About 20 species of fish inhabiting our aquariums belong to the family of labyrinths. They differ not only in their beauty and brightness, but also in their behavior.
Labyrinth fishes have received such name because of a special organ - a labyrinth in which the circulatory system is saturated with oxygen directly from atmospheric air. Thanks to such an apparatus, they can live in water, which is not saturated with oxygen and for a long time is on land. Fish often swim to the surface and swallow air, so they are not allowed to be transported in closed containers filled up with water, this threatens them with death.
Family Labyrinth
The second is the scientific name of these fish - Anabasov . They are divided into species: macropods, gourami, roosters and anabas. There are about a hundred representatives of this variety.
To a family of labyrinthine, include fish with oblong, and squeezed on each side body. They have a short head and a small mouth, the dorsal and anal fins are quite long. The labyrinthine organ is located in the nadopibular subclavial cavity.
Representatives of this family are not sensitive to the purity and freshness of water. They are able to live in close ponds with spoiled, muddy water. But this feature does not apply to fry, since up to 3-4 weeks of age the labyrinth organ only develops, and during this period they are also sensitive to the purity of the reservoir.
Types of labyrinthine fishes
The hardiest, of all Anabasovs, are macro- pops, they are able to live even in spoiled water, and are not fastidious to cold. They are not recommended to be kept in a pond with other fish, in the course of time the macro-pops become very pugnacious, especially during spawning. The maximum size of the macropod can reach 12.5 cm.
The most common type of Anabasovs are certainly gurus . They are most suitable for multi-species aquariums. Their size is on the average 10-15 cm. Adult gouramas sometimes attack small inhabitants of the aquarium, and they have to be planted to larger fish.
One of the most colorful types of labyrinthine fishes are males . They are very beautiful, but pugnacious. They got their name because of their disposition, in society with other males they always fight among themselves like real cocks. They both inflate their gill covers and protrude them in the form of a collar. Being in such an excited state, the males take on a very bright color.
The main colors of this type of labyrinth fish are blue, red, green or pink with oblong brown strips along the entire body.
This kind of anabas is very famous, but, unfortunately, it is rare in aquariums. It is advisable for them to purchase a lot of dense vegetation and snags in the aquarium, so it will be more convenient for them to divide the territory in order to avoid conflicts.
Reproduction of labyrinthine fishes
The spawning process in these fish is very interesting. During spawning, the males are squeezed out of the female eggs, firmly "embracing" it. Then carefully collect the eggs and place them in their nest from the air bubbles. In labyrinth fish, males take care of caviar, the female is able to eat eggs not noticed by the father, because he cruelly exiles her.
Labyrinth fish in aquamarine
Given the ability of these fish to jump over the water, they need an aquarium with a lid. Since the Anabas are very fond of hiding, hiding, they need a large number of all kinds of plants, snags and stones. As for the compressor and water currents, it is not necessary, labyrinth fish can breathe for themselves, and they do not like unnecessary noise. But the presence of light and heat they need. Food for these fish is dry or frozen food, bloodworm, artemia, coretra, daphnia, microcircuit. Feeders set is not recommended.