Aquarium fish ancistrus belong to the family of chain-shaped catfish. The number of ancistrus species ranges from 410 to 1000, different data are claimed in different sources. One of the relatively new ones is the red ancistrus. This species was bred in Germany. In fact, the red ancystrus has a shade more reminiscent of orange. In appearance, this new species differs from the ordinary one only in color, but its value is higher.
Than to feed the ancistrus?
To successfully dilute the ancistrus should be properly respected their diet. Fish are unpretentious in nutrition, they will eat almost any food. You can feed the fish with live food (bloodworm or tubing) or dry. It is better if different types of food will alternate between themselves. Important point: when using live food, you should be careful. They can cause such ancicrural diseases as poisoning, sometimes even lethal.
Fish should be fed periodically with plant food. Pour boiling cabbage leaf and put it on the bottom of the aquarium for a couple of days. Instead of cabbage, you can use spirulina in tablets. Before you begin to feed the Ancistrus live food, arrange a discharge day for them, otherwise they will stop scraping the growth of algae.
Ancistrus breeding: useful tips
Here are some useful tips for aquarists who decided to have this unusual fish:
- if the fish lay eggs in a common aquarium, the fries of ancistrus have very little chance of surviving;
- it is better to use a separate aquarium of about 50 liters, in which you should not put algae or soil, but put a few ceramic tubes, stones;
- the readiness of producers is determined by the female, how fatigued she is;
- To stimulate spawning, it is necessary to divorce water from a common aquarium by a third
fresh standing water and slightly reduce the temperature; - be sure to prepare a spacious spawning: the female will irritate the male, which protects the spawn and this can lead to the fact that the male will simply kill the female;
- As soon as the larvae begin to break away from the nest and wander around the aquarium, it is necessary to transfer the male back to the common aquarium;
- Feed fry can be prepared with special dry feeds or tablets for catfish;
- that fries should develop well, they should be fed three times a day and replaced with water by 20% daily, then in six months they will be able to catch up with their parents in size.