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The aquarium fish Danio rerio is very popular among amateur aquarists. Previously, its Latin name sounded like Brachydanio rerio. Today it is called Danio rerio. This fish in length usually grows to 6 cm. The popularity of the species is due to its attractive appearance. In addition, zebrafish live in small flocks, showing activity and playfulness. From other types of zebrafish, it is distinguished by the presence of characteristic stripes of blue color, which are located almost along the entire body. This species is one of the first fish that were used in aquariums.
They began to breed them as long as the macropods. Although a lot of other interesting and beautiful species were offered to aquarists during this time, the danio rerio still has not lost its popularity. In addition, this fish is inexpensive and easy to care for.
Danio rerio unpretentious to the conditions. You can start them even for the most inexperienced aquarium lovers. With breeding, usually there are no special problems. The fry also grow quickly. This species belongs to schooling fish. In one aquarium there should be from 5 individuals. But it is better if there are more of them. Any species can be adjacent to them. The main thing is that they should be small in size and not show aggression.
Resistance to external conditions is a great advantage of the species. For them, you do not even need to heat the water. Fish will feel quite normal even at a water temperature of 18 degrees. But they still need some care. Flocks can swim near the filter for a long time. This is due to the fact that they are very fond of the current.
Living in nature
Today, zebrafish have a different color. They differ in the shape of the fins. The most popular varieties are veil, red, pink. Artificial colored fish began to become very popular. These genetically modified individuals can be pink, orange, blue. This innovation aroused great interest. Scientists are debating whether such an intervention in genetics will be harmful, but so far no negative phenomena have been noted.
Representatives of the species live in ponds, canals, rivers. Depending on the time of year, they can change places. In the rainy season, there are many of them in the flooded rice fields, in puddles that arose after heavy rainfall. Here spawning takes place. And when the rainy season comes to an end, the fish return to larger bodies of water. Their food is zooplankton, seeds and some insects.
Appearance
Representatives of this species have an elegant elongated body shape. On the lips of the fish there are two pairs of mustaches, a pair on each. In the aquarium, this fish will not grow more than 6 cm. Although they are larger in nature. In the wild, they can live no longer than a year. But in the aquarium such a fish will live about 3-4 years. The body of the fish is pale yellow. On it are blue stripes.
Content Issues
There are practically no problems in keeping fish of this species. Firstly, they get along well with peaceful neighbors. Secondly, they will eat almost any food. They do not need to create special conditions and heat water.
How to feed
In nature, insects, seeds and larvae serve as food for them. Any food can be eaten in the aquarium. Favorite delicacy - artemia and pipe maker.Danio rerio love to collect food from the surface of the water.
Content
As already mentioned, the view is unpretentious. The volume of the aquarium can be very small. Even in a five-liter aquarium, a flock of 5 individuals can live. Danio love to swim in the upper layer, live in flocks. The aquarium should be covered so that they do not jump out, scared of something. Males of this species are very fond of playing. Watching them is interesting. It is recommended to plant a few plants in the aquarium, but at the same time leave more space so that the flock floats freely. Lighting should be bright.
It does not matter what water temperature will be maintained. They can vary from 16 to 30 degrees. Fish will feel great. But for breeding, the ideal temperature would be 25 degrees. The pH level is preferably maintained within the range of 6.6-7.5.
Compatibility
The view is ideal for a general aquarium. Get along well with most species. It is advisable to keep flocks of 5 or more individuals. In nature, they live in groups, so one by one they will feel uncomfortable. Any small peaceful species can be neighbors.
Gender differences
It is possible to determine to which sex an individual belongs by the size and structure of the body. Males are smaller and more elegant. Females have a pronounced stomach, even when there is no caviar in it. But with caviar, it stands out even more.
Breeding
Difficulties with the reproduction of this species does not arise. But zebrafish rerio belong to spawning species, therefore breeding requires special training.
7 days before the alleged spawning, females and males are selected, placing them in different aquariums. The female is determined by the large abdomen and less bright stripes. It is important that the fish eat well during this period. An ideal food would be a coretra.
To equip the spawning grounds, you should prepare a ten-liter aquarium. If it is not, then you can do with a 3-liter jar. At the bottom, it is recommended to lay a glitter or fontinalis. Some aquarists claim that you can put an elodea. They need to be crushed with stones so that the plants do not float. It is advisable to cover the bottom with a net. The mesh cells should be sized so that eggs can pass there, but the parents themselves could not get them.
Water needs to stand for about 2 days. The ideal water temperature for spawning is 25 degrees, plus or minus one degree. Pour it in a five-centimeter layer.
Before spawning, a female and 2-3 males are placed in the spawning ground. To understand that it is ready for reproduction, it is necessary to observe the abdomen. If it has become especially thick in the region of the anal fin, then the female is ready. Spawning needs to be put on the window to provide good enough lighting. As soon as the dawn begins, the zebrafish begins its breeding process. The number of eggs that a female of this species lays may vary between 50-400 pieces.
If the eggs were not laid on the first day, the individuals are kept in spawning for another day. They need to be fed with a bloodworm. In the event that nothing still happens on the next day, then the males sit for 4 days, after which the attempts are repeated.
When breeding fish of this species, it is important to know their feature. After spawning, the female should be put in the spawning again after 7-10 days. Otherwise, they may no longer bear offspring.
When the eggs are laid, adults are deposited. 50% of the spawning water is replaced with fresh water. It is important that the water have the same properties and have the appropriate temperature.
After a few days, larvae begin to hatch, which can hang on the walls of the tank for 2-4 days. Outwardly, they look like strings with small heads. In a few days, the fry will swim themselves. They can immediately start to feed. For this, food such as ciliates and rotifers is suitable.If for some reason there is no such food, then the yolk of a boiled egg, which must be diluted with water, can serve as food for them. But it needs to be given a little. If the yolk remains, the water will quickly deteriorate. In addition, fry will grow slightly worse at this food.
The larger the fry become in size, the larger should be their food. Slightly grown up, you can start giving cyclops and daphnia. When they increase in size even more, they need to be transplanted into a large container.
In the end, we can say that zebrafish will be a great option for beginners. Having these beautiful unpretentious fish in your aquarium, you can gain experience before becoming more difficult to care for. Despite its simplicity, zebrafish are not inferior to many others in appearance. Watching them is very interesting.
Video: Danio rerio aquarium fish
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