Astronotus: description, maintenance and care in the aquarium, reproduction

Aquarium fish are very popular among fans to keep fish in aquariums at home. Astronotuses represent a species of cichlid, which is also called differently: peacock fish, oscar, ocellatus or velvet cichlid.

Astronotuses: description

Astronotus represent a category of rather large aquarium fish, the size of which in nature is at least 40 cm. If you keep this fish in artificial conditions, then astronotus grow up to 22 cm in length. has a characteristic bulge. Astronotus also differ in a very diverse coloring. A variety of astronotus with a red body color is very popular. Young fish are somewhat reminiscent of their parents, but differ in a pure black, almost coal color with large stains and the presence of a small pattern in the form of stars randomly scattered over the body.

It is important to know! Many aquarists are aware of the existence of an albino breeding form of the red variety of Astronotus, which has white fins and is called “Red Oscar”.

The basic colors of Astronotus vary between a greyish-brown hue, as well as a jet black hue. There are large spots on the body, randomly scattered throughout the body, but without a clear geometric pattern, as well as clear geometric shapes. In this case, the spots are distinguished by a yellow tint and the presence of a black border. At the base of the caudal fin, you can see a black spot, quite large and framed by an orange line. In appearance, this spot is more like a medium-sized eye. The same “eye” is located in the region of the dorsal fin, although it is somewhat stretched in length.

natural habitats

Countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Guiana and Paraguay, which are distinguished by their warm climate, are considered the birthplace of these aquarium fish. About 100 years ago, these fish were first brought to Europe, after which they appeared on the territory of our country. Almost immediately, the fish became popular among the aquarist community.

At the same time, astronotus have perfectly acclimatized in South America, where they are a popular object of sport fishing. Many large farms that practice breeding various types of ornamental fish are also breeding astronotus. Basically, preference is given to such a variety as the “red Oscar”.

Maintenance and care in the aquarium

Modern aquarists, perhaps, has the most popular and well-known cichlids, which are represented by Astronotus. This is primarily due to the fact that these ornamental fish have the makings of intellectual abilities. Many owners note facts such as the fact that fish can recognize their owner and at the same time allow you to stroke them. At the same time, it is not difficult to teach them the simplest tricks.

Choosing an aquarium

For normal conditions of keeping, it is necessary to provide the fish with warm water, with a temperature of 23 to 27 degrees, which must also be clean. Therefore, along with the aquarium, you should immediately buy a thermometer and a heater. At the same time, you need to know that there are some nuances in the content of astronotus. Too warm water, and even more so when kept for a long time, can lead to oxygen starvation. As a result, muscles, including heart muscles, as well as the nervous system are unexpectedly damaged in fish. Too cold water can weaken the immunity of the fish, and they become too susceptible to various diseases, including severe and even fatal.

It is important to know! It is imperative that you have a water filtration system. In this case, the device must be powerful enough so that it can purify a large amount of water.

Considering that astronotus fish are not small, you will need an aquarium with a volume of about 150 liters no less. It should be borne in mind that such a volume is necessary for each fish individually. These representatives of the perch-like order reproduce a lot of waste in the course of their life. In this regard, special requirements are imposed on the filtration system. First, it must have high performance. Secondly, once a week you will have to carry out a 25% change of aquarium water with clean water. Thanks to powerful filtration, it is possible to get rid of accumulated toxins in a timely manner. To control the performance of the filters, it is necessary to constantly clean them from contamination. It is also necessary to monitor the hardness of water (no more than 25 dH) and its acidity (within 6,5-75 pH).

Compatibility, behavior

Modern experienced aquarists have come to the conclusion that these perciformes are best kept separately. Their neighbors may be the same representatives of the cichlid family, in the form of large southern or Central American cichlids.

To exist in one aquarium, you should select a species that has almost the same behavior. They should not be too active or too passive. At the same time, it is important to know about such a factor as settling in an aquarium of all types of cichlids at the same time. This approach will allow you to get rid of the effect of the conquest of territories by stronger individuals or individuals that appeared in the aquarium a little earlier.

Diet and diet

The basis of the food base of astronotus contained in an aquarium is:

• Quite a large moth.
• Earthworms.
• Lean beef meat.
• Crushed bull’s heart.
• Fillets of various marine fish species.
• Special ready-made dry food for adult cichlids.

Adult cichlids are very gluttonous. No matter how much food you put in, they will eat it all. Therefore, in order for them not to develop problems with the gastrointestinal tract, they should be fed no more than 1 time per day. In this case, it is imperative to organize fasting days.

It is important to know! Beef heart (chopped) is recommended to be given to Astronotus no more than once a month. This approach eliminates the appearance of obesity in individuals and contributes to the constant reproduction of fish.

It is also recommended to expand the diet of cichlids, including cichlids, live small fish, tadpoles and small frogs, squid and shrimp. Without fail, the diet should include objects of plant origin. To do this, you can use the crumb of black bread, oatmeal flakes, chopped spinach, as well as lettuce. In this case, the health of aquarium fish depends on how competently the food of the fish is organized in combination with animal and plant food. But in any case, live fish of small sizes should be preferred, since in nature this is their main food.

Reproduction and offspring

Sexually mature males differ from sexually mature females in a number of characteristic ways. For example:

• Adult females have a more rounded part of the abdomen.
• Males have a much larger distance between their eyes than females.
• The anal fin towards the back of the female is pear-shaped. In males, this part of the fin is even, without any bulges.
• Adult males differ from adult females in slightly larger sizes if they are of the same age.
• The pelvic fins of the males are slightly longer and have a more pointed appearance than those of the females.
• The frontal part of the females is not as convex as compared to the frontal part of the males.

All of the above features can be taken as a guide if it is necessary to distinguish males from females, although they are considered very relative. Astronotus individuals become sexually mature at the age of 2 years. In order for aquarium fish to breed without problems, they must be placed in a common aquarium with a capacity of at least 300 liters. If the fish are settled separately, then you will need a capacity of up to 200 liters in volume and a good filtration and aeration system. At the same time, there should be a large flat stone at the bottom, where the female will lay her eggs.

Before the spawning process, the female forms an ovipositor, which can be seen with the naked eye. Adults spawn almost every month 10 times in a row, after which they take a break, lasting two months or a little more.

Interesting information! The fry that are born do not grow and develop in the same way, so they have to be constantly sorted, otherwise the larger fry begin to prey on the smaller ones.

For a successful breeding process, it is necessary to consider an increased diet of Astronotus, especially with regard to food objects of animal origin, such as insect larvae, bloodworms, earthworms, etc.

In addition, you can give them pieces of lean beef, as well as small fish. Under such conditions, it is desirable to raise the temperature of the water by a couple of degrees, while providing astronotus with an additional and longer source of light. It is better to replace part of the water with boiled water. After the female lays eggs, the male immediately fertilizes them. The masonry can be sent to the incubator or left under the protection of the parent pair. Astronotus are among those fish that protect and care for their future offspring. They remove unfertilized eggs from the masonry and feed the newly born fry with skin secretions.

Breed diseases

Astronotus are unpretentious and fairly disease-resistant aquarium fish. Despite such characteristics of the species, they can get sick with both common ailments and contagious ones. These are mainly fungal or bacterial lesions.

Bacterial infections are usually carried out in conditions of inadequate maintenance, as well as inadequate nutrition, resulting in reduced immunity. In the case of such diseases, wounds, cavities and depressions appear on the body of the fish. As a rule, this is the result of a lack of vitamins and minerals, which is associated with a poor diet and dirty water, which is rarely replaced with clean water. For the treatment of bacterial diseases, it is necessary to revise the diet, making it more nutritious and balanced, as well as using Metronidazole.

Important information! The average life expectancy of this species is at the level of 12 years. Under conditions of proper care, rational nutrition, preventive measures, these aquarium fish can live up to 15 years, or even more.

In cases of manifestation of diseases of a parasitic or infectious nature, it is necessary to practice quarantine measures. It is not recommended to introduce river fish into the diet of Astronotus, which can serve as a source of various parasites. Before setting up the aquarium, the soil that is to be placed in the aquarium should be subjected to heat treatment. Vegetation and other elements, as well as decor, are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Owner feedback

Experienced aquarists recommend that, when arranging an aquarium, make sure that the fish have somewhere to hide. In this case, they will feel especially comfortable.

These members of the cichlid family tend to arrange the entire aquarium space depending on their preferences. In this regard, one can often observe a picture when fish are busy moving decorative elements, such as driftwood or stones. Based on this feature of the life of astronotus, all decor items should not include sharp elements.

As a result of keeping these representatives of the perciformes in an aquarium, it was concluded that it is better to feed the young with bloodworms, and larger edible components should be offered to adults. When using earthworms as food, it is better to clean them of dirt and rinse in water. Good results can be expected when feeding aquarium fish with minced protein, which can be prepared on the basis of lean beef, squid meat, liver and heart pieces. After cooking minced meat, it is placed in the freezer.

Astronotus are classic carnivores that need a protein-rich food base. Pet stores offer a huge selection of special, ready-made food for aquarium fish. At the same time, one should take into account the fact that under natural conditions, astronotus feed on living representatives of the fauna, with a predominance of small fish. Therefore, the emphasis should be placed precisely on such features of their nutrition.

To diversify the diet of this fish, you can feed them various insects and invertebrates, as well as various types of food, both fresh and frozen. It is also possible to use freeze-dried food.

It is important to know! At one time, you need to give the fish so much food that they can eat it for 2 minutes. If food remains in the aquarium, they begin to decompose, clogging the water. All sorts of bacteria and other microorganisms begin to develop in impure water.

In conclusion

According to many owners, astronotus are unique aquarium fish. If comfortable living conditions are provided for them, with proper feeding and care, then they are able to please all households with their interesting behavior for many years. These are quite intelligent fish that literally become attached to their master. Moreover, in order for the fish to be always healthy, not so much is needed: a fairly large aquarium, clean and warm water, the presence of places in the aquarium so that you can hide and food rich in protein.

Unfortunately, many do not understand this and, when purchasing aquarium fish, they believe that it is enough to feed them plenty. As a result, such owners face a lot of problems when the fish start to get sick and sometimes die. Often, fish are bred in order to simply please children and give them to the care of children, who often forget to feed them, and they are not able to carry out many activities aimed at maintaining normal living conditions. Whatever one may say, but without parents it will not be possible to solve this problem. At the same time, the participation of all family members in this process is a very important element of education. Someone who, and children feel it like no one else. When everyone in the family helps each other, then all family members begin to understand each other. This is especially important in the relationship between children and their parents. Many children complain about the lack of attention from their parents, which indicates that parents practically do not take part in the upbringing of their children.

The main thing is to keep your children busy with something, but this process should be controlled and nothing else.