Cock: a fish for true connoisseurs of beauty

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Males of cockerel fish conquered aquarists with their incredibly bright colors: they are red, yellow, green, blue, pink. At the slightest change in the direction of light, they get a new shade. Since these are really fighting fish, in the men's company they are always somewhat excited, and this only enhances the brightness of the color.

Females are less beautiful than male cockerels. But in recent years, breeders have brought out fish-girls, in no way inferior in brightness to males.

If other aquarium fish is quite difficult to determine gender, then with cockerels similar problems do not arise. In females on the abdomen, directly at the anal fin, you can see a small "navel", resembling an egg. Therefore, gender can be determined even before the growth of the fins.

Cockerel fishes: maintenance and care

To create the most comfortable conditions for the fish, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

Best of all, they feel at a water temperature of + 24 ... + 28. Reducing the indicator to +18 degrees is not critical for cockerels, but it's not worth the risk.
There is also a special requirement for the acidity of water - its level should not exceed 7.5.
Water hardness - maximum 15.

Cockerel fish belong to the labyrinth family. They can breathe normal atmospheric air. Therefore, the cockerel aquarium fish, the care of which is not difficult even for beginners, should have free access to it. In practice, this means that plants floating on the surface of the aquarium mirror should be fixed at one of its walls. But it is impossible to completely clean the surface, since there the male will build a nest during the spawning period.

Cockerel fishes. Care: water change

As already mentioned, the fish love soft water. Sometimes aquarium owners use distilled water, but it is completely unsuitable for keeping fish. After all, it contains not only harmful substances, but also all the substances necessary for cockerels.

If you plan to change the water, then the usual water supply is perfect, which should be preliminarily set aside for at least three days. If desired, you can add water purifying and softening preparations that can be purchased at any pet store.

Before adding water, do not forget to heat it to the required temperature. In general, the replacement of water in the aquarium, where the males live, should be a frequent procedure. If you are the owner of a large aquarium, the replacement is recommended twice a month. This is a complete update of the content, but it is also necessary to carry out a partial shift. Thus, the original schedule turned out:

full shift - once every two weeks,
partial water changes - once a week.

Water needs to be changed every three days, if there are cockerel fish in a small aquarium. Care (water change is an integral part of it) must be carried out in accordance with all the rules in order to prolong the lives of your pets.

Aquarium Sizes

Quality care for cockerel fish also implies a certain size of the aquarium. Although the roosters are very, very unpretentious and can feel great in a liter jar, like guppies, but still it is worthwhile to take care of the convenience of the fish.

The usual "couple" of cockerels can feel great in a 15-liter "apartment". Water replacement in this case should be carried out in small portions, but very often. The fact is that the replacement of most of the water may well provoke the onset of spawning.

In general, if we talk specifically about the volume of the aquarium, then each cock should have at least 4 liters of water. Therefore, to calculate the number of tenants just for your aquarium will not work.

Now caring for cockerel fish should not cause you special difficulties, and it is time to move on to the subtleties of feeding these bullies.

What to feed? The fish is omnivorous, so both frozen and dry fish feed will be appropriate. Experienced breeders recommend mixed feeding. Dry food should not constitute the main part of the diet of fish.

Live feed in the form of a pipe worker or a small bloodwort can be bought at any pet store. If this is not possible, then you can give the fish of ordinary earthworms. From the dry - this is "Daphnia" and "Gammarus."

How to determine the norm? If, after getting feed into the water, it was not eaten by fish for 15 minutes and partially sunk to the bottom, then the portion should be reduced. Feed cockerels can be up to two times a day.

Single content

The cockerel aquarium fish (grooming will not cause much trouble) feel great even without a pair. It is explained by their peculiar behavior. The fish is very aggressive in its neighborhood with its relatives.

And since cockerels are extremely picky fish, they can live in miniature aquariums. The main thing is to follow the water update mode. It is also necessary to remember that the minimum water, as already noted, for this fish is 4 liters.

Single content in a small aquarium has its advantages:

There is no need to organize aeration, because the fish can get oxygen from the atmosphere.
Do not worry about lighting. Fish live well in any of its level.

If foam appeared on the surface of the water, it means that the cock began to cost the nest and accepted the aquarium as a home.

Fights: how to deal with this problem?

The cockerel fish, the care of which we are considering, uses almost every opportunity to show their fighting qualities. And most of all in such fights magnificent fins of small fishes suffer. You obviously will not get aesthetic pleasure from the contemplation of dangling fins, so there are certain requirements for a “water flat”.

If you plan to keep more than three male cockerels at the same time, then you should take some measures. To reduce the number of fights for the territory will help buying even very young fish, at the age of not more than a month.

The size of the aquarium is also important. For three male cockerels must have at least 100 liters of fluid. But that's not all. It is necessary to densely plant the soil with plants so that each male can quietly be alone. It will also help reduce the mutual visibility of neighbors, and therefore there will be less reason to "clarify the relationship." Experienced aquarists also advise as little as possible to carry out the replacement of water, but all within reason.

Females with such a massive settlement of the aquarium should be kept separately. If there is no female half of the population, then the males will not have a special reason to start a battle.

Who can be shared with these fish? Males are not only rather aggressive towards their relatives, but can also start quarrels with other representatives of the fish kingdom.

Categorically it is impossible to colonize the following species in an aquarium with cockerel fish:

macropod,
akara
astronotus
all types of melanochromis,
kupanus,
neon iris,
speckled catfish,
minor,
beforty and many others.

Of course, some males can be accepted as neighbors, but dangling fins are also not excluded here. It:

Disease and injury prevention

This is a very important moment of care for these inhabitants of aquariums. Cockerel - fighting fish, so one of the frequent injuries - the loss of fins. To start the accelerated process of its regeneration, the fish needs to be simply fed correctly.

If the cockerel looks sick, then it must be absolutely isolated from the rest of the individuals. Often the cause of the disease of the fish becomes dirty or already old water, so do not forget to replace it.

As you can see, the cockerel fish, the care of which doesn’t cause trouble even to novice aquarists, is quite unpretentious. We hope that our article will help you find the right approach to your fighting pets. Good luck!

Cockerel aquarium fish and their description

In the natural environment, this fish settles in rivers, streams of Southeast Asia and Thailand. It is found in rice fields. The name of this species is associated with the name of the tribe. The fighting fish is named because of its bad character. Males were taken for fish fights, making a bet. When fighting a fish looks like fireball. Fish of impressive beauty, having long voilean fins, various colors. Males are the brightest in relation to females. Fish size 5-10 cm, elongated, the body - oval.

Differs in aggression in relation to congeners.

The genus of these fish, there are over 70 species, the cockerel is one of them. Cockerel - small aquarium fish. In captivity, their length reaches 5-6 cm. Giant species reach 8 cm.

They have the following characteristics:

Length can be 10 cm.
Live about 3 years.
Have long fins.
Various bright coloring.

The cockerels can be in the same color, for example, the red cockerel, or in several colors. Coloring can have all the spectra of the rainbow. The fish has a long body. With aggression, it becomes bright. In wild fish, the fins are round and short. There are many breeding forms that differ in color and size. Fish breathes like a cockerel with gills and oxygen. Aeration is not necessary and therefore it is much easier to care for fish than others. Care does not cause big problems, even a novice.

Males have a special behavior when conducting combat battles a kind of code of honor:

When one of the rivals is taken up to the surface for oxygen, the other waits for him to the place of the fight and does not make any violent attacks.
When a fight of several males, others do not intervene, waiting for the queue. Fights occur under equal conditions.

Content and features of care

Nothing is difficult, because The cocktail aquarium fish is tropical, it should provide an acceptable water temperature of 24-28 degrees, with a composition that does not have a high rate. A house without a filter won't suit them.

Lack of sunlight can be detrimental to development. The task of a person is to ensure his entry into the aquarium at least for several hours a day.

Air requirements

Fish can not live without air. They need oxygen for breathing. In order to always be in prosperity, it is necessary to ensure that the surface of the water is clean. It should not be plants. If suddenly a film has formed on the water, it must be removed. The cockerel is a fish that jumps perfectly. For this reason, a cover is required. You can throw a grid. At the same time air must penetrate into the aquarium.

To make the fish comfortable, only soft water is used. 1/3 of the fluid must be changed every week. If the tank is large, it is better to update the water 1 time in 3 days. Fishes suitable suited for two days of tap water. It is slightly warmed up, it is necessary to remove the remnants of food. If necessary, a full purification of the aquarium do not use any chemistry. Cleaning is done with a sponge for washing dishes; it removes dirt and algae from the surface well. It is necessary to catch fish with a net. To make the fish comfortable, it is necessary to observe the following water parameters:

Temperature - 24.5–28 degrees.
Acidity is not so important, but an acceptable figure of 6–8.
The size of the minimum aquarium - 5 liters.
Stiffness - 5-15.

Vegetation

It is permissible to place artificial plantations, you can not argue that it is much better to purchase live specimens. With them in the tank creates a good view. Fish use plants to create a nest during spawning. Unpretentious plants: roeda, cryptocolines, valisneria and other simple plants.

It is necessary to create an environment similar to natural conditions. Decorated with snags, stones, grottoes. The light must be muffled. Filtration is necessary Filling the aquarium with water is not necessary to the very edge, you need to leave seven, ten centimeters, cover with a lid. Air required. In the absence of access to it, the fish may suffocate. The air swallowed by cockerels should not be too cold, so the aquarium is covered with a lid. For soil suitable gravel or river sand.

Care must be taken regularly. It is necessary to wash the aquarium once a month, clean the soil from fish waste and snails. With the maintenance of water, acidity and purity in the norm, the pet will live longer.

Fish are not picky about food. Favorite food - bloodworm. The fish can eat everything, including live, frozen, pelleted feed. Cock can eat branded and dry food. Their selection is diverse.

Compatibility

The male is aggressive even with his reflection. Thinking that in front of him is a rival, he pounces on the glass. Then, realizing the futility of their actions, calms down. The rooster can not be kept with calm fish, it can tear off their fins. For him are suitable active, larger-sized fish with short soft fins. A single copy may be contained in a two-liter capacity. Males are contained in an aquarium with a larger size, or it is divided into partitions. The fish hunts snails of a small size, large it can tear off a mustache.

In a narrow aquarium between its inhabitants, the struggle for their territory begins and all the neighbors of the aggressive cockerel will be offended.

The cockerelle male 100% will attempt on other males and females, so place him in a separate aquarium. In the next you can arrange 3-4 females: they are quiet, but do not forget about the battles with them. When one of the girls shows cruelty, it is better to spread them. Chickens do not tolerate neighbors. Cockerels rush on peaceful fish with veil fins. The most suitable neighbors may be cardinals, speckled catfish. The males quickly get used to the neighbors, and the eviction of one of them can lead to stress.

Breeding

The ability to continue the race comes in three, four months. For spawning a ten-liter tank is needed, in which a shelter is made of vegetation, grottoes, so that the female can hide from an aggressive male. Spawning is stimulated by fever and water replacement. Need to happen addictive and familiarity partners. The male is building a nest, using saliva to glue pieces of vegetation. With his mouth he picks up the eggs and takes them to the shelter.

At the end of spawning, the male chases the female and independently protects the future offspring. When larvae appear, he ensures that they do not run away. The female is isolated. She can throw from 100 to 300 eggs. When the larvae appear, the male is removed. Males are larger in size, not so bright in color. Four days later, the fry independently swim. They are fed egg yolk, inforia, live dust. Enable weak aeration.

It is necessary to conduct preventive examinations, monitor appetite and behavior. In case of diseases, the fish is placed in a separate container, treatment is carried out and care is taken to prevent infection of other inhabitants. Competent care and clean water - the best prevention from disease.

Types of cockerels

The work of breeders has made this species varied and numerous. Fish vary in size and shape of the fins. They are

Royal or gigantic.
Crescent-tailed.
Coronatail.
Delta tails

Color fish have differences in color:

Painted in any color - multi-color.
In one color - monochrome.
Having fins of the same color, and the body of another - two-colored.

Rooster fish photo

Cockerel fishes are very beautiful. Many photographers are happy to capture them in the photo.

The aquarium fish cockerel, the photo of which is visible above, is a beautiful, unpretentious, cheeky fish with a multi-colored color. Breeding and maintenance is not difficult. Therefore, cockerels are one of the most popular fish among beginners, fans of the underwater world and professionals, containing beautiful specimens, exposing them to all sorts of competitions.

These fish can be recommended to each family, exercise perfectly relieves stress, calms the nervous system. It is interesting to watch the fish, even for a long time, it produces hard work and responsibility in children, develops imagination and incentive to implement ideas for decorating the aquarium, a wonderful choice for fans of the underwater world.

Origin

The south-east of Asia is considered the birthplace of the cockerel fish. Its main habitats are warm, fresh, slow-flowing or standing bodies of water in Thailand, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Indonesia.

The first mention of this unusual fish found in history in the 1800s. At that time, the people of Siam (now it is Thailand) noticed the increased aggressiveness of the males of this fish towards each other and started breeding a special breed for fighting money rates.

Cockerels were imported to Europe in 1892. The first countries to see the wonderful fish were France and Germany. In the US, they came in 1910, where Frank Locke brought a new color version of cockerels. In Russia, the history of their appearance is associated with the names of V.M. Desnitsky and V.S. Melnikova and attributed to 1896.

Description and variations

The cockerelfish (betta fish, Siamese cockerel, Betta splendens) is a species of fish that belong to the macro-family family. Это лабиринтовая рыба, которая для дыхания использует также атмосферный воздух.

Форма тела у петушков овальная, оно сплюснуто с боков и вытянуто в длину. Размеры у рыбок в основном небольшие: самцы примерно 5 см, а самки – 4 см. Однако есть особи, которые могут достигать 10 см в длину. Хвостовой и верхний плавники имеют закругленную форму, грудные – остроконечную. Плавники у самцов длиннее, чем у самок.

In males, a very interesting and varied color. They are one-, two- or multi-colored. All colors of the rainbow can be present in the coloring, as well as their shades. Males are painted brighter than females.

The life of betta fish is approximately three years.

To date, breeders bred about 70 species of cockerels. All of them with a bright unusual color. There are several classifications of species.

Depending on the shape of the fins and size:

veiltail,
crescent moontail
crownstail
two-tailed,
roundtail,
delta tail
bristletail,
flagtail,
poster,
royal.

Depending on the color:

monochrome,
two-color,
multicolor.

How to equip an aquarium?

The cockerel fishes are considered to be unpretentious and easy to care for; however, some conditions should be met.

Males can be kept in small (10-15 liters), and in large aquariums. On one individual requires 3-4 liters of water. If the aquarium is large, then it can be divided into several parts by partitions. In this case, several males can be kept in one tank at the same time without damage to their health.

Partitions are made of transparent non-toxic material with small holes for water circulation. Next to them, it is better to plant tall plants in order to block fish from viewing and reduce unwanted meetings.

The optimum water temperature is 24-28 ° С, however, the roosters tolerate a rather good decrease of it to 18 ° С. It should be remembered that a long stay in a too cold aquarium is fraught with diseases. The control is carried out by means of a thermometer.

The quality and composition of the water cockerel undemanding. Nevertheless, it is better to adhere to such a framework: hardness 4-15, acidity 6.0-7.5.

To prevent disease and reduce stress, it is recommended to use table salt (half a teaspoon per three liters of water).

A prerequisite is regular water changes. In large aquariums it is held once every two weeks, and in small - once every three days. From the bottom it is necessary to remove all remnants of food.

The cockerel is a labyrinth fish, that is, it breathes not only by the gills, but also by an additional special organ - the labyrinth apparatus. In it, the blood is saturated with air, which the fish seizes with its mouth. Therefore, aeration for cockerels is not very important, but it is desirable to install a filter. It may be of small capacity, as these fish do not like a strong current.

It is also important that the surface of the water is not completely overgrown with plants, so that the cockerel can rise to the surface and capture the air. Sometimes it happens that a bacterial film forms on the surface of the water. It must be removed. This can be done with a sheet of paper, by attaching it to the surface of the water, and then removing it with the film.

For cockerels, river sand or gravel is fine. Before being placed in an aquarium, it must be calcined or rinsed under hot water.

In the aquarium with cockerels you can use both artificial and live plants.

When choosing artificial stands, special attention should be paid to the absence of pointed edges, about which the roosters can damage their fins. The best option is silk plants.

However, living green is still better, as it contributes to the preservation of biological balance in the aquarium. It should occupy at least a third of the space. It is necessary to take care of live plants - to thin out in time, remove rotten leaves. Put them in the ground or in special pots.

Scenery and lighting

The males love to swim between various obstacles, so stone shelters, snags, grottoes, etc. are appropriate. The main thing is that all the decorations are without sharp edges and are environmentally safe.

Do not install the aquarium in direct sunlight.

Males in food are picky and almost omnivorous. For them you can use live, dry and frozen feed. Nevertheless, a large part of the diet should be a live feed (bloodworm, pipe worker, daphnia, Cyclops, etc.). The cockerels will not refuse from crushed earthworms, snails or zooplankton.

Feed the fish 1-2 times a day. Food at one time give exactly enough to fish ate it completely in 15 minutes. Remnants must be removed immediately. Overfeeding is not recommended, as this can lead to fish obesity and water pollution. Well, once a week to arrange a fasting day.

Breeding

In the rooster fish, it is quite easy to distinguish between the female and the male. The male is slender, has a bright color and long fins. The female is smaller in size, its fins are short, on the abdomen near the tail there is a small white grain, which appears at the age of 3 months. For breeding it is better to take a pair at the age of 6-8 months.

Despite the fact that spawning can occur in the general aquarium, it is still better to fish the fish. A pair of aquarium should have a length of at least 15 cm, volume 4-5 liters. Equip it like this: the ground is not laid, set dimmed lighting, put a couple of plants with small leaves, pour water to the level of 10-15 cm (after settling the male down to 5 cm), establish aeration. Water temperature should be about 28-30 ° C. Water in advance to defend 3-4 days.

Before spawning, the producers sit in different containers, increase the proportion of high-protein live and frozen food in their diets, at the same time increasing the temperature of the water and increasing its substitution by a couple of degrees. This feeding period lasts 10-14 days and is necessary for the fish to prepare for spawning and form sexual products - caviar and milt.

The first to spawn placed male. There he builds a nest of air bubbles, sealed with his saliva, and small floating plants. Then he invites the female to assess the quality of the spawning area, and if it suits her, the pair will start spawning. The male wraps the female, squeezing the eggs out of her and at the same time fertilizing them. At the end of spawning, he collects his caviar by mouth and puts it in the nest. Then the female chases away and takes care of the offspring himself, maintaining the nest's purity and removing the dead eggs and placing the fallen back into the nest.

Female studying nest

The incubation period is very important in breeding fish, and often heavy caviar falls out of the nest at night. If the male sleeps at this time, he cannot bring her back, and the eggs die at the bottom. To avoid this, a small lamp is placed over the nest at night, preventing the male from falling asleep and encouraging him to take care of the clutch even at night.

Incubation lasts 24-48 hours, after which the larvae hatch from the eggs. The first 3-4 days they feed on the contents of their yolk sac, and as soon as it resolves, the fry begin to swim out of the nest in search of food. At this point, the male is recommended to be removed from the spawn, otherwise he may drag the dispersed fry back to the nest, condemning it to starvation.

Starter feed for fry "live dust", shredded egg yolk, Nauplii cyclop and Artemia. Dry flakes are undesirable, as they slow down the development. At three weeks of age, the fry are sorted to avoid eating large small ones. The labyrinth organ in fish is finally formed at the age of one month. Then you can remove the aeration. And as soon as the fish begin to show aggression towards their neighbors, they are set aside and begin to contain as adult males.

One of the most common diseases among cockerels is fin rot. It is caused by a specific bacterium that enters the aquarium with poorly treated soil, live food, or sick fish. In this disease, the tail and fins descend and become like scorched around the edges. If untreated and the disease progresses, the fish may lose its tail and fins.

Other very common ailments of males are dropsy, fungal skin lesions, odinosis, ichthyoftiriosis, and fish tuberculosis.

Interesting Facts

In South Asia, cockerels were used to fight money stakes. Fights to the death of the fish, as a rule, did not lead, the case ended in shabby tails. Now such fights are prohibited.
The male rooster can fight to the point of exhaustion, even with its reflection in the mirror.
These fish are endowed with two respiratory systems: gills and a labyrinth organ.
Males are very interesting to show sympathy for the opposite sex: the female “fidgets” back and forth, while the male pulls out the gills and fins and wriggles with her whole body.

Useful tips

Do not too often iron the cockerels (although they allow), as some owners do. Scale on top has a protective layer of mucus. If this film is inadvertently damaged, then the fish will become very vulnerable to various diseases.

Sometimes cockerels can go to the bottom of the aquarium. If this does not last long, then do not worry - they are so relaxed. Anxiety should be beaten if this behavior is observed for a long time. Then you need to consult a specialist and check the health of the fish.

If the fish are sick, then for their treatment there are special medicines (against fungi or parasites, antibiotics). They can be purchased at the pet store.

We hope that this article was useful for those who plan to settle the fish-cockerel in their aquarium. Let the pet feel comfortable and for a long time happy with its beauty!

And according to the tradition, the video, which deals with the rules of care and maintenance of the Siamese Cockerel:

pictured male and female cockerel

An aquarium for spawning may not be large from 10 liters, the water level in which should be 10-15 cm. A spawning aquarium should not have soil and is equipped only with shelters for the female, for example, with squash, as well as with small bushes of peristolistnye plants, for example, with a rodent leaf. You also need to use plants that float on the surface of the water: duckweed, pista, vodokras. These plants are used by the male in the construction of the so-called "foam nest".

The temperature in the spawning tank should be in the range of 26-30 degrees Celsius. Different sources, write different data on the temperature regime for spawning Bette. Taking into account the analysis, I think that 28 degrees is the norm. This temperature is optimal and makes it possible to increase it by a couple of degrees, thereby stimulating spawning.

Spawning and soft water is used for spawning aquariums. Soft water is an incentive to spawn. You can soften the water aquarium chemistry - preparations containing peat, and other methods. In addition, in the spawning aquarium is recommended to throw a leaf of almonds (see Phytotherapy for fish and aquarium).

Before spawning, the producers sit for a couple of weeks, and are abundantly fed with live food. After spawning in the aquarium, the first place the male, which begins to settle. As soon as he begins to build a foam nest, a female with caviar is brought to him. The presence of calf in the female can be determined by the rounded abdomen.

If the spawning process does not start or the male does not pay attention to the female, spawning should be stimulated: by softening the water or changing the water to fresh water, raising the temperature by 2-3 degrees. If after these manipulations, spawning does not begin, you can try to plant another male in the presence of the male (if you have one).

But, usually the above described problems with breeding cockerels do not arise, in the evening the male already finally builds a nest, and in a day the caviar matures in it.

IMPORTANT. Stimulating fish in a spawning aquarium with live food is prohibited. At the time the producers are in spawning, they are not fed at all in order to avoid contamination and unwanted fungi and bacteria.

The process of spawning itself is very interesting. It begins with the fact that the male swims up to the female, hugs her and squeezes 2-5 eggs out of her. Eggs begin to fall to the bottom, the male quickly collects them in his mouth and places them in a foam nest. This “hug and spin” process is repeated several times.

A visual sign that the spawning is over is the male’s circling over the foam nest and the female’s seat in the shelter. As soon as this moment has arrived, the female is removed, since in the eyes of the male she begins to carry a threat to the offspring, which is why he can kill her. The deposited female is abundantly fed. Further, the father takes all the care of the clutch and the offspring! The main thing at this moment is not to disturb him. After one day, the larvae will appear, and after another day the yolk bladder will dissolve in the larvae and they will begin to swim.

A happy "father" can be set aside and start feeding the fry with live dust by ciliates or, for example, as some forum users of our site do with melted water from under the freezing of Artemia. You can also try dry fish "baby food", for example, Sulfur Micron. Such feeds are either diluted in a bowl and the resulting suspension is poured into the spawning unit, or they take the feed at the tip of a finger and, grinding it in water, feed the young fish. Food in the aquarium should be present constantly. When feeding with live food (ciliates), water does not change, and when feeding with dry food, 80% of water is replaced daily in order to avoid contamination and death of the young. To maintain cleanliness in the aquarium, you can put snails ampoule or coils.

In the future, young cockerels are gradually (3-4 days) transferred to larger feeds, starting with Artemia nauplii, etc. After about two weeks, you can begin to try to give "adult" feed.

Description and types

The cockerel belongs to the labyrinth fish. Its main feature is that it cannot live without atmospheric air.

The maximum size of the slightly oblong body of an oval shape, flattened on both sides, reaches 7 cm. The upper and caudal fins are rounded, and the abdominal fins are slightly pointed.

Wild cockerels are not particularly attractive. Their fins are rather short and inconspicuous. The color of the fish is mostly brown or green.

Thanks to the simplicity of crossing, scientists were able to get a lot of varieties, characterized by bright colors. Consider the most popular ones:

White cockerel.

The minus of the fish of this color is that you can not replace the symptoms of diseases that are manifested by white bloom on the body

Two-tailed cockerel - one of the artificially cultivated species of the breed, obtained by breeding fighting fish

The fins and tail of the dragon can vary in shades of red

Cockerel goldfish will rejoice at the owner of the aquarium with its shiny scales

The cockerel Coronatail is the most pugnacious among the specimens of this species.

Red cockerel fish - the most popular species of the species

Cockerel Behavior

Breeding fish have a calmer character than wild

Wild species are known to the world due to their cocky character. When the spawning period comes, the male becomes incredibly aggressive. He is able to kill any fish that claims its territory, even the female.

Especially do not like cockerels of their competitors, so in one aquarium often only one male resides. A female and a male will be able to get along in one artificial reservoir only if it is very large.

When the male prepares to spawn, he begins to protrude his fins and gills, wriggling with his whole body, blows bubbles and chases the female. If the aquarium is small, and the female is alone, the male pounds her to death.

Cockerel sleeps in the dark, freezing in algae. Some species lie on the bottom of the stomach or sideways.

The fish jump high out of the water to breathe atmospheric air. As a result, the owners of aquariums cover their artificial ponds with a grid or a lid with holes.

If the fish starts to hide at the bottom, then this indicates that it is experiencing stress (a new aquarium, bad neighbors). It can also be a sign that the fish are kept in poor conditions (too big or small aquarium, a bad filter) or a possible illness.

Care and maintenance

The advantage of this fish is that it can be kept in a small aquarium.

This fish is considered unpretentious inhabitant of the aquarium. She can safely live both in large containers and in glasses. In any case, it is important to follow all the rules of care, because only in this case your pet will show itself in all its glory.

What to feed

Despite the fact that cockerels are considered omnivores, insects, their larvae, and zooplankton are the most acceptable food for wild fish. In aquariums, they can eat live, frozen and artificial food, flatworms, snails and zooplankton. In order for such fish to live as long as possible and not lose their bright color, the feed must be alternated.

Feed the fish need no more than 1-2 times a day. It is important to ensure that they eat up all food in 15 minutes, otherwise it will remain and pollute the water, and may also cause obesity.

The reluctance to eat food suggests that the fish do not like something in the habitat. Try changing water, checking temperature or lighting. Without food, she can live no more than three days. По истечении этого времени для выживания она начинает применять резервы своего организма, что может спровоцировать развитие заболеваний и смерть.

Болезни и лечение

Первым признаком того, что петушок заболел, считается отказ от еды. В некоторых случаях он может даже выплёвывать ее. Наиболее распространённым заболеванием является плавниковая гниль, возбудителями которой считаются различные инфекции. Главные признаки такого недуга:

Плавники становятся мутными и полностью разрушаются, что приводит к гибели особи.
White sores appear on scales.
Dull eyes.
The fish can stay in one place for a long time and not react to light.
Do not eat for a long time.

For the treatment of drugs used broad-spectrum, able to quickly defeat a fungal infection. One of the most affordable drugs is chloramphenicol. From 60 mg of the agent and 1 liter of water, baths are made into which the diseased individual is immersed for some time during 5 days. The temperature of the water at the same time must coincide with that in the aquarium.

If living conditions in the aquarium are unacceptable for the rooster, he can get ichthyophthyriosis. In this case, his body is covered with white outgrowths. The sick fish eats poorly, often swims near the bottom, moves in jerks and often freezes in one place. Therapy includes a range of special medicines, as well as the process of heating the water in the aquarium to 30 degrees (this should be done until all growths on the individual disappear).

Also, fish often suffer from bloating, which is caused by the following reasons:

The appearance of caviar is coming soon.
Overfeeding, which can provoke obesity, dangerous because the female and male can not reproduce.
Inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
Abdominal dropsy. Manifested by the dim color of the body, protruding in all directions with scales, weakness and frequent breathing.

Conditions of detention

Most often aquarists use river sand as soil.

Unpretentious at first glance, the fish needs normal care, which will avoid various diseases and significantly extend the life of the individual.

The main conditions of the rooster:

The volume of the aquarium - 15 liters or more (for several individuals). If it is large, it is equipped with glass partitions through which water will circulate. Such a solution makes it possible to launch several males into one aquarium.
On top of the tank there should be a mesh or a cover with openings that provides access to fresh air.
Temperature conditions must be maintained within 24-28 degrees. If the thermometer shows 18, then this indicator will not be too critical either. Do not allow the fish to stay in cold water for a long time, because from this they can get sick.
Acceptable hardness is 4–15 dGH, and acidity is 6–7.5 PH.
A prerequisite is to replace the water every three days (in a small tank) or once every two weeks (if the aquarium is large).
During fluid replacement, it is necessary to remove residual feed from the bottom and clean all surfaces well.
The filter should be of low power so as not to create a strong flow.
Aeration is required if the aquarium is large. It will provide uniform mixing of cold and warm water.
It is better if there is a lot of vegetation, but at the same time it should not have sharp edges (cockerels often hurt their fins about them) and block access to the surface of the water.
If a bacterial film forms on the water, it must be removed with a piece of clean paper or special devices.
As for the soil, in this case, the fish are also not whimsical. Males fit sand, gravel.
You can decorate the aquarium with various decorations, the main thing is that they all should be without sharp edges. Some fans put a mirror for their fish. Doing this is strictly prohibited. Looking at himself in the mirror, the male might think that he had met the enemy and killed himself, hitting the surface strongly.
Light must be diffused. At nightfall, the lights are turned off.

How to distinguish the female from the male

The rooster females do not have beautiful large fins and tail, like males.

To distinguish a male from a female is quite simple. The male is much larger, its body is bright with very long fins (sometimes they are even multi-colored). The male's amazing ability lies in the fact that before spawning or during a fight with an opponent, his color becomes brighter and more saturated.

The female is smaller than the male; its length reaches 4 cm. Dark stripes are well visible through the entire body, which the males practically do not have.

Mating and spawning

In the case when the living conditions fully satisfy the cockerel fish, he prepares for spawning. You can learn about this not only by the color of the male, but also due to the fact that a large number of bubbles appear on the surface of the aquarium.

Bubbles are formed when the male rises to the surface of the water, swallows air, passes it through, adds its own specific enzyme, and releases it back - this is how a real nest turns out. When it is fully ready, the male begins to chase the female.

In the process of spawning, each egg enters its own bubble of air, protecting it from various bacteria and damage.

During spawning, the male takes an unprecedented care of its offspring. If the fry accidentally drops out of the bubble, the male will surely pick it up and sit him back.

How much does a fish live?

There are cases when cockerel fishes lived to 4–5 years

The maximum lifespan is 3 years. At the same time, if you do not care for the fish, it will quickly get sick and die.

To determine the age of the cockerel, you can size. The closer it is to its maximum length, the older. The following signs are inherent to old individuals:

Bright long fins (in males).
Back with a crook.
Mottled eyes that do not indicate poor content or illness.
Slow motion.
Frequently located near vegetation.
Bad appetite.

How to name

The names for such fish are picked up mostly decent and serious, although there are quite funny and funny nicknames. So, the males are called Armageddon, Bro, Leader, Knight, Jean-Claude Vann Damme, Gigalo, Zephyr, Zombie, Krosh, Major, Rourke and in a different way.

For females, the names Hermione, Sequin, Bead, Mist, Juju, Kashtanka, Cleopatra, Lyalya, Snezhinka etc. are suitable.

The Cockerel Fish is a unique creature that can decorate any aquarium. Proper care for her will lead to the fact that she will be able to live for many years, will fully multiply and develop. Populating it in your aquarium, think about who will live with her, so that the fish did not harm each other and could coexist peacefully.

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