Butterfly fish - care and maintenance in the aquarium

This is precisely what butterfly fish were called because their fins are reminiscent of wings in structure. Otherwise, the representatives of the subspecies are called pantodons; they preferably live in African countries. For the first time aquarists learned about fish back in 1905, since then their mass study has begun. Pantodon is understood as a measure of a large individual with the instincts of a predator, so it is necessary to approach the choice of neighborhood with all responsibility. It is interesting that fish can hang for a long time on the surface of the water, tracking down prey. But, first things first.

Description

1. Peterson discovered the fish in 1876, since then the fish has undergone study and characterization. Today, most of the population is concentrated in Zaire, Cameroon and Nigeria. In Western African countries, this fish is found in lakes Niger, Congo, Chad and Zambezi.
2. He doesn’t like fast flowing water sources, because he hangs on the surface for a long time and waits for production to swim. If you simulate a natural biotope, you need to place floating species in the aquarium. Fish eat fry, larvae, insects.
3. If you look at the fish from above, but its fins will be similar to the wings of butterflies. They are brownish in color with a silvery sheen and small specks. It is thanks to its peculiar fins that the fish jumps out and grabs insects crawling over the water.
4. In natural conditions, family members grow up to 13 cm in length, but aquarium pets hardly reach 10 cm. As for the duration of their existence, the fish live 5 years.
5. The oral cavity is large, this helps them collect food from the surface of the water and catch insects in flight. Fins provide a high and clear jump, so when kept in an aquarium environment, it is necessary to cover the tank with a lid.
6. For representatives of this family, “fading” in anticipation of production is considered quite normal. Unique features include the presence of a swimming bladder that allows pets to breathe atmospheric oxygen and maintain balance.

Content

1. It is necessary to provide fish with an aquarium with a calculation of 150 liters. for a couple. It is important to consider the depth of the water, which should not be higher than 30 cm. That is, choose a spacious tank with enough space for swimming in width and length.
2. Fish will always prefer stagnant water, so limit yourself to installing a calm filter that performs its main task - water purification.
3. Pantodons do not like depth, but being in a cramped space also does not appeal to them. You can hear from professionals that the fish feel best when they live individually. That is, one individual has 1 tank of water.
4. Representatives of this species love acidified water with a pH balance of 6-7 units. As for stiffness, its optimal indices are 8-12 units, and the temperature regime is 25-28 units.
5. It is important that the lamps are scattering, because the brightness of the fish will hide and rarely appear in your eyes. Take care of floating plants casting a shadow. Fish will hide under them.
6. Once again, these fish are not suitable for inexperienced people. When a pet is frightened, he will easily jump out of the water. It is also difficult to tolerate fluctuations in the characteristics of water, demanding in nutrition. Fish eat only live food or insects, they often refuse to dry.

Feeding

1. The considered fish representatives are insectivorous. Therefore, pantodon feeding in aquarium conditions is recommended exclusively by live food.
2. Try to give the fish crickets, worms, larvae, fry, spiders, flies and shrimp. Consider that the considered individuals feed exclusively from the surface of the water. They will not sink to the bottom in search of feed.

Compatibility

1. Breeders strongly recommend keeping the species in question in a separate aquarium. The problem is that pantodons need rather unusual conditions of detention. But do not get upset ahead of time. Such individuals get along well with other fish.
2. The main thing is that there should not be any fry in one aquarium. Pantodons will endlessly hunt for small fish. Anything less than pantodon is considered a potential feed for them. Also presented individuals live exclusively in the upper part of the aquarium.
3. Who will live at the bottom, they are of little concern. The only thing worth noting is that breeders do not recommend keeping similar species in the same aquarium. Otherwise there will be constant skirmishes and aggression. Pantodons do not get along with Sumatran barbs; individuals constantly fight.

Differences between female and male

1. In order to learn to distinguish between individuals, it is necessary to pay attention to the anal fin. The male can notice longer rays, between which there will be a deep neckline.
2. As for the female pantodons, the anal fin in such individuals has a rounded and even shape. Also, males are noticeably smaller in size.

Breeding

1. Breeding in aquarium conditions causes a number of difficulties. Therefore, the process is practically impossible. Individuals reach puberty at 1.5 years, sometimes earlier. If you still want to try breeding, you need to stimulate spawning.
2. To do this, gradually reduce the amount of water to 10-12 cm over 20 days. At the same time, the temperature in the aquarium should be about 30 degrees. After the mating season, the female begins to spawn. Eggs will float to the surface. Once they darken, catch them and place them in another aquarium. Fries will appear in 2 weeks.

Specialists do not recommend keeping these fish to people who lack such experience. Still, more butterflies are suitable for professionals who have long been in the field of an aquarist.

Video: Aquarium Butterfly Fish