicate antennae. The optimal temperature is 24-26 degrees.

Water volume: at least 3-5 liters per 1 fish.

7. Pygmy corridor:

A type of corydoras that is worth mentioning separately.

Pygmies are small schooling fish, gray and inconspicuous in appearance, but very cute and interesting in behavior. They feel good only in a flock; they love clean, oxygenated water.

Unlike other Corydoras, they do not sit only in the bottom layer of water, but prefer to “flutter” throughout the aquarium, like a flock of birds.

8. Cardinal:

Prefers neutral water, rather cool (18-21°). 1 fish requires 3 liters of water. The fish are small, 3-4 cm, quite mobile. They love an abundance of plants and are omnivores.

9. Microdisassembly:

An ideal fish for a nano aquarium. The body length rarely exceeds 2 cm. The water temperature is 22-28 degrees, they are unpretentious to the composition of the water, less than 1 liter of water is required for 1 fish. Unfortunately, now microrasboras are rarely found on sale; aquarists wait months for these fish to be delivered to stores.

10. Norman's Blue Eye:

Cute schooling fish that grow up to 3-4 cm. Their eyes glow brightly with neon light, which gives the aquarium a unique dynamics and charm.

Peaceful schooling fish, water temperature 20-25 degrees. I live at higher temperatures, they are very active and playful.

And so, we looked at fish that will be happy even in a small aquarium of 10-30 liters.

Approximate accommodation options:

10 liter aquarium:

ONLY ONE OF THE PROPOSED OPTIONS!

1 cockerel;

5-7 guppies;

5 neon;

5-7 Endler guppies;

10-13 micro-dissection;

5 Norman's Blue Eyes;

3-4 cardinals;

5-10 zebrafish;

7 microrasbor + 5 zebrafish;

3 Endler guppies + 5 zebrafish;

3 neon + 3 guppies.

20 liter aquarium:

Family of cockerels (1 male and 3 females);

1 cockerel + 3 corydoras;

10-15 guppies or Endler's guppies;

15-20 zebrafish;

10-13 neons;

10-15 Norman blue-eyes;

7 cardinals;

20-30 microdispersal;

7 corridors of pygmies;

5 guppies + 5 neons;

15 zebrafish + 15 microrasbor;

10 guppies + 3 corydoras;

7 neons + 3 corydoras.

30 liter aquarium:

There are even more possibilities here) For example, fish that I haven’t talked about here can be stocked. A pair of macropods, a couple of honey gouramis, a pair of pelvicachromis or apistograms.

The rest of the combinations - look at the 10-liter one and multiply the number of fish by 3.

Naturally, it is better to launch fewer fish for now than planned. Overcrowding is very dangerous for such small volumes. In any case, filtration, aeration and weekly water changes of 20-30% must be ensured.

Nowadays, shrimp tanks - aquariums populated with freshwater shrimp - are becoming fashionable.

Shrimp are unpretentious, cute and very interesting.

Aquarium PRAWNS:

1. Cherry shrimp (cherry):

A small (up to 3 cm) red shrimp. Extremely unpretentious. Breeds well in an aquarium.

2. Amano shrimp (Japanese pond):

Larger than a cherry (up to 6 cm). Gray in color, excellent against algae fouling. In an aquarium where shrimp live, the plants are always clean and well-groomed.

They do not reproduce in captivity.

3. Shrimp Crystal:

Small (2 cm), expensive, quite demanding on water, but very beautiful shrimp.

4. Cardinal Shrimp:

A very beautiful and very rare shrimp. Considered difficult to care for.

5. Yellow Shrimp:

Unpretentious little shrimp bright yellow color. If you don't feed it enough, it can start to damage the plants.

If you want to keep only shrimp (no fish), then you can plant a fairly large school in a small volume. For example, 20-25 cherry shrimp will feel great in 10 liters.

Shrimp do not touch fish, but some fish are not averse to eating shrimp. Therefore, small fish such as Endler's guppies, microrasboras, neons, corydoras and Norman's blue-eyes will be ideal neighbors for shrimp.

The calculation is something like this:

For 20 liters: 10 cherry shrimp + 5-7 Endler guppies (or other small fish).

SHELLFISHES in the aquarium:

Some snails are also very cute and even useful. They will be excellent neighbors for your fish or shrimp.

1. Helena:

A cute striped snail that eats... other snails. It helps a lot to get rid of the invasion of pond snails and coils that spoil the plants. In the absence of “live food”, it feeds on the remains of fish food. It reproduces well in an aquarium.

2. Neretina:

A beautiful and useful snail. Helps remove plaque from walls and plants. It lays eggs, but the snails do not appear in fresh water.

3. Ampoule:

The most beloved snail, very often found in aquariums.

Unfortunately, some types of ampularia spoil plants. And there is a lot of dirt from them.

RESULTS:

I tried to introduce you to creatures that will feel great in a small (10-30 l) aquarium. An aquarium with small, nimble fish or busy shrimp will greatly decorate your apartment or office. With proper and timely care, it will delight you for a long time.

I wrote about how to start an aquarium in the article “The underwater world on your table.”

I'll repeat it again simple rules that will help you always keep your aquarium in good condition:

1. DO NOT Rush! Starting the aquarium should last at least 2 weeks (from adding water to adding fish).

2. Down with artificiality! Plants, soil and decorations in the aquarium must be NATURAL. No plastic!

3. The filter must work 24/7!

4. Water changes should be done once a week, 20-30%. Never change all the water at once! Never wash decorations with chemicals!

5. Feed your fish little by little! One day a week is a fasting day.

6. If, after you installed the filter, turbidity appears, do not rush to change the water! Everything is fine, the appearance of turbidity indicates that balance has begun to be established. In a couple of days the water will become clear.

7. Don't overdo it with fish! Less is more.

8. Remember: an aquarium is a complex biological system. Do not climb there with your hands again, do not introduce chemicals or other drugs.

9. The fish is also alive. And you are responsible for her life.

________________

There is nothing complicated in aquarium keeping. Learn to be more patient, do not neglect advice, do not forget to devote half an hour a week to your underwater world - and it will thank you. When you come home, you will enjoy lush green plants and frolicking fish.

Good luck to everyone who decided to start an aquarium!

Next time I will try to tell you something more interesting from the world of aquariums)

Aquarists know that even the smallest aquarium can be turned into a work of art if you populate it with the “right” fish and create comfortable conditions for them. There can be many criteria for choosing pets, for example, color and personal tastes, but you need to remember, it is important to take into account their compatibility and the rules of settlement.

The size of the aquarium dictates its conditions

A small aquarium is considered to be less than 50 liters. So, even in a 10-liter miniature pond you can put fish. However, it is worth calculating your efforts; the fewer liters, the more often you need to clean, monitor water quality and aeration. If you plan to keep tropical breeds in a small aquarium, then you will have to maintain the optimal temperature for keeping them, about 26-27 degrees. In akavirums with a volume of less than 10 liters, this is very difficult to do, since the devices are large in scale and will not physically fit there. Ignoring these conditions will also not work. Without them, the fish you paid more than $100 for will die.

We carefully study the compatibility of species

Fish for a small aquarium should be selected depending on many factors. For beginners, it is problematic to take them into account on your own, so contact professionals who will help you determine which fish can be kept together and which ones should be avoided.

Factors important when moving in:

• Ability to survive alone. Some species can only live in flocks, so pay attention to this point first;
• Water characteristics for species should be approximately the same;
• The peaceful nature of the inhabitants;
• The number of individuals depends on the surface area of ​​the water. The larger the footage, the more fish you can have;
• Breed compatibility. Sometimes individually peaceful fish cannot tolerate each other's proximity.

It is important to remember that small aquariums are a zone increased danger for fish. Therefore, the choice of neighbors will completely determine the fate of your charges. If you add predatory fish to a small aquarium, they will eat their peace-loving neighbors. Gouras are suitable for angelfish; other fish will not get along with them. You can get one fish that will be the owner of your pond, or keep a whole flock of miniature fish.

Unbreakable canons of the settlement

Depending on the volume, you can have a different number of individuals. So, a 10 liter can accommodate 2-3 fish up to 6 centimeters. If you do not follow the rule of displacement per representative, then you will create an uncomfortable atmosphere, which will worsen the well-being and appearance of the inhabitants. In addition to the fish, the aquarium will contain gravel and plants, which will also take up some of the volume stated by the manufacturer.

One more nuance when introducing fish into the smallest aquarium. Consider the pets' habitat so that they do not interfere with each other.

Fish are divided into those who:

• They swim near the bottom - bottom-dwelling;
• They swim at an average level;
• They float in the upper layer.

With this gradation, the inhabitants will be evenly distributed throughout the aquarium, which will significantly increase its aesthetic properties. Let's move on to specific examples of ideal inhabitants.

Cockerels

Bettas are ideal fish for a small aquarium. Based on the name, you can easily imagine what they look like and their character. The little bullies with their stunning multi-colored coats will be a show stopper. You can find monochromatic representatives, but you often come across multi-colored ones - red ones with tints of different shades and colors look truly magnificent. The optimal volume for one individual is 7 - 10 liters. There is a trick to keeping one betta in an aquarium. Place a mirror in the water, which will create the illusion of a rival, which will invigorate your pet. It is advisable to have no more than 1 male per 3-4 females per aquarium. If you decide to launch another “man,” then you need to take care of a partition that will protect them from death as a result of a skirmish. Ideal neighbors Barbs and zebrafish are considered.

Guppy

Often this is where one begins to get acquainted with the world of aquarium keeping. They are able to survive in any environment. Omnivorous pets have a magnificent color, which we can talk about for a very long time. Different types Guppies have different fin structures and colors, which will make your artificial pond incredibly beautiful. Over time, fashion for them does not go away, so no matter what kind of inhabitants you have, you will always remain at the peak of fashion. The minimum maintenance of comfort in a 10 liter aquarium is enough to produce offspring.

Catfish

Buying catfish is a very smart way to minimize your own efforts in maintaining an aquarium. Since they feed mainly from the ground and stones, they act as cleaners. In addition, they are completely safe neighbors. If you decide to keep catfish, then give preference to 5 identical individuals. For 2 representatives you need at least 10 liters of water, so you will have to calculate the number of catfish launched from the number of available centimeters.