A small but very interesting mistus fish, which has an active and cheerful disposition, is considered one of the best representatives under water world that take root at home. Watching this fish is an interesting business, but before deciding to buy it for further keeping in the aquarium, you need to familiarize yourself with the requirements for care and feeding. This will not only create right conditions for maintenance, but also to get a healthy pet.

Mistus striped or Indian catfish prefers freshwater streams and lakes. Freely feels both in stagnant, and in flowing water.

More often chooses places in which there is enough vegetation near the coast, as this allows you to get an additional source of food.

Very rarely it can be found in small sea bays. Already from the name it is clear that he prefers quite warm waters to live in, so wild nature found in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Description

One fish can reach up to 20 cm in length, but in an aquarium it is quite difficult to achieve such sizes. The body is compressed towards the tail, long, but the head is large. The eyes are usually large, there are three pairs under them. long mustache. Mintus colors range from soft pink on the tummy to blue or purple on the back.

There must be several long black stripes on the sides, and there is a black spot on the gill cover. Juveniles are always gray in color, so they are often confused with other types of catfish.

Video: description of catfish mistus The changeling catfish got its name because of the habit of turning upside down and swimming in this position like synodontis.

Did you know? Mistuses can creak. They create similar sounds with the help of fins that are on the chest. Sometimes by this feature they are identified among other catfish at a young age.

Since the fish can grow up to 20 cm long, the main requirement for an aquarium is that its length should be more height. It is best to select such aquariums that can hold from 120 to 150 liters of water. It is desirable that free space was as much as possible.

Since the catfish lives in a warm climate, the level should not fall below 22-23 ° C. The upper temperature threshold for an ideal stay is 28°C. Acidity should be from 6 to 7.5, but should not exceed 25 dH.
Water can be changed in two ways:

  • It is advisable to carry out a complete water change at least once every 2 weeks.
  • You can also change 25-30% of the water every week.
  • The less often you plan to change the water, the higher the percentage of aeration and filtration should be.
  • It is desirable to create a current and movement of the mass of water, although not very strong.

Important! The requirements for water in an aquarium are quite high, since the mistus simply loves to swarm and live in its lower layers. Therefore, it should be practically crystal clear at all times. Water changes should be carried out as often as possible.

Since the catfish is very fond of exploring the bottom, it is advisable to lay it with all sorts of pebbles, snags, plants, shells and other small details. This will enable the fish to explore and play and increase the comfort of his life in captivity.

You should also place an underwater castle or an inventive shell, a pot, which will serve as a shelter for the fish. This important point mistus content.
There are no special requirements for vegetation in the aquarium. Ordinary ones suitable for other types of fish can be used.

But the lighting is best done subdued, as the fish are more active in evening time. But having created such conditions, it will be possible to watch the games of catfish during the day.

In care, they are not particularly demanding. It is desirable to provide high standards of water and feeding.

Also, mistuses simply love games, so an important part of their content is to create as much area as possible for games, activities, and hide and seek.

The more pipes, pots, castles, stones in the aquarium, the more healthy, active and cheerful the mistusus will be.
In this case, it is also important to have neighbors, preferably of the same kind. Another requirement for care - muffled, not bright light during the day, so that the catfish always feels good.

Important! Catfish of this species simply love to play and jump. Therefore, it is very important that the lid tightly covers the aquarium, otherwise troubles simply cannot be avoided. At the same time, it is important to remember that active games for mistus with other fish or catfish of the same species- an important part of life, as he cannot stand loneliness and can become shy or overly aggressive.

Feeding

It should be remembered that this type of fish is predatory, so a lack of food can cause small fish to eat. The diet usually includes live and dry food, catfish are often engaged in searching for and eating leftover food from other fish.

So it doesn't leave any food residue behind, making it a good aquarium cleaner. Likes lettuce, oatmeal, worms. With pleasure eats and tablets or granulated feed.

When placing a fish in an aquarium, it is very important to remember that it is a predator by nature, so it can chase not only small fish, but also big fish with round fins. Although they will not eat large fish, they can gnaw and spoil the fins.
So it’s better to just put them in a separate aquarium or choose only catfish as neighbors. If it is not possible to buy a separate aquarium or you already have fish, you need to buy proportional fish with not very large fins. Although the races will be accurate, but the tails will remain intact.

Character and behavior

These are very territorial individuals. But if you collect them in a flock of up to 8-10 fish, they will get along quite well together.

It is important to provide them with enough space to race and hide and seek. In such conditions, they will not behave aggressively, bite other fish or plants, but simply become playful and active inhabitants of the aquarium.

The difference between males and females is visible only after reaching three months of age. Females are usually larger and have a large white belly. In males, after reaching three months, a urogenital papilla appears, that is, a process.
In a natural way, under conditions of detention, mistuses breed very rarely. Usually they are given hormonal injections in special nurseries, from there they go on sale. So they breed only in professional conditions, where about 500 eggs are hatched per spawning.

When fish appear, they are sorted by size, as a predatory nature can lead to cannibalism.

Did you know? Catfish have an interesting habit-chew and bite the soft parts of aquarium plants. For example, leaves. Therefore, so that all the algae are not eaten by them, it is necessary to feed them with plant foods, such as scalded lettuce leaves or other greens.

Health

If you provide everything the necessary conditions And good level life, mistusus can live in an aquarium for about 5-6 years. Health problems appear precisely when the basic requirements for content are not met. If there are any changes in behavior, lethargy, then you should immediately start changing the water and reviewing the parameters of keeping and feeding. In other cases, individuals get sick quite rarely and are not subject to any exotic diseases.

Mistuses are very interesting, funny and playful fish, which are often underestimated. And although they do not deserve much popularity, catfish make a good addition to the aquarium, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Caring for them is not burdensome, they rarely get sick and do not require special nutrition, therefore they are good aquarium pets.

It comes from the vast Mekong River basin - the largest in South-East Asia, from the territory of modern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Lives in waters slow flow among the flooded trees and their roots. In the daytime, it keeps close to shelters, and at night it comes out in search of food.

Brief information:

  • The volume of the aquarium - from 100l.
  • Temperature - 20–26°C
  • pH value - 5.8–7.8
  • Water hardness - soft to hard (5–25 dGH)
  • Substrate type - any soft
  • Lighting - subdued
  • Brackish water - acceptable at a concentration of 1 teaspoon of salt per 10 liters
  • Water movement is weak
  • Fish size - up to 12 cm.
  • Nutrition - protein (meat) diet
  • Temperament - conditionally peaceful
  • Keeping alone or in a small group in the presence of shelters

Description

Adults reach a length of about 15 cm. The main color is a dark chocolate hue with several vertical and diagonal stripes of a yellowish tint. A similar pattern is reflected in one of the popular names of this species "bumblebee catfish". Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed, males have a more contrasting coloration, and females are somewhat stockier than their partners.

Nutrition

Refers to carnivorous species, partly can be called miniature predators. Siamese catfish prey on small fish, aquatic insects and their larvae, worms, crustaceans, etc. home aquarium can adapt to the intake of fresh meat and frozen products such as meat freshwater shrimp, mussels, pieces of white fish, earthworms.
Do not serve meat of animal origin, they are poorly digested and can cause digestive problems.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal size of the aquarium for one catfish starts from 100 liters. Since this is a shy and nocturnal inhabitant, the design should provide for dim lighting and the presence of shelters (snags, ceramic pots, plastic tube trimmings, etc.). When keeping together with other catfish, provide several areas with shelters so that each of them can create their own territory. The substrate is any soft, plants are not required, but if desired, you can use some shade-loving unpretentious plants and mosses.
In the process of placing the equipment, place the heaters away from the hiding places and, moreover, do not combine them so that the catfish do not accidentally overheat. Otherwise, the Asian bumblebee catfish is completely unpretentious and is able to successfully adapt to various water conditions, occurs naturally even in brackish systems.

Behavior and Compatibility

If you do not keep with small fish, then there will be no problems with compatibility with other species. Catfish goes well with large and medium-sized cyprinids, peaceful cichlids and many others. As for intraspecific relations, there is competition for territory and skirmishes are possible if there is a lack of space.

Breeding / reproduction

In nature mating season comes with the advent of the rainy season, when there are significant changes in the composition of the water, which in turn is an incentive for spawning. It is almost impossible to reproduce natural cycles in a home aquarium without the use of hormonal injections used in fish farms.

Fish diseases

The main cause of health problems is an unsuitable living environment. If the first symptoms are detected, the water parameters and the presence of high concentrations should be checked. hazardous substances(ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, etc.), if necessary, bring the indicators back to normal and only then proceed to treatment. Read more about symptoms and treatments in the section "

The Siamese killer whale (pseudomystus siamensis, leiocassis siamensis), and not the killer whale, as found in most search queries, is a representative of the killer whale catfish family, which is found exclusively in fresh waters of South Asia.

In the aquarium, it reaches a maximum of 12 cm, in nature it can grow up to 20 cm. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed, it is possible to distinguish a male from a female only by a smaller and more slender body.

The life span of a Siamese killer whale catfish (correctly - killer whales) is about 5-6 years.

Conditions

This type of aquarium fish loves space. - an aquarium is selected from 100l, while a large length is preferable to a height. In a large spacious tank, the number of skirmishes between males is minimized, which allows you to start a larger number of these catfish. The aquarium should also come with a filter, a compressor and a lid (killer whales are very active, frisky and jumping).

Water should be clean and fresh (no salt!), Its parameters are: temperature 20-25°C, hardness up to 15°dH and acidity 6.5-7.5 pH. Change the water once a week, about a third of the total.

Soil - coarse sand, pebbles, gravel, no coral or marble chips, they are only suitable for cichlids, as they increase rigidity. Lighting is moderate, diffused, the Siamese killer whale (killer whale is a bird, a swallow) does not like bright light and tries to hide from it in all kinds of cracks. Scenery - grottoes, broken pots, tubes in which you can hide (not too narrow and small, otherwise your pets have every chance of getting stuck there).

This type of catfish prefers to swim in the water column in its active phase (which occurs with the advent of twilight). Fish can sometimes be seen hanging upright among the thickets of plants, so a small number of them (Vallisneria is good) will be very appropriate.

Feeding

Siamese killer whales do not sort out food, they eat both dry and frozen, and of course, live food. The killer whale catfish (killer whale) is very fond of eating bloodworms. Since this catfish is nocturnal, it is advisable to feed it in the late afternoon or already at night.

Compatibility with other fish

Killer whales rarely show their predatory instincts and tend to coexist peacefully with most placid species of similar size. However, in order to avoid problems, it is better to exclude too small representatives of the aquatic world from the aquarium. Also killer whale can be dangerous for fry.

The catfish itself can only be threatened by large and predatory fish.

reproduction

Alas, it will not be possible for an amateur aquarist to breed a Siamese killer whale in a home aquarium. Despite the conditions that are quite accessible to creation (spawning ground - 100 liters or more, water with a temperature of 26-28 ° C and hardness up to 10 ° dH, spawning substrate, plants, imitation of the rainy season to stimulate spawning - daily replacement of part of the water with fresh water), these fish refuse to spawn without additional stimulation in the form of hormone injections.

However, even when using injections, eggs from females and milk from males have to be squeezed out manually, after which fertilization is carried out independently. The amount of caviar obtained in this way is 500-800 eggs. They ripen in an incubator at the bottom, without additional aeration for two to three days.

Juveniles are quite large and feed on rotifers and small plankton. Adults are considered to be individuals over the age of one year.

Video: Siamese killer whale

Killer catfish is amazing fish, whose varieties are striking in their diversity. Perhaps the most common species is the Siamese killer whale. The brightness of the color of such a fish depends on its age and size. Females are larger than males, and their abdomen is fuller.

The body of such a fish is elongated, and the caudal fin has well-developed blades and an adipose fin. The fins on the back and chest are covered with spines. The body color is yellow-silver, with wide dark stripes on the sides. Siamese killer whales grow up to 20 cm and live in captivity for 5-6 years.

These are peaceful, but sometimes predatory inhabitants of the aquarium. Active at night. If two males in one aquarium are crowded, then they will defend their territory. This species prefers the middle layer of water.

Siamese killer whale catfish needs a species aquarium with a volume of at least 100 liters with a closed lid and dim light.

These fish can be kept in a common aquarium, but neighbors should be selected of the same size and similar character. It is not recommended to keep together with small types of aquarium fish, as well as those with long fins.

Orca catfish (aquarium) loves when there are snags, shelters, and polyvinyl tubes in the aquarium.

The joints of the jagged rays of the fins emit creaks and change the intensity of the color. Many shifters are covered with a yellowish integumentary mucus, which is often poisonous. Males are larger, brighter and slimmer than females, plus everything, their fins are more developed, and their head is more massive.

He loves natural algae and clean and aerated water. For such fish, the replacement is done by a third of the volume - weekly. These killer whales are fed live food (daphnia, frozen shrimp, bloodworms, insects, coretra) and dry food. Adults are fed in the evening or at night, often, but little by little.

To breed this species, you will need an aquarium of at least 100 liters. Before spawning, the females noticeably thicken the abdomen. The owner, in preparation for the replenishment of the fish family, should use the method of pituitary injections, and then select the caviar manually, as well as the milk from males. Fertilization itself occurs artificially in a container specially designed for this. In the "maternity hospital" water hardness should be up to 10 °, temperature 26-28 ° C, and acidity 7.0. Small aquarium killer whales are fed rotifers.

Another common species is the changeling catfish (killer whale, like the Siamese species, but with its own characteristics).

This is an unusually beautiful and non-standard catfish, but during the day it is not visible at all: at this time it hides in secluded places in the aquarium, and swims up only at night. If, during a night walk, a catfish-shifter in a room with an aquarium turns on the light, then it will quickly swim back to the shelter.

Most of these types of fish at home do not need special conditions, what must be is shelter.

These aquarium killer whales do not have scales. The pectoral and dorsal fins have hard, serrated spines.

The species of these fish were not bred artificially, they were domesticated. motherland aquarium catfish killer whales - fresh water Asia and Africa. So this species has come a long way on its way to fame as an aquarium pet. He gained his popularity quite quickly due to his interesting "appearance".

This subspecies can grow up to 25 cm. However, it is not interesting at all for this, but for the method of moving around the aquarium: the changeling swims with its belly up, which is probably why it got its funny nickname. If you keep such a fish in a low aquarium, then when he falls asleep, he can be stroked on his soft tummy, and he will not wake up right away.

This catfish, unlike the Siamese species, is an active predator, and therefore it is necessary to select large individuals as neighbors that will not let themselves be offended.

Amazing shifters can be kept both alone and in a company, although they can sort things out with representatives of their own species, but this does not threaten a serious danger.

For a complete healthy life such fish need a water change at least once every half a month. Aeration and filtration must be effective, and the volume of the “dwelling” itself must be at least 300 liters.

Feed this species only close-up view food: shrimps, tadpoles, as well as small fish, etc.

Even though these catfish are very hardy and can do without frequent water changes and soil cleaning for a long time, you should not tempt fate. After all, such a pet can not only decorate the aquarium, but also become a full-fledged pet for a person!