Golden catfish: how to distinguish a male from a female. Golden catfish
Goldfish was everyone's childhood dream. Remember how everyone thought that she would definitely fulfill any wish?
Unfortunately, such magical animals do not exist, but there are golden catfish that are similar in appearance. Looking at them, you can imagine that they appeared in your home straight from a children's fairy tale.
Do you want to become the owner of a goldfish? In this article you will learn a lot about it wonderful resident underwater world.
A little history
In some countries South America The catfish is truly considered a fish that brings happiness. Many people think that the reason for this is its color, which resembles gold, so they use it as a money talisman.
And some residents pass on from generation to generation a story about how a golden catfish helped one person in a difficult situation.
By the way, this legend is in many ways similar to our fairy tale about the goldfish.
Only there appears one fisherman who owes a huge sum to a local robber. Robber threatened man with death only daughter. Almost sobbing, the fisherman brought him his recent catch, consisting of a single catfish; he had nothing else. But the robber, when he saw the net with the fish, returned the daughter to her father. The man was perplexed for a long time about the reason for such a strange act. Later for a long time When the robber had already gone to the next world, among his things they found a figurine of a fish made of pure gold. Then the fisherman realized that the catfish had turned into a piece precious metal to save his daughter.
In gratitude for this, the man told this story to everyone in the settlement.
Whether this is true or not, only you can judge. But in any case, with your care, a catfish can really become a talisman and bring good luck.
General description
Golden catfish belong to the genus Corydoras. The body of such fish is covered with bony plates that protect them from external influences.
In nature, they live in Central and South America.
Since the fish feeds on the remains of food that has sunk to the bottom of the reservoir, it has special spines on its fins to move along the sandy bottom.
The sexual difference lies in the shape of the fins. Males have a pointed tip, while females have a rounder tip. As a rule, female individuals are larger, so they are easy to distinguish from each other.
Corydoras come in all sorts of shades: from albino to blue-black. But you need to be careful when choosing them. If you see that the color of the fish is too bright and saturated, then it is better to refuse to buy a catfish. Unscrupulous sellers often use harmful chemicals to change the shade of the scales. Make a choice in favor of natural and natural colors, one of which is the golden catfish. This type of fish will decorate your aquarium. sun rays reflected in the water will make its color bright and iridescent.
The golden catfish, the photo of which is presented below, is truly a fish worth breeding!
He does not require constant attention, but it is interesting for everyone to watch him!
The peaceful behavior of the catfish perfectly contributes to its proximity to other aquarium fish that are friendly. It is better to organize a company of six comrades for him.
This fish is unpretentious, but needs conditions suitable for its life.
Golden catfish are aquarium inhabitants that require shade. It can be created using stones, large curved sticks, and other natural materials, which can be bought at any pet store or brought from the nearest forest. Of course, if you decide to use the second option, then the aquarium blanks must be thoroughly washed.
It would also be good to place a plant with wide leaves in the fish’s future home, which will create shade.
The love of constantly digging up the soil in search of food can harm the antennae. Therefore, it is better to pour fine sand into the aquarium, which is safe for such a whim of the fish.
The water must be balanced, and the temperature is not recommended to exceed 25 degrees.
Nutrition
As food, you can use the most ordinary food that you find on a store shelf, but you should take into account the fact that the fish likes to feed on its remains that have already settled in the ground. It’s better to buy a natural and proven option, first asking for advice from a consultant at a pet store.
The golden catfish, which does not require any special maintenance, will give you a good mood!
Breeding
Reproduction in catfish occurs after the onset of sexual maturity. It can begin at eight months or at twelve.
Golden catfish, the breeding of which is quite simple, is very active during the spawning period. Although in usual time he behaves modestly in the aquarium.
Now we need to create as much as possible comfortable conditions for spawning. Golden catfish, which breed before the onset of the rainy season, are accustomed to lower water temperatures. You also need to provide it with a slightly acidic environment.
It’s not always possible to create it the first time necessary conditions for fish. But you can try again and again to add fresh water and lower its temperature.
Spawning occurs when the males begin to chase the female around the aquarium. They tickle her with their whiskers until she finds a suitable place to lay her eggs.
Mating begins when the male releases milk to the eggs already deposited in the female's pelvic fins.
After the end of spawning, which can last a couple of days, the fish should be removed from the aquarium. If this is not done, then they may themselves eat the eggs that are laid on the plants or walls of the aquarium.
After just three days, larvae may appear (there is no need to feed them, as they feed on their yolk sac), which after five days turn into fry. They should already be given catfish food, which should first be ground in a blender or coffee grinder. Many people also use a mortar for this.
When the fry grow up, you can gradually introduce finely chopped shrimp into their diet, and then try giving them complete food for catfish.
General information
As you can see, golden catfish can live in the most normal conditions, so breeding them is not difficult even for beginners in this matter. The main thing is to remember that fish also need love and care, then they will delight you for a long time! When choosing food or equipment for an aquarium, it is advisable to consult with a pet store representative.
Golden catfish or Corydoras aeneus - detailed description, photos, videos, features of keeping and breeding in a home aquarium
Description of the genus “Corydoras”
Order: Cypriniformes
Suborder: Catfish (Siluroidei)
Family: Armored catfish (Callichthyidae)
inhabit Central America, northern and central parts of South America. They usually live in silty, slow-flowing and standing waters.
The body is stocky, slightly elongated in length, with a high anterior part, the abdominal profile is almost straight, the sides are somewhat flattened and covered with 2 rows of bone plates. There are a pair of antennae on the upper and lower jaws. Caudal fin two-bladed. Pectoral fin with a powerful spiny ray. The pectoral and ventral fins are well developed. There is an adipose fin. In the male, the upper end of the dorsal fin is pointed, in the female it is rounded. A female ready for spawning has a curved abdominal profile.
Fish have additional intestinal respiration, so it is necessary to provide access to the surface of the water to capture air. They love shelter, but also willingly lie on rocks and snags. They dig in the ground in search of food. A group of fish can be kept in community aquarium, in places there are thickets, stones and snags.
Feed: live, substitutes. Taken from the ground.
For spawning, it is preferable to plant a group of fish at the age of 1.5 years (4-6 males and 2-3 females or 2-3 males and 1 female), which are kept separately for a week before this. Spawning both in general and in a spawning aquarium with a length of 70 cm, arranged as a general one. Frequent addition of fresh water stimulates spawning.
The females begin to swim restlessly, pursued by the males. Then one of them stands sideways in front of the female’s head and releases sperm, while the female at this time lays several eggs in the pelvic fins folded in a scoop and swims through the cloud of sperm. In some fish species, the female then cleans a plant leaf, aquarium glass, or some other solid object and glues the eggs to it, pressing against it and opening the ventral fins; in other species, it opens its pelvic fins and swims among small-leaved plants (aquarists most often use Java moss as a substrate), leaving sticky eggs on them. This process is repeated several times and can last from several hours to 3 days, depending on the type of fish.
At this time, it is recommended to feed the fish with enchytraeus or tubifex so that they are not hungry, because. often the female eats the eggs. After spawning, the fish are removed or the substrate with eggs is transferred to an incubator (if the eggs are deposited on the glass of the aquarium, they are carefully removed with a razor). The incubation period depends on the temperature and type of fish and is 3-12 days; the fry swim in 1-4 days.
Starter food: live dust.
Other species of the genus:
Golden catfish: keeping and breeding fish.
Size up to 7 cm.
Lives in water bodies of South America.
Males are slightly smaller than females and have a sharper dorsal.
Golden catfish - bottom fish. Very unpretentious, peaceful. Lives in water of any chemical composition.
Temperature for keeping from 23 to 28 °C.
Just like the previous view, golden catfish undemanding to oxygen dissolved in water. Takes dry and live food. When actively searching for food, it constantly digs into the ground, stirring up bottom sediments. Catfish prefer twilight lighting. If the aquarium is heavily lit, choose places in it that are protected from direct light by plant leaves, darkened shelters and various crevices. When designing an aquarium, this feature of catfish and other fish species should be taken into account.
Preparation for spawning and the spawning tank are the same as for the previous species. Spawning occurs when temperature changes and decreases atmospheric pressure. It is desirable that these factors coincide.
The chemical composition of the water does not matter when diluting. The temperature in the spawning tank should be within the temperature range for maintenance, but it is better to increase it by 2-3 °C. The eggs are spawned on the leaves of plants or side walls aquarium The eggs can be left in the aquarium by removing the spawners from the spawning area and installing a sprayer next to the egg laying. You can carefully scrape the eggs from the glass with a razor blade and place them in a clean aquarium with a perforator net set 3 cm below the water level. Water is poured into this aquarium from the spawning tank. The caviar is scattered in an even layer over the mesh and a sprayer is installed. The caviar, like that of other catfish species, is hard. After 2-3 days the larvae emerge, and after another 5-6 days they turn into fry.
Starter feed- brine shrimp, finely chopped tubifex.
When raising a significant number of fry, it is necessary to take into account that most catfish and their fry do not tolerate sharp decline pH values caused by dense packing of fry and a large number organic deposits in water.
The female lays about 150 eggs. The interval between litters is 10-12 days.
Video
Golden catfish / Corydoras aeneus - Aquarium tropical fish #20
Spawning of Corydoras aeneus
Golden catfish, Catfish want to become Dolphins / Corydoras aeneus
gold coridorases -Corydoras aeneus
What fish are best for a home aquarium? Peaceful, small in size, with attractive colors. Golden or bronze catfish is just one of these fish. What they are, how to care for them and how to breed them - you will find all this and much more in this article.
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Description
The bronze or golden catfish is a species of corydoras. This breed of fish belongs to the group of armored catfish. It is easy to recognize golden catfish:
- stocky elongated body;
- antennae on the jaws;
- bone plates on the sides (they are clearly visible in the photo);
- bronze-gold color of the body with a green stripe on the sides.
There are small spines on the body and dorsal fin. Thorns and bone plates serve as a method of protection against predatory waterfowl.
Separately, we can distinguish the veiled subspecies of golden catfish. It differs from its relatives in the elongated size of its dorsal fin. Otherwise, this fish is completely similar to an ordinary golden catfish. These aquarium inhabitants have a peaceful character. They spend a lot of time hiding in shelters or moving along the bottom of the aquarium in search of food.
In nature, golden catfish can be found in small bodies of water in Central and South America. These fish choose rivers from slow flow, less often they settle in ponds and lakes. In search of food, they can get out onto mud flats. They have so-called intestinal respiration, they are able to breathe air through their mouths, and catfish can move along the bottom thanks to the spines on their pectoral fins.
Corydoras appeared in Russia in the second half of the twentieth century and immediately fell in love with aquarists. Golden catfish have small size, so they are suitable even for small aquariums. Females grow up to 7 cm in length, males are slightly smaller. At good conditions When kept, catfish live up to 5 years.
The great popularity of corydoras among aquarists is explained by the fact that this fish is unpretentious to living conditions. Even a novice breeder can cope with it, but for an experienced aquarist You will like a fish with a golden color. And yet, to organize a comfortable space in an aquarium with bronze catfish, you need to know some features.
Golden catfish is not demanding chemical composition water. The temperature that is comfortable for fish can range from 23 to 28 degrees. Water hardness can be in the range of 5-25 units, acidity 6-7.5. The only thing that catfish do not tolerate well is water with a lot of salt. Fresh water is more suitable for these fish.
Golden corydoras do not tolerate bright lighting. Therefore, it is advisable to place the aquarium not on the sunny side, away from light sources. In the aquarium itself, various shelters are welcome - driftwood, broad-leaved plants, stones. Bronze catfish are schooling fish, so keep at least 6 individuals.
The aquarium itself needs to be spacious. Depending on quantity fish will do capacity from 40 to 100 liters. It is better to fill the bottom with sand or fine gravel. Rougher soil can cause damage to the sensitive antennae.
Feeding
Golden catfish are good because they are omnivorous and picky when choosing food. But for their healthy development they need nutritious food. Alternate live and dry food, because not only the well-being, but also the beauty of the color of the corydoras depends on high-quality and varied nutrition.
Catfish eat whatever they find at the bottom of the aquarium. They happily pick up pieces of food that remain after feeding other fish. If the golden catfish is your first inhabitant of the aquarium, pre-chopped brine shrimp and tubifex are suitable as initial food.
Who do they get along with?
As we have already said, golden catfish are peaceful creatures. They will happily coexist with the same non-conflict fish species. Catfish get along well with platies, swordtails, fish of the characin family, guppies and others water inhabitants small sizes. But the big ones aggressive fish– cichlids and barbs are undesirable neighbors for corydoras.
Diseases
Like all living things, catfish can get sick. How can you tell if your fish is unwell? Her behavior or coloring changes, she becomes lethargic or loses her appetite. Often such changes can be a reaction to stress caused by improper living conditions. Review your diet and check the water temperature.
Reproduction
Breeding catfish is quite simple. To speed up the readiness for reproduction, you can enrich the fish’s diet with protein foods. Also stimulate catfish to spawn by factors such as changing water in large quantities, A little increased level acidity and a decrease in water temperature by 2-3 degrees. When the fish are ready to have offspring, they become more mobile and active; the males tickle the female with their antennae, thereby stimulating her readiness to spawn.
The female prepares a place in the depths of the aquarium where she will lay eggs. The spawning process can last several days, after which the parent fish must be removed, otherwise they will begin to eat the eggs. To better understand the reproduction process in catfish, watch the following video (author - i2cute4words).
Fry
Newly laid eggs are almost transparent, but the next day they darken. After 4-5 days, larvae emerge from the eggs. During the first days they feed on substances contained in the caviar sacs. Then the fry need to be fed: ciliates are suitable as food. Over time, crushed shrimp are added, and then transferred to regular catfish food.
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Photo gallery
Video “Golden corridors”
How do golden catfish spend their time in the aquarium? Watch the video from Paul zik.
Golden catfish
Golden catfish or bronze catfish (lat. Corydoras aeneus, also bronze shellfish) is small and beautiful aquarium fish, which, like many catfish, comes from the Corydoras genus.
They belong to the family of armored catfish - callichthyidae, and their body is covered with protective bony plates.
Characterized by their livability, interesting behavior With their small size and beautiful colors, corydoras are well suited for experienced and beginner aquarists. And the golden catfish is no exception; you will learn further how to keep, feed and breed it.
Small, active and peaceful, the bronze catfish (Corydoras aeneus) is a color variation of another species, the green corydoras. Corydoras have different colors - green, bronze, albino, and even black, and like many other fish, bronze catfish Dye can be added to enhance its color.
If you doubt the naturalness of the color, it is better to refuse the purchase. It is also worth taking a closer look at the condition of the mustache and belly; if it is sunken, then the fish may be pulled in.
Like all corydoras, the golden one is covered with bony plates for protection. In addition, the dorsal fin and body are covered with small spines, and when frightened, it bristles with them.
This is protection from predators in nature. However, this interferes when you catch them with a net and you should be careful not to injure the fish.
IN home aquarium We love the golden catfish for its peaceful disposition, activity, and undemanding nature. And also small in size, up to 7 cm, and these are females, and males are smaller.
Unassuming, aquarium golden catfish tolerate a variety of conditions. However, it prefers water with a neutral pH, soft and a temperature not higher than 26 C.
They do not tolerate salinity of water well, and if you use salt in the aquarium, it is better to replant them. Like other corydoras, the bronze prefers to live in a flock and should be kept from 5 individuals in the aquarium.
Bronze catfish love to dig in the ground in search of food. To prevent them from damaging their sensitive antennae, it is better to use coarse soil, sand or fine gravel.
Catfish love aquariums with plenty of hiding places (rocks or driftwood) and floating plants on the surface of the water. The water level is better not high, the same as in the tributaries of the Amazon, where it lives in nature.
Feeding
Corydoras aeneus is omnivorous and will eat anything that falls to its bottom. In order for the fish to develop fully, it is necessary to feed it with a variety of food, with the obligatory addition of live food.
Since the catfish feeds from the bottom, make sure it gets sufficient quantity food and he does not remain hungry after feeding other fish.
Alternatively, you can feed him at night or at sunset. Golden catfish remain active in the dark and will be able to eat to their heart's content.
Sex differences
You can distinguish a female from a male by size; females are always much larger and have a fuller and more rounded abdomen.
However, the female’s differences are guaranteed to appear only in mature age. Usually, a lot of young fish are bought for breeding, and over time they themselves create pairs.
Breeding
Reproduction of golden catfish is quite simple. Buy a dozen young animals and after a while you will have one or two pairs ready for spawning. Males are always smaller and more graceful than females, especially when viewed from above.
In preparation for breeding, goldens need to be fed protein foods - bloodworms, brine shrimp and catfish tablets.
It is better to have slightly acidic water; a large water change serves as a signal for the start of spawning.
and a drop in temperature of several degrees. The fact is that in nature, spawning occurs at the beginning of the rainy season, and it is precisely these conditions that trigger the natural mechanism of the catfish.
But if you didn’t succeed the first time, don’t despair, try again after a while, gradually lowering the temperature and adding fresh water.
In a general aquarium, timid, during the spawning period the golden catfish becomes extremely active. The males chase the female throughout the aquarium, tickling her back and sides with their antennae.
In this way they stimulate her to spawn. Once the female is ready, she chooses a spot in the aquarium, which she cleans thoroughly. This is where she will lay her eggs.
The beginning of mating is standard for Corydoras. The so-called T-position, when the female’s head is located opposite the male’s abdomen and resembles the letter T on top.
The female tickles the pelvic fins of the male with her antennae and he releases milk. At the same time, the female lays from one to ten eggs in her ventral fins.
The female uses her fins to direct milk to the eggs. After fertilization, the female takes the eggs to the place she has prepared. This is followed by mating until the female completely lays aside the eggs.
Usually this is about 200-300 eggs. Spawning can last several days.
Immediately after spawning, the spawners need to be removed or the eggs removed, as they can eat them.
If you decide to remove the eggs, wait a day beforehand and move them without contact with air. Over the course of a day, the caviar will darken; at first it is transparent and almost invisible.
After 4-5 days the larva will hatch, the duration depends on the water temperature. For the first 3-4 days, the larva consumes the contents of its yolk sac and does not need to be fed.
Then the fry can be fed with ciliates or crushed catfish food, artemia nauplii, then switched to crushed shrimp and finally to regular food.
For good growth It is extremely important to replace water regularly, about 10% daily or every other day.
Post navigationCurrently supplied under a single name various types of the genus Corydoras, since there is still no generally accepted point of view on who is considered the true Corydoras aeneus. Some representatives that have a body pattern characteristic only of them are highlighted in individual species, for example, Emerald catfish, Corydoras Julie, Speckled catfish, etc. In turn, the name “Golden catfish” is rather collective, uniting several very similar species, originating from different regions South American continent.
Requirements and conditions:
- Aquarium volume - from 40 liters.
- Temperature - 21–27°C
- pH value - 6.0 - 8.0
- Water hardness - soft to medium hard (5–18 dH)
- Substrate type - coarse sand, small smooth pebbles
- Lighting - moderate
- Brackish water - no
- Water movement - moderate/weak
Fish parameters:
- Size - up to 7 cm.
- Food - any drowning person
- Life expectancy - up to 10 years
Habitat
Lives in most parts river systems South America. It has been bred in captivity all over the world for a long time, so you will find specimens caught for sale in wild environment, almost impossible.
Description
A tall, short body covered with a shell of bony plates arranged in two rows. Adult females are much larger and wider than males, especially during the spawning period. The color is mostly monochromatic, golden or with a bronze tint; other similar colors are also widespread. color variations, including an albino catfish.
Nutrition
Any food: dry, live or frozen. The main condition is that it must be sinking. The golden catfish feeds at the bottom and does not float to the surface to the feeder. Optimal diet consists of a combination of several types of feed. Feed 2-3 times a day in an amount eaten within 5 minutes. Residues are removed from the aquarium.
A general aquarium with a soft substrate of coarse sand, small pebbles are allowed. There are no requirements for other design, however, a certain amount of shelter in the form of snags and thickets of plants is welcome.
Water parameters do not have special significance, if they are within an acceptable range. The minimum set of equipment includes a filter, heater, aerator and lighting system; additional devices are purchased as needed and the requirements of other aquarium neighbors.
Maintenance includes weekly cleaning of the substrate from organic waste(uneaten leftover food, excrement) and replacing part of the water by 15–20%. Intervals can be increased if the aquarium is sparsely populated and/or if a high-performance filtration system is installed.
Behavior
Breeding/reproduction
A clear sign of imminent spawning is the significantly enlarged belly of the female. From this moment of detection, you should make daily water changes up to 50% of the volume and gradually lower the temperature by 2-3 degrees below normal. Be sure to increase aeration by adding additional sprayers.
These activities should be carried out until the female lays eggs; she usually attaches them to glass or dense plant leaves. The eggs are carefully removed into a separate tank; you can use a simple glass jar filled with water from the aquarium.
The fry appear after 3–4 days, at first they feed on the remains of their yolk sac, and then they are able to take microfood (Artemia nauplii, ciliates).
Fish diseases
A hardy and unpretentious species, cases of the disease occur only when kept in a neglected, dirty aquarium and/or when in contact with already sick fish. IN favorable conditions health problems usually do not arise. Read more about symptoms and treatment methods in the section “Diseases of aquarium fish”.
Peculiarities
- Need clean soil