Arowana fish

Arowana Fish (sometimes called dragon fish) can be a great choice for those that think big. Some varieties can grow up to Four feet long (120cm). They can be feisty, though become tamer with age to the point of eating from your fingers, and not the fingers themselves. The Arowana Fish comes from somewhat primitive origins (Jurassic Age), and some varieties are nicknamed “Bony Tongued Fish”.

Arowana fish are carnivores, though will generally eat nearly anything. Young Arowana Fish may be fed frozen or live brine shrimp, black worms, and even small fish. When older, some larger fish will do. Baby Arowana Fish should be fed maybe 3 times a day, medium sized twice a day, and adults once a day, or even once every other day. Variety is important for a well balanced diet in Arowana Fish just like for most other fish.

The Arowana eating habits produce a lot of waste and you should therefore, pay extra attention to water conditions (Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate) in your aquarium. Changing 25% to 33% of the water weekly is advisable, or better yet, 20% twice a week. You should maintain the pH neutral. Pay particular attention to the temperature and pH ranges suggested below on the various species, since if you have it too warm, it might cause them to age faster, look less Arowana, and even shorten their life. A to cold temperature might on the other hand kill them.

Generally, a good healthy Arowana Fish will grow to be at least 24 to 30 inches (60-75cm). Some varieties can become 48 inches (120 cm) in the wild. They may be aggressive (definitely not good community fish), and Arowana fish can sometimes be best kept alone in an aquarium. Remember that other smaller fish in the tank may become their dinner.

Arowana fish will often swim in the top of the aquarium, and are capable of jumping from the aquarium. Keep the aquarium well covered to avoid coming home to a dead pet. Silver Arowana Fish in the wild have been known to jump at insects in trees.

Arowana Fish may live for many years, and if well cared for Arowana fish may live longer than 20 years in captivity. If you keep the aquarium temperature towards the lower end, they may look young longer than they would in a higher temperaturel. Please pay particular attention to each Arowana Fish’s needs below.

The Asian Arowana or Golden Arowana (Scleropages formosus) is considered an endangered species. Care should be taken to follow the law in purchasing and transporting them. Asian Arowana fish generally can grow to about 36 inches, and are often much more expensive then the other Arowana species. These are well known and popular South East Asia where they are believed to bring luck. Feeding them healthy Guppies, Gold Fish, Frogs, or Shrimp makes a good stable diet. The temperature is best kept between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C), and a pH level between 7.0 and 7.5 are advisable.


Asian Arowana - Scleropages formosus. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

The Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) comes from the Amazon Basin. They can grow to around 48 inches in the wild, and are usually the cheapest Arowana species. Silver Arowana can be more jumpy then the other species and more than one Silver Arowana have jumped to their death in a badly covered aquarium.

Silver Arowana may take a while to adjust to non-live food. Sometimes to the brink of starvation. Feed them meaty food like, fish, crab, or Shrimp (try to avoid the salt). This Arowana Fish thrives in temperatures between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C), and pH between 6 and 7. Young Silver Arowana should not be in a tank shorter then 36 inches/ 90 cm, and as they get older, 48 inches/ 120 cm though when your Arowana fish reaches 15 inches/ 40 cm they will need a much larger tank. These Arowana Fish can become aggressive towards similar species and should be kept alone in the aquarium tank unless it is very big. They can also be kept with larger catfish and a few other species. They are a definitely predator and will eat smaller fish. As juveniles, they may be suitable for smaller home aquarium, though with growth, they are likely to outgrow the home and become suitable only for large public aquariums.


Silver Arowana - Osteoglossum bicirrhosum. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

The Spotted Arowana (Scleropages leichardti) is mostly found from Southern Australia. They can grow to around 36 inches/ 90 cm (they do however only seldom reach this length in an aquarium), and are less sought after then the Asian Arowana. They are also called Dawson River Saratoga, Southern Saratoga, Spotted Barramundi, Australian Spotted Arowana, and Leichardti Saratoga. They tend to stay closer to the bottom than other Arowana fish species. This means that it sometimes is possible to keep them with Silver Arowana fish. As far as food, they are capable of eating most things that will fit their mouth (crickets, Hikari pellets, insects, etc). This Arowana fish species prefers a temperatures between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C), and a pH level between 6.5 and 7.5. They may be territorial and aggressive.


Spotted Arowana - Scleropages leichardtii. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

The Northern Arowana (Scleropages jardini) is found mostly in Northern Australia. They can grow to around 36 inches/ 90 cm. They are also called Northern Saratoga, Jardine Saratoga, Gulf Saratoga, Australian Gold or Pearl Arowana and Jardini Saratoga. They eat similar food as the Spotted Arowana (Southern Australia), and are less likely to jump out of the tank than other species (though they might). This variety of Arowana Fish is best kept at a pH level of 6.0 - 7.5 and temperatures of 72 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (22-27 C). While less aggressive then others, they are still predators and will likely eat anything that will fit in their mouths. They will eat Crayfish, Fish, Insects, and pellets with a little effort to get them started.


Northern Arowana - Scleropages jardinii. Copyright www.jjphoto.dk

The African Arowana (Heterotis niloticus) comes from western and central Africa. They grow up to around 40 inches/100 cm. They are more rare than other Arowana Fish species. They are predators known to eat small fish. This Arowana Fish prefers temperatures between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C) and a pH level of 6.7 to 7.5 (7.0 preferred). They eat shrimp, fish, live worms, and insects in captivity.

The Black Arowana fish (Osteoglossum ferreirai) comes from South America in the Rio Negro basin. They grow up to around 40 inches / 100 com, though they seldom reach this length in captivity. The Black Arowana fish eat live fish, large insects, spiders, Tubifex worms, and may also eat pellets and flakes (not all specimens accept pellets and flakes). Young Arowana fish of this species tend to be delicate, though older fish tend to be more hardy. They prefer a pH level of 5-7 with 6.4 being the optimum level, and temperatures between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (24-30 C).

Flower Horn Fish

Flower Horn Fish is basically from the Cichlid family, which is classified under the genus of Cichlasoma, which is commonly found in South America. This beautiful hybrid is thought to be the end product of cross breeding between the Cichlasoma Trimaculatus, Cichlasoma Festae, Jingang Blood Parrot. To date, many of the better quality Flower Horn have been produced due to the intensified eagerness of breeders to produce the best show quality fish for the market.


As stated in some reports, the Flower Horn Fish is also known as a "mutated" breed of fish. Rest assured that this is just a claim. Flower Horn Fish have gone through intense selective cross breeding in order to have the best characteristics of the respective strains of the Cichlid Fish family. For instance, most breeders are striving to produce Flower Horn with a bigger nuchal hump on the forehead, better coloration, bolder black marking on the body (which at times resembles Chinese characters), more elegant fins, and wider body. No chemicals, or bio-genetic engineering have been incorporated to improve on the traits / characteristics of the Flower Horn. Thus, the claim that this is a mutated fish is unfounded.

In addition, this fish is very hardy, and can endure water conditions that are not suitable for most breeds of aquarium fish. This is also part of the reason why the Flower Horn is well received by many tropical fish hobbyists. But the ideal pH level in the water required, should be around pH 7 to pH 7.8 with water temperature ranging between 27 to 32C. For temperate / colder climate regions, they just need a water heater.


The Flower Horn is from the South American Cichlid family, and this fish is very territorial. They are also very aggressive in nature. Co-existing with other fish is not advisable, especially smaller fish. Some parties have claimed that we can "play" with the Flower Horn. In actual fact, Flower Horn is actually trying to get rid of the "intruder" (be it a stick or a person's hand). Therefore, it is advisable that we keep our hands to ourselves as the fish has quite a nasty bite depending on the size of the fish.

Here are some varieties of Flower Horn
Zhen Zhu = RD and BD

JK = Golden FH

Kamfas = Synsphillium or Parrot x ZZ


ZZ = Zhen Zhu

RD = Red Dragon

POTO = Pearl of the Orient

RC = Red Crystal

RG = Red General

SDK = Super Dragon King

RPD = Red Pearl Dragon

TB = Tunder Bolt

SP = Super Pendian

RD = Rainbow Dragon

FD = Fiery Dragon

BD = Blue Dragon

BCD = Blue Comet Dragon

DBD = Diamond Blue Dragon

BFD = Blue Face Dragon

KB = King Baccara

EM = Eastern Maiden

OGD = Oriental Green Dragon

GFF = Golden Fire Face


KAMFA

SRS = Super Red Shock

RM = Red Monkey

RS = Red Shock

JH = Jin Hua

RK = Red Kamfa

OK = Orange Kamfa

OP = Oriental Phoenix

RP = Red Phoenix

RBK = Rainbow King

HBK = Hell Boy Kamfa = Eastern Maiden X KKP

Buffalo = KKP+ RD = Kamfa bred by 65rivi


PARROT

BP = Blood Parrot

KKP = King Kong Parrot

Mammon = High Quality King Kong Parrot (Happy Breed Farm)

Darmo = High Quality King Kong Parrot (Rarefish)

DD2 = Desert Dynasty II
CGY = Colorful God of the Year
GD = Golden Dragon
JPG = Jing Ping Guo
JG = Jaded Griffin
KDC = Kimdingchu

Golden Monkey ALSO called KAMALAU
Kamalau is a Cantonese term which is the same as GM. In Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia, this term is commonly use among hobbyists.

GM = Golden Monkey

KGM = King of Golden Monkey

MGM = Marine Golden Monkey

MK = Metallic Kamalau

BKM = Blue King Monkey

DM = Diamond Monkey

KGM1 = King of Golden Monkey Generation 1

KGM2 = King of Golden Monkey Generation 2

KGMF = King of Golden Monkey Flowerness

SML = SonMalau = New Generation GM

Diff b/w kamfa and ZZ
1.KAMFA

















2.ZZ(Zhen Zou)


Sexing of FH.
#Age and length
2 months
(1mm - 30mm) .

#Characteristic
1. Juvenile stage.
2. Colors and body patterns are not noticeable.

#Sexing Method
No known method.
Observations shows larger sized fish within the same batch tend to be males.

#Age and length
2 - 5 months
( 30 mm - 150 mm)

Characteristic
Colors and body patterns are becoming more distinctive

#Sexing Method
1. Distinctive black marking on the dorsal fin indicates that it is a female. However, this is not foolproof. The same pattern does exist on some male Flowerhorns.

2. Observations on the shape of the genital papillae. V-shaped papilla indicates a male fish, while a U-shaped papilla indicates a female fish. Gently squeezing the abdominal region may reveal the papillae.

3. Male Flowerhorns will have broader body with higher dorsal, anal and caudal fins. It is also observed that male Flowerhorns will have thicker jawline and more distinctive body color.


#Age and length
5 months and above
(150 mm - 600 mm)


#Characteristic
Flowerhorns begin to mature. Distinctive and rather prominent head humps are visible on the male fish.

#Sexing Method
Female will start to lay eggs even without the presence of a male.


Some more characteristics to be observed.

#1 dorsal black spot:

flowerhorns are hybrids,therefore this method will not be 100%accurate.this method is usally use on pure bred cichlid
however the rest of the method we are going to talk about here will not apply to fries under 3 in therefore this one is included.

90%of fry with out dorsal spots,will be males.
60% of fry with dorsal spot will be females.

#2 body structure.

male flowerhorn often have more angular and muscular lines ,while females often have a rounder,smoother body line.

#3 Dorsal spine method.

look at the first 6 dorsal spines of your fh, males often have rounded and thick spines, while females have a more flatened and thiner look to the first 6 dorsal spines.

#4 pelvic fin and pelvic spine method.

female flowerhorn need to use their pelvic fin as a fan to fan the eggs while breeding,therefore when you touch the pelvic fin and pelvic spine of your fh,if it is soft,and the spine is not as hard that will make you bleed,your fish is highly possible to be a female.

#5 chest line(chin line) method.

if you view your fish from the side,behind the gill jucture and before the pelvic fin,right under the petoral fin,this is the chest of your fish,if your fish have a bulkier chest,the it is more possible to be male,females often have a smaller,and smoother chest(unlike human)...lol

#6 anal venting method.

hold your fish upsidedown,look at the anal vent,males have a V shape and females have a U shape.
now look from the side,males should have their tube pointed toward the back ,while females have straight tubes
Male organism


Female Organism




Source of Sexing of fh : FLOWERHORNUSA,AROFANATICS

Common Flowerhorn Diseases and Treatment

Caring for your Flower Horn is not just about feeding it, it's also about watching for potentially serious health conditions. Below are some of the problems your Flower horn might experience.

White Spot Disease

Cause and Symptoms

* The cause of this condition is Ichthyophithirius multifilis (ICH ) , a ciliated protozoan .
* Bad water quality can increase the likelihood that your fish will be victim to this parasite.
* Low water temperatures (< 25°C) are ideal breeding grounds for ICH.
* The most common way Flower horns get ICH is when they are fed live or frozen food that has already been contaminated with the parasite.
* The most prominent symptom of this condition are the pure white spots that will appear all over your fish. You may also notice the fins are clumped together, and they act a bit more lethargic than usual. Moreover, it's common for them to lose interest in food when ICH infects.

Treatment

The parasites resides under the skin of the fish, hence it is not affected by water treatment or direct treatment applied to the fish . Break the breeding cycle of Ich by washing the tank thoroughly to remove the cysts of the parasite. Keep in mind that this is a highly contagious condition, so your entire aquarium must be treated.

To cure white spots:

* Place Kordon Ich inhibitor in your tank.
* Add aquarium salt at 3g/l of water every 3 days together with the medication.
* After 3rd day, tank must be washed thoroughly to eliminate the causative agent.
* Add Kordon Malachite Green treatment to your tank.

Preventive measures:

* Add Kordon Prevent Ich Fish Disease Inhibitor and Preventative to your tank.
* Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks.
* Avoid cross-tank contamination.

Hole-In-The-Head Disease

Cause and Symptoms

* The cause of this condition is Hexamita Protozoa , parasitic organisms that are highly contagious.
* These parasites thrive with poor water quality management.
* If your fish has this condition, you will notice the appearance of small pits and pimples mainly on the fish's head. These pits will simply grow and form bigger pits.
* The pits are white in color, and sometimes mucous are visible around them.
* In addition to losing weight, becoming lethargic, and losing their appetites, the fish will produce white, stringy feces.

Treatment

* Add Dimetrydazole (5mg/l) or Metronidazole (7mg/l).
* Repeat treatment once every 3 days.
* Do a 20%-30% water change.
* It is sometimes necessary to inject Metronidazole, but injections near the affected area should be attempt only by qualified personnel.

Preventive measures :

* Change your water regularly.
* Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks.
* Avoid cross-tank contamination.

Mouth, body and tail fungus

Causes & Symptoms

* This condition is caused by Saproglenia and other related bacteria.
* Bad water quality only causes these kinds of bacteria to thrive.
* Sudden changes in the water condition can also cause this condition in your fish.
* If your fish has this condition, you will notice cotton like tufts at the mouth, body, fin and tail.
* You may also notice your fish losing weight.

Treatment

* Add Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Aquarium Salt to your tank.
* Adding Jungle Labs Fungus Eliminator will also help.
* Be sure to treat the whole tank, but quarantine the most seriously ill fish.

Preventive measures :

* Change your water regularly.
* Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks.
* Avoid cross-tank contamination.

Dropsy

Causes & Symptoms

* This condition is caused by a bacterial infection.
* Poor water quality, overcrowding, and stress can make your fish more susceptible to this condition.
* If your fish is affected, he may appear bloated and stop eating

Treatment

· Do not add aquarium salt to your tank.

· Use a commercially prepared treatment available at your local pet shop.

Preventive measures :

* Change your water regularly.
* Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks to avoid the introduction of new, dangerous bacteria.
* Avoid cross-tank contamination.

Fin & Tail Rot Disease

Causes & Symptoms

* This condition is caused by Pseudomonas and other related bacteria.
* Poor water quality causes these bacteria to thrive in your tank.
* If your fish is affected, the fin and tail appeared eaten away and white edged. You may even notice the fin or tail beginning to literally dissolve.
* The color of the fish may dull, and the fins may clump together.
* This bacteria is highly contagious.

Treatment

* Treat the whole tank, but quarantine and treat the heavily infected fish.
* Tetracycline should be added.

Preventive measures :

* Change your water regularly.
* Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks.
* Avoid cross-tank contamination.

Air Bladder Disease

Causes & Symptoms

* This condition is caused by a number of things, but the most likely problems are a virus or a bacterial infection.
* If your fish has this condition, you may notice they have trouble swimming correctly, or they tend to swim upside down.

Treatment

* Because it can be hard to determine the cause of this problem, it can also be difficult to treat it, but in general, an antibiotic agent should take care of the problem.

Preventive measures :

* Change your water regularly.
* Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks.
* Avoid cross-tank contamination.

Velvet Disease

Causes & Symptoms

* This condition is caused by a fungus living in your tank.
* Poor water quality causes this fungus to thrive in your tank.
* If your fish is affected, he may stop swimming, and he may begin to look ill.

Treatment

· Add Copper Sulfate (Blue Crystal) to your tank. Be sure to use the ratio of 1 g Copper Sulfate and 0.25g Citric Acid to 1 litre of distilled water. Dosage instructions: 12.5 ml to 10 litres of aquarium water for 10 days. Administer half of this on days three, five and seven.

Preventive measures :

* Change your water regularly.
* Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks.
* Avoid cross-tank contamination.


Ammonia and the Nitrogen Cycle
With some fish, high ammonia levels are a horrible problem. It is astonishing, though, that Flowerhorn fish have good tolerance towards high ammonia levels in a water system. However, in order to optimize your Flowerhorn's potentials and beauty, good water quality management is essential. The nitrogen cycle is a big part of water quality management, and understanding it will truly help increase the success level of your tank.

All organisms excrete ammonia as waste. Proper waste management is crucial in order to maintain a healthy living environment. In aquatic environments, aquatic organisms excrete ammonia into their own living system. The nitrogen cycle takes place throughout a mature system in a man-made tank. In this environment, nitrogen products are recycled by different colonies of beneficial bacteria into different forms. The highly toxic forms of these nitrogen products are ammonia and nitrite.


In a matured fish tank system with a well circulating nitrogen cycle, many other toxins, mainly ammonia, are converted into harmless nitrate, nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas. This cycle will make sure that the nitrogen level in the water is in check, hence, maintaining it below the toxic level in your fish tank.

Normally, in a newly set up tank, the nitrogen cycle may not yet be mature, which means it may not be a complete one. There will be a surge of ammonia and nitrite in the water system (New Tank Syndrome) mainly due to amount of food the fish are fed and the wastes that are produced. This may cause your Flowerhorn to die if the ammonia level in the tank reaches the toxicity point. This is commonly known as ammonia poisoning. For a new tank, frequent water changes (partial wayer changes) are advisable even if there is a proper bio filtration system in your new tank. It normally takes about 1-2 month's time for the cycle to stabilize, then less frequent water changes are necessary.


While the surge of ammonia in your tank is a problem for your fish, it will encourage the growth of nitrifying bacteria, Nitrosomonas sp., to process the ammonia into less toxic nitrite. The resulting surge in nitrite will encourage yet another group of nitrifying bacteria, Nitrobacter sp . to convert them to even less toxic nitrate. Nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas will then be produced with the help of other bacteria and aquatic plants. The complete nitrogen cycle will normally take 1-2 month's time to mature and fully stabilize. After this period, a healthy population of beneficial bacteria will then be able to work on harmful ammonia and nitrite in the water system. Nevertheless, the number of fish and the amount of food given to those fish is an important factor in contributing the amount of ammonia in a system. Too much food will be a problem for you fish. Moreover, you must be moderate when it comes to the cleaning of your bio-media filters. If your system is too clean, the beneficial bacteria will be eliminated. Partial water change and constant removal of excess food and solid waste from the filters are crucial to the health of your tank.


Deworming
Deworming is basically an preventive measure to get rid of some common worms/bacteria/pasasites. Starving the fh once in a week is good. Apart from starvation, deworming can b carried out as follows..


Metronidazole, main ingredient of Metrogyl tablet, is best fed thru food than thru tank water. Also, under normal circumstances, fish will readily accept it thru food. Plus, by feeding metro thru food, we r preventing the nitrogen cycle from being wiped out.
Same with the other antibiotics like Terramycin (Ingredient- Oxytetracycline)



Metrogyl/Flagyl - for intestinal parasites/bacteria - One treatment of 3 days once in 3 months.


Terramycin - for gram-negative bacteria and columnaris virus - One treatment of 3 days once in 3 months.


Potassium Permagnate - as a 5 second bath - for most external parasites and worms - Once in a month (BE CAREFUL!!!)


Common salt - as long duration bath - as general tonic and stressbuster
as half an hour bath in concentrated solution - to get rid of ich - Once in a month.


Epsom salt - as laxative Once in 3 months.

Metrogyl treatment and Terramycin treatment is separated by at least a month. Other treatments can be carried out along with Metro/Terramycin treatment. Epsom salt treatment works great with Metrogyl treatment.

Note: This deworming procedure, suggested by our fh professor cum lover-Girish Bhai.
Common traits of a gud Fh
# Body Shape
Body of the flower horn fish should be thick and oval. Some new variants being almost round. Stomach should be full and not tucked in.

# Coloration
Most flower horn fish, red is predominant from cheek to abdominal region. However, its background colors would do well to complement the red highlighs.

# Black Horizontal Markings (flowerline)
It will be ideal if the flower horn fish has a strong and thick black horizontal marking on its body. However, be aware that not all flower horns has this criteria. We should look at the overall of the fish.

# Head
Irregardless of shape, size and coloration, a good nuchal hump is preferable. It will be ideal if the nuchal hump is proportionate to the size and shape of the fish.

# Eyes
Positioned on the sides of its head. Eyeballs and the eye linings should be alert and distinct respectively.


7) Tail & Fins
The tail and fins should stay erect most of the time

star fishes

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Cleaner Shrimp

, Lysmata amboinensis, is a native of the entire Indo-Pacific region and the Red Sea. Also known as the Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, this shrimp is a highly effective scavenger. Cleaner Shrimp help to keep the aquarium clean of uneaten debris. It is also well documented that these shrimp are able to clean parasites from fish and eat aiptasia anemones. These cleaning duties make these shrimps very desirable as members for the reef community. They are generally tolerant of others of their species in the same aquarium. All shrimp require Live Rock or similar aquarium decoration to use for hiding, especially when molting. This species must molt in order to grow. Molting generally occurs at night, the shrimp will lay on its back and exit its exoskeleton. A new exoskeleton is excreted and will harden over a period of several hours. The animal is vulnerable at this time and should not be disturbed. Proper iodine levels assist with successful molting.

Bristlenose catfish

Bristlenose catfish - Probably the most "common" fish in aquatic shops. Usually dark, sometimes with a small moustache, there is nothing sharp in the aquarium at all. It often sucks the bottom of the tank. But these are just the first impressions.

When you take a more in depth look, you will see how superlative this fish is. Ancistrus is a fine and good-looking fish which complements many freshwater aquariums.

I have kept ancistrus fish for more than 4 years and they have become an integral part of my tanks and my hobby. At first I bought only 4 of them and I didn’t know how to differentiate males from females. Fortunately, my aquarium was suitable for them and they did well. As time went by, the males acquired a moustache, all of them grew larger, and they all got a very nice coloration. After 2 years of successful keeping this nice species of fish, I decided to buy a larger tank. They liked it, because I saw small tails after few months. They sucked on wood all days long, and they showed me how beautiful they are. Generally speaking, people say that breeding ancistrus fish is not an easy task, but the environment in my tank did what I expected. The number of ancistrus in this tank has increased since this moment.

What do people need to know if they decide to keep Bristlenose catfish successfully? You can find a lot of information about water hardness, temperature, etc. in books. You may hear the same in shops and aquarists would tell you it again and again. I’d like to tell you a shortened version of these facts only including the most important information.

What kind of aquarium is most suitable for Bristlenose catfish?

I prefer tanks with many hiding-places, so they will be able to breed in peaceful conditions and small newborns will survive even if there are also larger fish in the tank. When you keep scalare or gouramis, then you will do better if the tank is planted heavily. I have 2 tanks and it happened to me, that gouramis ate all the newborn ancistrus but one. This one is still in my aquarium. The fish tank can be low, it won’t effect their normal activities. Bristlenose likes oxygen and the young need it at the bottom of tank. You can’t expect them to swim to the surface, because larger fish may eat them easily. When ancistrus grows up to 2 cm, it shouldn’t be considered as a dinner by other fish.

What about the temperature of the aquarium?

Bristlenose will survive in 18°C water, but I don’t recommend you to keep them under 21°C. I just forgot to close the window one night during winter... I keep water temperature between 22-25°C. Of course, summer means higher values. They feel better when temperature is higher.

What does Bristlenose eat?

I don’t want to make any advertisement campaign, but I fed them with Sera tablets since I bought the first one (first 4). I use only the meat and vegetable varieties. It is full of vitamins and is a really good solution, and I am yet to have mass disease in my tanks (fortunately). More ancistrus, more tablets.

Water hardness, ph and what else?

I have never measured any ph or dh in my tanks. In my opinion, an aquarium has to be something natural, not something that looks like a lab. I just keep them, I’m trying to satisfy their needs and I want them to feel good. I haven’t changed any water in my tanks for more than 2 years and I just top up water that has evaporated off.

Of course, I recommend to keep aquarium, fish and plants healthy.

What should you know before buying Bristlenose catfish?

1. This fish lives usually 8+ years. Don’t buy any Bristlenose if you plan to keep your aquarium for only 1-2 years.

2. Bristlenose is very peaceful fish. But it still needs its area. Adult males sometimes fight other males when they meet each other. But they don’t fight to the death. Naturally, when Bristlenose fish breed, the tank would become full of fish. This is not a reason to sell them or to give them to other people. I recommend to sell/give them when they’re adult or when they grow up to 6 cm. Two reasons why: firstly, they will easily survive in the new tank; secondly, they will cost more when they are adult as they are larger and more beautiful.

3. Bristlenose likes tablets! Often the shop assistant sells this fish and says “It will eat all algae in your tanks.” This is not true for adult fish. Unlike adults, newborns like algae much more. Until they are 2-3 cm long, they will eat it all day long.

4. Bristlenose catfish needs wood! Once I had two Bristlenose catfish without wood and they didn’t do well. When I moved wood into that tank, they became more active immediately. It is place where they can hide and where small fish can eat algae.

Video

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Pictures

Here below follows the photogallery added on 11/30/2006. You are allowed to use any of the pictures below on your own web site. However, you should place a link to aqua-fish.net in such case. Click on any image to enlarge.

Chinese Algae Eaters

“Chinese Algae Eater” is the most common name for the Gyrinocheilus aymonieri which is also less commonly known as the “Indian Algae Eater” and the “sucking loach”. This fish is often mistaken for the Siamese algae eater which is a similar species yet quite different. Saying that G. aymonieri are Chinese is misleading because this fish does not come from China, in fact in comes from northern India and central Thailand. Additionally, this fish is not a loach so the name “sucking loach” is an inaccurate use of terms, although some of its characteristics are quite similar to that of a loach.

Regardless of where it comes from, this algae eater, in its youth is very useful in clearing aquarium surfaces of algae. It quickly inches its way along every surface all the while sucking the algae in its path. Once the task is done, the algae eater starts at the beginning to clean everything all over again. The job is never done for this diligent young worker.

As the algae eater matures he gets tired of working so hard. The sucker fish that used to be helpful and hardworking is now a pest, and quite a large one at that. This fish has the potential to grow up to 12 inches in length although captivity usually brings them up to only 6 inches. Mature algae eaters prefer meatier foods and they prey on the fish with broad, flat sides so that they can suction their mouths to it. They are quick enough to chaise down and suck slime coats off tankmates as they go by, stressing everyone else out and weakening their immune systems. Many fish die as a result of the algae eater’s behaviors and this gives them a bad reputation in the aquarium industry.

Aquarium set-up

Mature G. aymonieri are territorial fish and need plenty of space to defend. They require hiding places and a wide variety of sustenance. These fish will fend for themselves if adequate nourishment is not provided by their caretaker, which is why many aquarists find their aquatic community numbers diminishing. The Chinese algae eater will not hesitate to pick a fish from the crowd to suck on.

To keep G. aymonieri happy it should be kept in a minimum of 25 gallons. A larger tank is even better to maximize algae growth. An algae eater will dwell in any region of the aquarium that has a surface to cling to but it is unlikely to swim in open waters unless it is busy chasing a fellow tankmate. This fish is not very particular about water conditions although consistency is always the key. Keep your pH between 6.0-8.0 with soft to hard water and a temperature somewhere between 72-82ºF. These are wide ranges for water conditions which means this highly adaptable species would be capable of surviving in a wide variety of places.

In the wild, Chinese algae eaters are found in Northern India and Central Thailand. They inhabit rivers and streams in places where the current is quick moving. Algae eaters use their disk-shaped mouths to suction themselves to solid surfaces to keep from being swept up in those currents. Their mouths are located on the underside of their heads which is a highly prolific trait possessed by bottom feeders. Also useful is their flat bellies which allow them to rest comfortably on flat surfaces. There is a small spiracle on the head that allows water to pass into the mouth and over the gills yet still allows enough suction for the fish to hold on. The Chinese algae eater has a long, thin body of bronze coloration with hues of yellow and brown. There is a black stripe from nose to tail fin, sometimes with equally distanced spots breaking up the stripe. Sometimes there are black spots located on the caudal fin while the pectoral, anal, dorsal and pelvic fins are usually clear of any markings. This species is also represented in a golden strain which is a little more attractive than the common version. This gold algae eater has a bright yellow back and a silvery-white belly. There is no dark stripe running along the flanks of this variation of algae eater.

Sexing

Sexing this species of fish is quite hard to do. Theories that males are slimmer than females have been discussed. Female fish in general tend to be plumper especially when getting ready to lay her eggs; however, I could find no evidence to back up this theory for this particular species.

Breeding

Information about proper breeding conditions for this fish is elusive and hobbyists have documented only accidental spawning. Those that have noted these accidents have specified that they tried and failed to duplicate the process. Optimum water conditions and breeding preparation procedures have been speculated but never proven successful. For now Chinese algae eaters must be caught in the wild to maintain the aquatic industry supply.

Pictures

Two pictures were provided by pitugo.