Viviparous aquarium fish: varieties, selection and care

Aquarium science is a widespread hobby that brings a very tangible aesthetic pleasure, because it is so nice to relax after a hard day, contemplating the smooth movements of beautiful bright fish!

Both professionals and amateurs agree that if you want to not only observe the life of your aquatic pets, but also participate in breeding experiments that sometimes bring unexpected results, start live-bearing fish. They will be discussed today in our article.

Live-bearing fish, or live-bearers, are some of the most interesting and popular underwater inhabitants of the aquarium.

Their most important feature, which is of interest to breeders, is, of course, the production of already formed fry. And here you need to clarify a little: in fact, the fish do not bear offspring, like mammals - they just carry fertilized eggs inside themselves until the time comes to hatch the young. While the embryo of a mammal receives nutrients from the placenta and is directly related to the mother's body, the baby feeds on the contents of the eggs.

The male and female viviparous species have characteristic external differences. The most important thing is the shape of the anal fin. In the male he is pointed, in the female he has a rounded shape. "Guys" live-bearer fish flaunt a bright color, unusual fins, "girls" are usually more modest, not so much attracting attention.

A very interesting feature of viviparous fish is the possibility of interspecific crossing, as a result of which an individual may appear that is not similar to any of the parents, which has its own unique traits. That is why the selection of live breeders so attracts beginners and professionals from the aquarium.

Below is a list of the most popular live-bearing aquarium fish species.

Appearance: the body is in the shape of an almond nut, slightly flattened, painted in blue-green. The scales are small, thin, the back is darker than the abdomen. Small fish - only 8-10 cm.

When breeding, they do not show aggression to young animals of their own species. However, in order for breeding to take place without conflict, alfaro should have enough leafy shelters, for example, plants such as Indian limnophila, brilliant nitella are perfect for these purposes. In captivity, fish can live up to 3 years.

Appearance: ellipsoidal body, the rear part is narrow, has a rectangular shape. The caudal fin is triangular, with a clear, even cut. In males, it has a bright yellow strip along the edge.

The fish are painted silver, for males, a black stripe runs along the side. At the "ladies" it is also traced, but not so clear. The size of amec is quite modest - from 6 to 10 cm.

These fish are famous for their omnivorous nature: they can eat both live prey and dry store food, and they do not disdain aquarium flora. However, they are not predators and not aggressors - for example, they get along well with small cichlids.

A fish that looks very much like a little pike. It has a narrow cylindrical body, a long "nose", large radiant eyes. The color of the scales is brownish-green, with a touch of bronze, there is a dark spot on the tail.

Females are larger than males, their body length reaches 18-20 cm, while the “guys” have only 12 cm. Belonesoksi are predatory aggressive fish, and females are especially angry: when the time for mating and spawning comes, they bully and chase males, they can even eat them. However, such eating behavior can be regulated by plentiful and satisfying food, since in this case the female will simply not be hungry, and the boyfriend will survive, as well as the young.

Strictly speaking, this amazing creation cannot be called an aquarium fish - it lives in the waters of Lake Baikal at a depth of more than 100 meters. However, when creating conditions suitable for it, in particular, maintaining the water temperature at a level of up to + 6 C, it may well take root in an artificial environment.

Golomyanka is famous for the fact that this fish does not have scales and a swimming bladder. It looks very peculiar: a long (up to 25 cm) narrow pale pink body, a huge mouth and large black eyes. The female golomyanki, having produced offspring, dies. The fry risk being eaten by their own kindred.

Perhaps the most common aquarium live-bearer. At the mention of this small fish, a gorgeous veil-like tail, iridescent with rainbow waves, immediately pops up in my memory. However, such a coloring is most often characteristic of males, “ladies” are usually inconspicuous-gray, and their tails are shorter. Of course, there are varieties where both representatives are painted quite brightly. In such cases, you need to look at the size: the females are larger, their length can reach 6-7 cm, while the males are slightly thicker and only 3 cm in length.

Appearance: a long narrow body, slightly flattened on the sides, the dorsal and anal fins are located closer to the tail. The color of the fish is gray-olive, turning into lilac and silver closer to the abdomen. A characteristic feature of the male is the bright red dorsal and anal fins; in females they have a yellow tint. In an aquarium, the size of the dermogenis ranges from 6 to 8 cm, the female is always larger.

If you plan to keep a flock of these fighting fish, do not forget that the half-males are aggressive towards each other.

One of the most remarkable live-bearing fish. It is easy to recognize by the pointed shape of the caudal fin, thanks to which the sword-bearer got his name. Moreover, this feature is characteristic only for males.

The color of the fish depending on the variety may be different: black, red, gray. The size, as a rule, does not exceed 8-10 cm.

Appearance: a body in the form of a rhombus, a small triangular muzzle, the lower lip slightly protrudes forward. Females are able to grow up to 8-10 cm, males - only up to 6 cm. The color of the molly varies depending on the breed.

These fish are quite demanding on the conditions of detention. The water in the container where they live should always be clean, with increased hardness, it is recommended to add salt from time to time. Molly feed on feeds of both plant and animal origin.

Very cute, tiny - up to 5 cm - bright fish. They have the most diverse color and shape of the body. The content of Pecilia is unpretentious, the basis of the diet is insects and plants. You can pamper your pets even with foods such as cucumber, zucchini and spinach.

Small (up to 5-7 cm) golden yellow fish with lilac shimmer. Females are always larger than males. Priapella eyes are very beautiful, have a shade of turquoise, for which it is called blue-eyed.

These fish are calm and peaceful creatures, perfectly coexist in the same territory with species similar in size and temperament.

The little ones in the aquarium world are only 1.5-3.5 cm tall. Their colors are inconspicuous: grayish-pearly with a black longitudinal strip on their sides. At the base of the dorsal fin there is a dark spot with a red edging.

Great for keeping in a small aquarium due to its modest dimensions. It is recommended to contain formosis in a pack of 10-12 individuals. Other fish, larger ones, can perceive them as prey, therefore it is better to abandon such a “neighborhood”. By the way, formoses are not bad cleaners; they eat plaque formed by bacteria on the walls of the aquarium, as well as lower algae and planaria worms.

Of course, no one can stop you from getting the fish to which the "soul lies", but there are certain rules of choice, following which you can create ideal conditions for keeping your pets.

• It is not recommended to place large fish or a large number of small ones in a small tank. Due to the lack of oxygen and enough free space for movement, the fish will begin to die.
• When populating an aquarium with several varieties of fish, familiarize yourself with such a feature as a preference for living in a particular layer of water.If this is not done, you risk acquiring, for example, only bottom fish, which will not please the eye, floating to the surface.
• Another important factor is the similarity of temperaments of the inhabitants. Too slow fishes risk to be left without food which will be eaten by more frisky "neighbors".
• Predators and potential victims cannot be kept in the same tank even with plentiful food. The fact is that predatory fish species are naturally endowed with the instinct of a hunter and will chase and attack any fish in their field of vision.
• Beginning aquarists should not start their "career" with the content of rare exotics. As a rule, they need special care: maintaining a certain level of temperature, water hardness, unusual food, good lighting, or, conversely, twilight. If you feel that you will cope with such a task - go for it, if not, start with something simpler, for example, with guppies or swordsmen.
• When buying aquarium fish, carefully examine them: there should be no external damage such as bitten fins, bruising, bald spots. Eyes and scales should be shiny. The fish should behave characteristically to the representative of its breed. For example, if the description of the breed indicates that it should swiftly swim around the aquarium, and the fish sluggishly “crawls” from corner to corner, this clearly indicates its ill health, and it is better to refuse to buy such a pet.

Let's consider in more detail basic rules for keeping live-bearing fish.

• Most often, aquarium liveders live in flocks. That is why the capacity for them should be quite roomy. It is recommended to proceed from the calculation of 1.5-2 liters of water per individual.
• It is very important to provide the fish with high-quality lighting. At night, it should be partially turned off, creating a pleasant twilight, which happens in natural reservoirs.
• Aquarium flora and other items of "interior" deserve special attention. The bottom should be decorated with stones, driftwood, clay shards so that the fish can create shelters in them and relax. Be sure to plant live plants.
• The larger and more aggressive the individuals, the larger the territory they require for conflict-free living. This is especially true of males. Often encountering while making a “walk”, they can start a fight and seriously cripple each other.
• The natural habitat of vivipods is water bodies with weak or stagnant water. Try to recreate these conditions and provide pets with high-quality aeration.
• The temperature of the water is very important. Its indicators range from +20 to +29 C. In order to maintain the desired level, it is worth buying a heater for the aquarium, the power of which varies depending on the volume of the tank.
• Be sure to install a filter that will help reduce the number of manual cleanings and prevent severe water pollution.

In general, fish-bugs are pretty unpretentious pets that can adapt to different living conditions, for example:

• to a sharp decrease / increase in water temperature;
• to lower oxygen levels;
• insufficient lighting;
• poor aeration;
• change in water hardness.

When populating a flock of viviparous fish in an equipped aquarium, remember that 2-3 males should be in 1 male. This is necessary to exclude possible conflict situations during the mating season.

Livebirds give birth to an already formed independent young growth. This is due to the fact that the eggs are fertilized in utero using the long anal fin of the male. In each of them are the nutrients that the embryo feeds on. After 25-50 days, childbirth occurs, and the fry begin an independent life.

The delivery process itself can last from a couple of hours to several days.Some time before its start, the female can become aggressive. The fact that the process is over, you will be told the sunken sides of the fish and a more relaxed behavior.

Artemia, cyclops, daphnia, microplankton can become the first food for young animals. It is also worth trying to grind dry ready-made food for adult fish and feed it to the fry.

In the first weeks of life, clean water, good aeration and filtering of the aquarium are very important for babies. Be sure to take care of this.

We present to your attention lists with the names of desirable and undesirable "neighbors" for live breeders.

You can settle along with these types:

• bots;
• barbs
• discus
• gourami;
• zebrafish
• neons
• labio;
• cockerels;
• scalars.

Not recommended "neighborhood" with the following representatives:

• goldfish;
• astronotuses;
• cichlids (African and South American);
• carps.

About viviparous fish for beginners, see the next video.