Aquarium freshwater fish of the cyprinid species. Carp-like
Carp is the most famous, but far from the only species of fish from the carp family. There are more than 2 thousand species of cyprinids in the world, including aquarium species. They are common in Russia, Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. The habitat of this large family includes both tropical and temperate zones and even the Arctic Circle. The carp family includes fish of commercial value.
There are more than 2 thousand species in the carp family
General information
The carp family has a common distinctive feature - the absence of teeth on the jaws. The teeth are located inside the pharynx on the pharyngeal bones. The process of eating food involves grabbing food and pushing it inside, where grinding occurs. The oral cavity is mobile, the lips are flat and fleshy. Many individuals have one pair of antennae above the upper lip (except for the eight-barred gudgeon, it has 4). The swim bladder is very powerful, contains 2, rarely 3 sections. The body is covered with large scales or completely naked, which is not so common.
During spawning, the female lays her eggs on flat stones or algae leaves. Eggs usually have a viscous sticky structure with rare exceptions. For example, grass carp's future offspring drift in the flow of water.
The carp family is a commercial fish; even small species are popular among breeders and fishermen. About half of the known species are bred in artificial reservoirs for further sale . These include:
- carp;
- rudd;
- vobla;
- silver carp, etc.
![](https://i0.wp.com/rybki.guru/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/puntius_tetrazona.jpg)
Barbs are aquarium fish from the carp family.
Decorative aquarium fish are no less popular. The history of their breeding has been going on for decades. It is known that the first mentions date back to the 1st century AD. For the first time, Japanese specialists, and then Chinese, took up selection. The list of aquarium breeds includes:
- goldfish;
- brachydanio;
The sizes of natural inhabitants range from 6 to 300 cm in length. This scattering is characterized by the diversity of carp fish species. But large representatives (more than 80 cm) are not found so often. The most common types are medium-sized. The sizes mainly depend on the continent of habitat. Thus, North America is inhabited by small representatives, while in central Eurasia larger fish with a length of about 20−150 cm predominate.
The color can be different, the most common are light greenish and golden shades. But artificially bred selective species surprise with their variety of colors. Colored representatives of the natural environment are found in the tropical zone.
Living conditions
Cyprinids are predominantly freshwater species. Although there are some varieties that can tolerate the salt water of the Azov or Baltic Seas. And the Far Eastern rudd is able to live comfortably even in ocean waters. But absolutely all cyprinids go to fresh waters to spawn.
Fish of this family are considered to be heat-loving., but some breeds adapt to climatic conditions, otherwise they would not be able to spread beyond the Arctic Circle. And on the territory of Russia, where winters are often harsh, they would not be able to survive.
![](https://i2.wp.com/rybki.guru/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/karpovidnyh-min.jpg)
The main condition for choosing a reservoir for living is the availability of a large amount of food. Cyprinids are predators for the most part, which means they have an excellent appetite or even gluttony. Absolutely everything goes into the diet:
- small fish;
- insects;
- plants;
- cereals;
- larvae;
- crustaceans;
- various plankton.
The peak of gluttony occurs in the warm season. When the temperature drops sharply, the fish's appetite decreases. During the winter months, nutritional intensity drops to a minimum and returns to normal only with the arrival of spring.
Varieties of freshwater fish
There are countless species of freshwater fish from the Carp family; almost all representatives live in fresh water. But it is still possible to highlight a list of varieties that are especially popular.
Carps in nature
This group is of great interest to Russian fishermen and breeders. The fish meat is white, fatty, not bony. Suitable for frying and baking, as well as drying and drying. There are three types:
![](https://i1.wp.com/rybki.guru/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/karpovye-ryby.jpg)
The common features of carp are large size, similarity in appearance and omnivorousness. There is active reproduction and fishing of fish, which often turns into poaching. There is an active struggle against it, but not always successful.
![](https://i0.wp.com/rybki.guru/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/opisanie_karpovidnyh_v_akvariume-min.jpg)
Other species in the wild
Other species are also cyprinids and differ in external characteristics and territory of residence:
![](https://i2.wp.com/rybki.guru/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/belyj-amur-karp-min.jpg)
Fish come in different sizes, but all are subject to mass fishing. Some are used as a ram, others as bait. Some of them are bred in artificial reservoirs due to their pronounced taste and usefulness.
Aquarium cyprinids
Breeders have managed to breed many aquarium “carps”, which are also predators and have a pronounced temperament. But their size is modest, and they hunt only for live food, less often for small neighbors:
![](https://i0.wp.com/rybki.guru/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/akuley_balu_karp-min.jpg)
Of course, there are many more carp fish, but it is quite difficult to describe them all. The 15 species presented are popular among the Russian population and have characteristic features of the carp family.
Although cyprinids are considered the most common commercial fish, among them there are endangered species listed in the Red Book. Today there are 8 of them: black Amur bream, black carp, Russian bystryanka, small-scaled yellowfin, yellowcheek, Dnepropetrovsk barbel, carp, Azov-Black Sea shenaya. Half of them are endangered.
Cyprinidae, the richest family of the world's ichthyofauna in terms of species diversity, are quite widely represented in amateur aquariums. Distinctive features of cyprinids: absence of teeth on the jaws; instead, so-called pharyngeal teeth are developed on the lower pharyngeal parts of the gill apparatus; cycloid scales, well known to most from carp, crucian carp, and roach; millstone - a bone-horny pad on the lower part of the occipital bone of the skull. Some fish have antennae - usually no more than one or two pairs.
These fish are widely distributed in fresh and brackish waters throughout the world, with the exception of Australia, Madagascar and South America. Externally, many cyprinids are similar to characins. And this is not surprising - both the suborder Characinidae and the suborder Cypriniformes belong to the order Cypriniformes. And the carp family (Cyprinidae), as you might guess, forms the basis of the suborder Cyprinoidei.
Water eyes
Balantiocheilus melanopterus
The vast majority of aquarium cyprinids feed on zooplankton and its substitutes (dry food based on dried daphnia, hamarus, and bloodworms). It is advisable to add plant food to the diet of many cyprinids, otherwise the fish will begin to nibble on aquatic plants. It is very important to provide plant food for vegetarian carp species - bitterlings, rudd, as well as live food for predators - for example, three-lipped fish, lucios.
Barb biotope (Sumatra, Lake Toba)
Sumatran barb (Barbus tetrazona)
Reproduction of cyprinids - stimulation of spawning, development of eggs and larvae, feeding of young - is not fundamentally different from the reproduction of characins. For some very active fish, especially the barb oligolepis, a spawning grid on the bottom is required; it is also necessary when schooling for spawning, otherwise all the eggs may be eaten by the producers.
The spawning of bitterlings, Chersky's minnows and the like is very interesting. These amazing fish lay their eggs in the mantle cavity of bivalves (barley mollusks, toothless mollusks), which then act as a nanny until the fry are fully developed. In the absence of shells or at least their substitute models, one can hardly count on the successful reproduction of fish. The productivity of cyprinid fish varies from several dozen eggs (in small rasboras) to tens of thousands in large goldfish (labeo, carp).
Everett barb (Barbus everetti) – above, Arulius barb (Barbus arulius) – below
Scarlet barb (Barbus ticto "Odessa")
Barbs are one of the most popular fish in decorative aquariums, thanks to their bright multi-colored outfit, calm disposition and school behavior. In the literature, there are three genera of barbs - Barbodes, Capoeta, Puntius - differing in the number of pairs of antennae and the number of scales along the lateral line. And the shark barb, which is still very rare in our aquariums, belongs to the genus Balantiocheilus.
Typical cyprinid biotopes:
The history of breeding forms of goldfish, called goldfish, and colored koi carp goes back to ancient times. Mentions of them are known from 975–968. BC e. Currently, breeding work continues, never ceasing to delight us with an abundance of colors and shapes.
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Carp fry (Cyprinus carpio) |
Hela (Chela dadyburjori) |
Esomus (Esomus malayensis) |
Annual goldfish and koi exhibitions held by national and international associations attract the attention of spectators all over the world. Wild, natural forms of crucian carp and crucian carp occupy a place of honor there.
Representatives of the genera zebrafish, brachydanio, hela and ezomus are very similar in shape, color and housing conditions. These nimble fish are easily bred, unlike their brother Epalceorhynchus, which, despite all the efforts of amateurs and professionals, has not yet been bred in captivity, and its aquarium population is replenished by catching natural specimens.
Leopard Danio (Brachydanio "frankei") - left,
zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) – on the right
Rasboras are inhabitants of reservoirs in Southeast Asia. Their breeding was truly mastered several decades ago, almost simultaneously with the breeding of neons and other characins, since many rasboras need soft and acidic water, the parameters of which aquarists did not immediately learn to prepare and control. Currently, the reproduction of many species of rasboras has ceased to be a problem.
Cyprinidae biotope (South-East Asia, Cambodia)
The cardinal, found in the rivers of China, is very beautiful, undemanding to living conditions and can be recommended to beginning hobbyists. These small (about 5 cm) fish are able to reproduce at the age of 4–5 months. Eggs are laid on small-leaved plants. After 5–7 days, you can notice transparent fry, which should be fed with the smallest, carefully sifted “live dust” or ciliates. Gradually the size of the feed is increased. Cardinals can live without heating or aeration. It is important that there are no sudden changes in temperature. In domestic reservoirs there are a lot of interesting fish, not inferior to exotic ones in color and shape - the Amur basin is especially rich in them; in Central Asia - the basins of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya. Fans of domestic ichthyofauna began to introduce into aquariums all kinds of fish that are of interest to the world aquarium hobby. Very original are the pointed rays - inhabitants of the rivers of Central Asia. The dorsal fin in good specimens of males reaches the tail, but can be longer.
The attractive coloring and interesting behavior of Amur minnows can surprise even an experienced aquarist. For example, Chersky's gudgeon and gudgeon lay eggs in the mantle cavity of mollusks, but they can also hide them in a crack between stones. The false gudgeon builds a cone-shaped nest in the sand, where the females lay their eggs, and the male remains to look after them until the fry hatch.
The Carp family is one of the largest families among aquarium fish. It combines a large number of genera and species, both marine and freshwater representatives of the aquatic world. Under natural conditions, they can be found in reservoirs located in different latitudes of our globe. True, there is one exception. They cannot be found on the South American continent or in polar latitudes. Such prevalence and attractive appearance have made the fish very popular among aquarists around the world.
Speaking about habitat, it is still worth noting that aquarium carp fish are heat-loving fish. For this reason, if we consider their distribution from north to south, then we can confidently say that the population of cyprinid species increases as the water in reservoirs warms. This fact must be taken into account when breeding and propagating fish in a home aquarium.
Distinctive features of fish from the carp family
Aquarium carp fish, unlike others, have one characteristic feature that is unique to them. This is the complete absence of teeth in the oral cavity. All the food they find is ground by special pharyngeal teeth, which are special bony outgrowths. According to the nature of feeding, fish have different positions of the mouthparts:
- Superficial. As a rule, in nature, these representatives of the carp family feed on plankton and insects that accidentally fall on the water.
- Direct. With this position of the mouth, the fish obtain food for themselves in the water column and among algae.
- The lower position of the mouth allows it to obtain food at the bottom of the reservoir.
The body of most types of carp fish has a flattened shape. The head of young individuals is quite large in relation to the body. But with age, everything changes for them. The body stretches in length and height, making the head part visually small.
As for coloring, here, compared to most tropical fish that have settled in our aquariums, nature did not try very hard. She endowed the representatives of cyprinids with a uniform color limited to tones from bright silver to olive-brown. Although among the huge species diversity of fish there are quite interesting species.
The family of carp aquarium fish became popular thanks to the following species:
- gold fish
- Barbus
- Danio
- Cardinal
- Labeo
- Rasbora
One of the most popular aquarium fish of the carp family is the goldfish. With a long elongated body and an equally long dorsal fin, it can reach sizes of up to 15 centimeters. In addition, as can be seen in the photo of the carp fish, it has a bright and attractive golden-red color. These representatives of a large family, unpretentious in food, eagerly eat both plant foods and live food. Their content is simple. In an aquarium of 50 liters or more, it is better to put coarse sand or pebbles, as well as plant a sufficient amount of algae. Fish are very demanding when it comes to lighting.
Another equally popular aquarium fish belonging to the carp family is the Cardinal. She is very attractive thanks to her slender, elongated body, compressed from the sides. Most often they are brown or olive in color with yellow fins. In suitable conditions it can grow up to 5 centimeters. It can become a good neighbor for most other species due to its sociable nature. The Cardinal is not picky about food, so it can be given absolutely any type of food.
But these are not all aquarium fish; you can see photos of others on our website. Barbuses, found in nature only in Sri Lanka or India, also deserve attention. This olive-colored fish with an elongated body has a characteristic scarlet stripe running along the entire body. She prefers dark soil and a sufficient amount of vegetation. Against such a background, it will look quite impressive. Barbus fish, like their predecessors, are unpretentious in maintenance and nutrition. But a comfortable temperature regime for them should be in the range from 20°C to 28°C.
No less beautiful are the carp fish Danio rerio. These striped and spotted representatives of the family with a variety of colors, from bright red to blue, are known to every aquarist. They can be described as active, unpretentious fish with a peaceful character. They like to stay in flocks. And this makes them look simply amazing in a home aquarium. As a rule, they do not cause much trouble in maintenance. Thanks to this, they are enviably popular not only among beginners, but also among experienced aquarists.
Rasbora and Labeo fish are also amazing and attractive. They are also unpretentious and have a captivating appearance. True, their character is different. Rasbora fish are peaceful and calm, while Labeo are distinguished by their aggressive temper. Therefore, you should select carp fish very carefully for your aquarium. You can find out how to do this in our publications.
Keeping carp fish in a home aquarium
The carp family includes beautiful, very mobile and active fish. Most of them can easily get along with other species and families of aquarium representatives. Most often, fish prefer to stay in schools and stay in the water column. In their keeping, carp are known as unpretentious and ascetic fish. They can be fed dry, canned, frozen and live food.
When choosing an aquarium for them, you should proceed from their size and active lifestyle. Therefore, the container where representatives of carp fish will be kept must be quite spacious. This will allow them to swim without any restrictions. Most often, such fish require elongated aquariums. It is best to use dark varieties as soil. In this way, together with the use of bright vegetation, you can achieve a contrast of fish against the general background. Which will make them more noticeable and impressive.
As for the temperature regime when keeping carp fish in an aquarium, the most comfortable range will be within 22…24°C. Although some species may require an increase in temperature limits to 28°C. In most cases, without harm to health, fish can easily tolerate slight fluctuations in this regime.
In addition, keeping fish from the carp family will require certain lighting conditions. For many species, natural light will be sufficient. But there are species that will need additional lighting. With a lack of light, the fish become faded and less expressive, which can cause the aquarium to lose its attractiveness.
Carp fish reproduction
Almost all types of carp fish are not difficult to breed and reproduce. The onset of their mating season can always be determined by external signs. Traditionally, males change their color to a brighter one, which makes them overly attractive to females. In addition, new growths appear on the head, fins and scales of males. These are conical growths of epithelial origin.
You can determine the male of cyprinid fish by external signs. They are larger in size compared to females. Males have an elongated anal fin. Perhaps these are the most important differences. When purchasing fish of different ages, these differences may not be so noticeable. For example, a young male may differ little from an adult female. Therefore, you should purchase carp fish of the same age.
Fish of carp species breed in the second half of spring and summer. After spawning, all nuptial plumage disappears and the individuals acquire their original, familiar appearance. During this period, it is best to use aquariums of small height, but with sufficient volume. There are two ways to activate the reproduction process of carp fish:
- Reduce overall water hardness;
- Increase the temperature.
These are quite effective methods. As a rule, they work in most cases.
akvarym.com
Carp aquarium fish description reproduction photo video
Reproduction of cyprinids, stimulation of spawning, development of eggs and larvae, as well as feeding of juveniles does not differ from representatives of the characinoid suborder. There are many interesting cyprinids in domestic reservoirs.
Cyprinidae, the richest family of the world's ichthyofauna in terms of species diversity, are quite widely represented in amateur aquariums. Distinctive features of cyprinids: absence of teeth on the jaws; instead, so-called pharyngeal teeth are developed on the lower pharyngeal parts of the gill apparatus; cycloid scales, well known to most from carp, crucian carp, and roach; millstone - a bone-horny pad on the lower part of the occipital bone of the skull. Some fish have antennae - usually no more than one or two pairs.
These fish are widely distributed in fresh and brackish waters throughout the world, with the exception of Australia, Madagascar and South America. Externally, many cyprinids are similar to characins. And this is not surprising - both the suborder Characinidae and the suborder Cypriniformes belong to the order Cypriniformes. And the carp family (Cyprinidae), as you might guess, forms the basis of the suborder Cyprinoidei.
Water eyes
Balantiocheilus melanopterus
The vast majority of aquarium cyprinids feed on zooplankton and its substitutes (dry food based on dried daphnia, hamarus, and bloodworms). It is advisable to add plant food to the diet of many cyprinids, otherwise the fish will begin to nibble on aquatic plants. It is very important to provide plant food for vegetarian carp species - bitterlings, rudd, as well as live food for predators - for example, three-lipped fish, lucios.
Barb biotope (Sumatra, Lake Toba)
Sumatran barb (Barbus tetrazona)
Reproduction of cyprinids - stimulation of spawning, development of eggs and larvae, feeding of young - is not fundamentally different from the reproduction of characins. For some very active fish, especially the barb oligolepis, a spawning grid on the bottom is required; it is also necessary when schooling for spawning, otherwise all the eggs may be eaten by the producers.
The spawning of bitterlings, Chersky's minnows and the like is very interesting. These amazing fish lay their eggs in the mantle cavity of bivalves (barley mollusks, toothless mollusks), which then act as a nanny until the fry are fully developed. In the absence of shells or at least their substitute models, one can hardly count on the successful reproduction of fish. The productivity of cyprinid fish varies from several dozen eggs (in small rasboras) to tens of thousands in large goldfish (labeo, carp).
Everett barb (Barbus everetti) – above, Arulius barb (Barbus arulius) – below
Scarlet barb (Barbus ticto "Odessa")
Barbs are one of the most popular fish in decorative aquariums, thanks to their bright multi-colored outfit, calm disposition and school behavior. In the literature, there are three genera of barbs - Barbodes, Capoeta, Puntius - differing in the number of pairs of antennae and the number of scales along the lateral line. And the shark barb, which is still very rare in our aquariums, belongs to the genus Balantiocheilus.
Typical cyprinid biotopes:
The history of breeding forms of goldfish, called goldfish, and colored koi carp goes back to ancient times. Mentions of them are known from 975–968. BC e. Currently, breeding work continues, never ceasing to delight us with an abundance of colors and shapes.
Annual goldfish and koi exhibitions held by national and international associations attract the attention of spectators all over the world. Wild, natural forms of crucian carp and crucian carp occupy a place of honor there.
Representatives of the genera zebrafish, brachydanio, hela and ezomus are very similar in shape, color and housing conditions. These nimble fish are easily bred, unlike their brother Epalceorhynchus, which, despite all the efforts of amateurs and professionals, has not yet been bred in captivity, and its aquarium population is replenished by catching natural specimens.
Leopard zebrafish (Brachydanio "frankei") - left, zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) - right
Rasboras are inhabitants of reservoirs in Southeast Asia. Their breeding was truly mastered several decades ago, almost simultaneously with the breeding of neons and other characins, since many rasboras need soft and acidic water, the parameters of which aquarists did not immediately learn to prepare and control. Currently, the reproduction of many species of rasboras has ceased to be a problem.
Cyprinidae biotope (South-East Asia, Cambodia)
The cardinal, found in the rivers of China, is very beautiful, undemanding to living conditions and can be recommended to beginning hobbyists. These small (about 5 cm) fish are able to reproduce at the age of 4–5 months. Eggs are laid on small-leaved plants. After 5–7 days, you can notice transparent fry, which should be fed with the smallest, carefully sifted “live dust” or ciliates. Gradually the size of the feed is increased. Cardinals can live without heating or aeration. It is important that there are no sudden changes in temperature. In domestic reservoirs there are a lot of interesting fish, not inferior to exotic ones in color and shape - the Amur basin is especially rich in them; in Central Asia - the basins of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya. Fans of domestic ichthyofauna began to introduce into aquariums all kinds of fish that are of interest to the world aquarium hobby. Very original are the pointed rays - inhabitants of the rivers of Central Asia. The dorsal fin in good specimens of males reaches the tail, but can be longer.
The attractive coloring and interesting behavior of Amur minnows can surprise even an experienced aquarist. For example, Chersky's gudgeon and gudgeon lay eggs in the mantle cavity of mollusks, but they can also hide them in a crack between stones. The false gudgeon builds a cone-shaped nest in the sand, where the females lay their eggs, and the male remains to look after them until the fry hatch.
The male Amur chebak (Pseudorasbora parva) also cares for eggs and young, driving away potential enemies.
It is very interesting to observe the metamorphosis in the color of fish as they grow, mature and spawn. The amateur sometimes understands the mistakes of ichthyologists who described the juveniles of already known fish as a new species. Aquarium observations are indispensable here.
Chersky's gudgeon (Chilogobio czerskii)
The only representative of the Gyrinocheilidae family, which is part of the suborder Cyprinidae and is distinguished by the absence of pharyngeal teeth, the sucker fish, has appeared in aquariums quite recently.
Amur false gudgeon (Pseudogobio rivularis)
Breeding was possible only through the use of hormonal stimulation of spawning. According to the observations of V.M. Mikheev spawning behavior resembles the behavior of barbs. Gyrinoheilaceae (the family contains only one genus, including 3 species) are very useful in the aquarium, as they clean it of fouling.
aquarium-fish-home.ru
Carp
![](https://i2.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_26.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_27.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_28.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_29.jpg)
- Barbus mutant or mossy
![](https://i2.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_30.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_31.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_32.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_33.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_34.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_35.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_36.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_37.jpg)
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![](https://i1.wp.com/akvaruym.ru/img/rybki-karpovye-akvariumnye_39.jpg)
Cyprinids are very common in nature and popular in the aquarium hobby. These are usually one of the first fish that hobbyists get, but experienced aquarists also have them. Cyprinids (Cyprinidae) are a large group of freshwater fish that share similarities with carp. They live all over the world: in Africa, Europe, North America. They are only absent in South America and Australia. Such a variety of bitops also gives rise to a variety of shapes and sizes; they can be either giant or tiny. Among the fish kept in the aquarium there are such popular ones as: barbs, zebrafish, rasboras. One of the best fish among algae eaters is the Siamese algae eater, and large fish: shark baloo and pangasius. Also goldfish, but we have a separate section for them.
The main part is carp, excellent fish for beginner aquarists. They are undemanding, adapt well to different parameters, but prefer soft, sour water. Clean and fresh water and regular changes are required. The water temperature in the aquarium is about 24°C. Many of them are schooling and for successful keeping you need to buy at least a dozen fish.
Jan 2, 2015admin
catfishes.ru
Subcategory: carp
The cardinal (Tanichthys albonubes) is a fairly famous freshwater aquarium fish of the carp family, native to Asia. Until recently, the cardinal was the only species of the genus of cardinals (Tanichthys), but in 2001 Freikhof and Herder described a new, very similar species, Tanichthys micagemmae, also found in Asia, and V. Nguyen and S. V. Ngo described a third species from Vietnam, Tanichthys thacbaensis.
Continuation
Zebrafish colored fluorescent (luminescent) are the first genetically modified fish and the first aquarium fish to receive a glowing gene. GloFish is a patented brand of genetically engineered luminescent fish. The colored GloFish zebrafish glow under natural white light and ultraviolet rays. Nowadays, colored glowing danios come in a wide variety of colors: bright red, green, orange-yellow, blue and purple. Initially, luminescent zebrafish were not created for trade at all.
Continuation
The glowing (neon) zebrafish or sky chopra (Celestichthys choprae) is a small aquarium fish that was first described in 1928. Translated from Latin, “caelestis” means heavenly, and “choprae” is the name received in honor of Dr. B.N. Chopra, who first collected the original specimens. The glowing zebrafish appeared in the aquarium trade in 2003, but immediately became one of the most popular small aquarium fish.
Continuation
Black barb (Barbus nigrofasciatus) is an aquarium fish from the genus Puntius, the carp family, sometimes also called the purple-headed barb. Beautiful schooling, rather peaceful aquarium fish, suitable for keeping in a community aquarium.
Continuation
Barbus denisonii or Rosselin shark (Barbus denisonii) is an amazingly beautiful aquarium fish of quite large size that appeared in the aquarium hobby not so long ago. The capture of these fish for trade has resulted in the species being endangered.
Continuation
The Schubert barb (Puntius semifasciolatus) is a selectively bred form of the wild green barb, which is extremely rare on the market. On the contrary, the Schubert barb is currently bred in large quantities for commercial purposes and this aquarium fish can always be found on sale. Currently, few people know that the Schubert barb is not a fish caught in the wild, but only a consequence of selection.
Continuation
The fire barb or neon pink barb (Puntius conchonius) is one of the most colorful varieties bred from the popular pink barb. The fire barb is truly striking with its glowing bright pink body. A flock of these glowing beauties looks amazing, they are in constant motion and are very interesting to watch. The fire barb is just one of several cultivars derived from the wild species of pink barb (Puntius conchonius).
Colorful fire barbs are not only beautiful, but also undemanding and hardy, making them suitable for beginners to keep. Like all varieties of pink barb, this species should be kept in a school of at least 4-6 aquarium fish. A flock of active, mobile fire barbs will create a very dynamic aquarium, attracting attention with bright colors.
Continuation
aquamir-za-steklom.ru
The largest family bred in artificial conditions is the aquarium carp fish. Their behavior is active, so compatible neighbors should be chosen. Most representatives of the carp family (Cyprinidae) are not difficult to care for; they adapt relatively easily to changing external conditions. Most cyprinids are gregarious. Representatives live in almost all layers of the aquarium. For beginners, here is a list of the easiest carp fish to keep:
- barbs
- zebrafish
- rasboras
- cardinals
- labeo
Behavior and Compatibility
Almost all types of cyprinids are very active. Dimensions largely determine the level of compatibility. For example, zebrafish and cardinalfish are small, so they can pose a threat only to fry. Barbs are a little larger in size and not as tolerant, so they will not be good neighbors for calm fish (especially with long fins). In order to start an aquarium, first decide what kind of inhabitants you want to see: active or calm, independent or gregarious, peaceful or aggressive. Then choose the most compatible types. Only this approach will save you from many beginner mistakes.
Breeding at home
Basically, a separate container is needed for reproduction. Cyprinids, unlike viviparous species, require a more careful approach to organizing conditions that will facilitate reproduction. Aeration and filtration are necessary for most of these species. The combination of external conditions in combination with balanced feeding creates favorable conditions for reproduction. You will have to put in more effort and patience than with viviparous fish, but the process is much more interesting. The fry hatched from the eggs should be fed with the smallest food, gradually increasing its size. Initially, hard-boiled mashed egg yolk, rotifers or artemia nauplii are suitable for feeding. It is important to provide frequent meals in small portions.
Types of carp aquarium fish with photos and names
Barbs
Representatives of this species are very fussy and fast. Compatible with active fish of similar and larger sizes. Angelfish and gouramis can have their tails chewed off, so they should not be kept with calm relatives. They feed on all types of food and readily eat plant food: cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, dandelion leaves. Moderately demanding of care: they require aeration and a filter. The optimal temperature is from 21°C to 25°C. There are more than fifteen breeds of this species, so choosing pets of a suitable color is not a problem. The most common are Sumatran barbs with wide transverse stripes along the body. Spawning requires a separate tank with a volume of at least ten liters.
Danio
The fish are schooling, their character is peaceful, and they are highly active. They go well with calm species of similar size. For reproduction, the pair is placed in a separate container. Danio has a translucent elongated body. There are forms with a speckled pattern and longitudinal stripes (leopard print), with different colors: pink, beige, white, green, yellow. There are veil breeds with enlarged caudal fins. They prefer to stay in the upper layers of water. Temperature range from 20°C to 25°C. They are omnivores and can adapt well to feeding only dry food, but require live feeding for reproduction. Danios should not be overfed. They need good aeration, water purification and regular water changes.
Rasbory
They do not show aggression and get along well with calm neighbors who do not differ much in size. Rasboras are gregarious and have a bright color that adds color to the mini-aquaworld. They do not require special living conditions, but do need abundant vegetation. They are easy to care for and breed. Everything is eaten, but for normal development and existence, live food is required. Favorable temperature range from 23°C to 27°C. Filtration and aeration are desirable. For spawning, the spawners are transferred to a separate vessel with a capacity of four to eight liters. The aquarium fish in the photo above is the most popular and is called the cuneiform rasbora.
The Japanese koi carp is an amazing large fish that is often kept in ponds. Experienced aquarists keep aquarium carp, the size of which is much smaller than that of pond specimens. Carps come from the same family as goldfish, but have different genus. The genus of carp is koi, the genus of goldfish is crucian carp.
A species of freshwater ornamental fish from the carp family. The body size of pond inhabitants is on average 90–100 cm, less often 130 cm. In the aquarium, koi carps are small - 20–30 cm, but there are species up to 70 cm.
Breeders evaluate the appearance of koi carp. Body parts must obey certain proportions.
Body parts
Most species have a large, broad head with a blunt nose. The pectoral fins are highly developed. The body begins to narrow in the area of the dorsal fin. When viewed from above, the body looks even and proportional. Breeders look at the skin, the color should be bright, the skin should be healthy, and the spots on the body should be clearly limited and distributed evenly over the entire surface. The pattern on the body is commensurate with a carp.
How long do koi carps live?
Ornamental carps are long-lived, in captivity they live up to 35 years, with good care they can live up to 100. There are known cases of reaching 220 years.
Kinds
Koi look varied and interesting. Predominant colors:
- red;
- cream;
- black;
- white;
- cream;
- blue.
More than 80 breeds are known. Koi carp are divided into 16 groups based on similar characteristics.
- Kohaku. White fish with red-orange spots.
- Taise Sanseku. White koi carp with red and black spots.
- Seva Sanseku. Black carp with red and white splashes.
- Utsurimono. Black carp with colored spots.
- Bakko. Body color: red, orange, white or yellow. Dark spots are evenly distributed on the body.
- Tante. A distinctive feature is a red spot on the head. A smooth round spot is especially valued. The color is different.
- Asagi. Koi with bluish and gray scales on their back and a red or orange belly.
- Shusui. A type of mirror carp with two rows of large scales from head to tail.
- Koromo. Koi with red and black-red spots. Outwardly they resemble kohaku; they are distinguished by spots with dark edging.
- Kinginrin. Carps of different colors with pearlescent and golden tints. Shine is achieved by the special structure of the scales. There are individuals of gold and silver shades.
- Kawarimono. Inherent in carps that do not belong to existing breed standards.
- Fire. The color of ogons is monochromatic; there are fish of yellow, orange, red and gray colors.
- Hikari-moemono. Koi with a metallic sheen and various colors.
- Goshiki. Black carp with splashes of red, yellow or blue.
- Doitsu goyim. Varieties without scales or with rows of large scales, like mirror carp.
- Kumonryu. The name translates as “dragon fish”. Black koi with white spots.
There are cases of keeping koi not only in home-made ponds, but also in illuminated city fountains. It is allowed to keep koi carp in an aquarium with high-quality and constant maintenance. You can't do without expensive equipment. Japanese carp are demanding when it comes to water purity. Water parameters:
- temperature 15–30 degrees;
- pH 7–7.5, during treatment of fish it is allowed to increase the value to 8;
- hardness 1–7.
Reservoir dimensions
Koi are active fish and require a lot of space for normal development. For every centimeter of a fish's body there is at least 5 liters of water. Keep in mind that fish grow as they live. Koi are kept in an aquarium of 500 liters or more.
Scenery
When decorating an aquarium, focus on the colorful inhabitants. Pisces look great against a plain background. Fish love to dig and move decorations. Think about the color combination in advance: bright fish look impressive against a dark background.
Limit yourself to a minimum of plants and accessories - excess design distracts from contemplating the koi and takes up space in the aquarium. Choose sandy or fine gravel soil.
Equipment
Equipment you will need:
- Filter. A large aquarium requires a powerful filter. Choose external devices. They are more powerful and provide high-quality filtration. You may need several devices for proper filtration.
- Compressor. Koi carps require oxygenation of the water. For filtration and aeration, purchase two different devices. You should not entrust aeration to a filter.
- Lamp. For the brightness of the color of koi, intense lighting and adherence to the light regime of the day are required.
Vegetation
Refrain from planting plants in the ground - carps will dig up the greens. Place several hanging pots in the aquarium at a distance of 15 cm from the bottom. Place plastic plants.
Care
Like other inhabitants of reservoirs, brocade carp requires attention to the purity of the water and the composition and nutritional standards.
Feeding
Koi are omnivores. Combine dry and live food. Do not allow food to settle on the ground; carps should eat food within 5 minutes. The amount of food poured in should not exceed 3% of the total weight of aquarium fish. Feed 2-3 times a day in small portions. Suitable food:
- cereals;
- lettuce leaves;
- dandelion;
- worms;
- crustaceans Cyclops and Daphnia;
- shrimps;
- chicken eggs.
In cold times
Provide your carp with a comfortable winter. As the weather gets colder, carp prepare for hibernation, their appetite decreases, and their diet is dominated by algae. In pond conditions, do not lower the water temperature below 4 degrees; punch several holes in the ice, which you will provide with a heater and an aerator. Wintering is easier in an aquarium.
Compatibility
Koi are not compatible with many fish species. Choose neighbors of similar character and size:
- goldfish;
- Ancistrus;
- Plecostomus.
The greatest compatibility remains with other brocade carps. Little roommates will be eaten.
Carps are peaceful and active. During adaptation to the aquarium they are shy, but soon become active fish.
Breeding
Carp rarely breed in an aquarium. To breed koi at home, you need a huge tank. Reproduction occurs in spring and summer at a temperature of 20 degrees. Choose the most beautiful manufacturers. Mature individuals reach 23 cm, the male differs from the female:
- powerful pectoral fins;
- less weighty body;
- narrow head shape;
- the appearance of growths on the gills (tubercles).
When breeding, feed your koi carp live protein food and change the water frequently. Remember that parents are prone to eating eggs and fry. Prepare a container in advance in which to place the eggs. The fry begin to hatch a week after the eggs are laid. Due to their special structure, the fry are attached to the ground or plants and lie there until they hatch completely. When young individuals learn to swim on their own, they occasionally swim to the surface of the water, then start feeding. Take care of aeration and cleanliness of water.
- Make sure that the surface on which the aquarium stands can support the weight of the pond. Keeping koi in an aquarium requires durable floors.
- When buying pet food, pay attention to the expiration date and compliance with storage conditions. Avoid loose feed.
- The water in the aquarium is free of cloudiness and foreign odor. If the water quality is low, increase filtration and aeration, and check the water with special tests.
- Fish sleep in complete darkness. Don't forget to turn off the lights at night.
- Combine biological and mechanical filtration. Purifying water with the help of colonies of beneficial bacteria will provide your pets with a full-fledged existence.
Koi carps are smart and charming aquarium fish. They remember the owner, feed from hands and even allow themselves to be petted. Feeding the fish can be accompanied by some sound, for example, knocking on the glass of the aquarium. Then the carp will react to the sound, realizing that it is time for lunch.