Siamese seaweed - an indispensable assistantaquarist, cleaner and algae eaters in the aquarium. This small nimble fish has become increasingly popular in recent years. No other underwater inhabitant can so thoroughly clean the surface of equipment, glass, stones, ceramic figurines and other interior details. The tail boar easily copes even with such aggressive algae as “black beard”, from which neither professional aquarists nor novices know salvation.
Особой яркостью окраски или замысловатостью формы Siamese algae fish is no different. Get it more often for practical benefits. The body is gray or slightly brownish, a wide black stripe stretches along the body (if you look closely, it becomes noticeable that its edges are slightly wavy). Each flake has a black edging along the edge, so the grid pattern is clearly visible on the body of the fish. It adds decorativeness to it and distinguishes it from other aquatic inhabitants.
Dimensions of Siamese Algae in captivitydiffer from its size in wildlife. In an aquarium, fish rarely grow more than 10 cm, and in the wild they can easily reach 16 cm, and this is not the limit. They live little helpers up to 10 years.
The homeland of this species is Southeast Asia.From there it was brought to us for the first time in the 60s. It is also found in Sumatra, in Thailand and Indonesia. It prefers to settle in fast streams and rivers with a rapid flow. The reservoir must have a solid rocky bottom. The algae is shy, loves to hide among snags, in the roots of underwater plants and mangroves.
Для жизни выбирает мелкие ручьи и заводи.The water in them warms up faster, which provokes the development of the main type of food - algae and other greens, which the Siamese seaweed so much adores. Keeping and breeding it at home has its own characteristics, but, in principle, is not considered to be a particularly complicated procedure.
Surprisingly, this seemingly uniquefish have a "double". In nature, they often form common flocks, so they are often confused and imported to us. The name is this twin Siamese flying fox. They are really very similar in appearance, but you can still distinguish. In this Siamese seaweed, the longitudinal stripe on the body goes to the very tip of the tail, and in the false - only to the beginning of the tail. The edges of the blackest strip of a flying fox are even, while the hero of the article has wavy lines and zigzags. The mouth of the false cleaner is pink, and around it are two pairs of mustaches. In this - only one pair of mustache and it is painted black.
Зачем вообще искать различия, если эти две рыбки so similar in appearance? The fact is that the false Siamese seaweed to the algae in the aquarium is almost indifferent. His jaws are arranged a little differently, so that he will not perform the function of the sweeper. In addition, the nature of this fish is more aggressive. The flying fox will never get along with other active small fish of the middle layers of the water - barbs, neons, scalars and others. The only inhabitants who can coexist with them are different catfish and superficial danios. They occupy different “floors” in the aquarium and do not interfere with each other.
Clean water is the main thing that requires for itself.Siamese seaweed. Its content is generally not different from the care of other inhabitants. Water saturation with oxygen should be maximized. Therefore, equipment for purification and aeration will need good.
The parameters of the water fish undemanding,The recommended temperature in the region of 24-26 °, as well as for many other underwater inhabitants. Water hardness should be kept in the range of 10-20 dh, and acidity should be 6-7 pH. Additional lighting for the Siamese algae in the aquarium is not necessary, but it is important for the algae that the fish feed on. Therefore, it is enough to create conditions for the growth and development of greenery, and its “eater” will be pleased.
This little fish is very active.Algae eaters love to frolic, they are overactive and mobile. But for free swimming fish need a lot of space. Therefore, the aquarium is preferable to choose a low and long. In it, and algae grow more densely, and the inhabitants feel more comfortable. As already mentioned, clean water is important for the algae. Therefore, the filter will have to acquire a good, best external. Some people buy special equipment to create a water flow, but this is not necessary.
На аквариуме, в котором обитает сиамский algae, must be a cover. This fish is very jumpy. During the day, she likes to rest on the upper leaves of aquatic plants, occasionally jumping up above the water. For this fidget, it is also important to have shelters - snags, thick stems and dense leaves of plants. It is recommended to place different types of water moss in the aquarium. Siamese seaweed loves to eat it, along with harmful algae on glass and equipment.
Как уже говорилось, данная рыбка отличается increased activity. From the outside it seems that the guest from Siam is constantly on the move, but this is not quite the case. Its air bubble is poorly developed, so the fish has to rest every minute. That's why snags, large stones, and ceramic decorations in an aquarium will come in handy. Especially to the liking of a small fish to lay on the surface of the water on the broad leaves. It is recommended to keep at least one large bush of aquatic plants with dense broad leaves covering the surface of the water.
Аквариумисты и особенно их дети с увлечением watching a Siamese seaweed eating Photos and videos of this fish, busy eating algae, turned into a kind of meme on the Internet. And this amazing individual copes even with the most neglected green mud, which cannot be eliminated in other ways. A tireless worker seems to stick his mouth to the surface and begins to "vacuum" it until it is clean of algae.
Sometimes he can grasp a raid from leaves or koryag directly at a glance, slightly hovering, but not sticking to his mouth. The spectacle is fascinating and amusing, only the Siamese seaweed can do this.
The hero of the article is a peace fish, you can keep itboth individually and in small flocks. Seaweed coexists in the same aquarium with its neighbors and does not harm them. But there is an important caveat: it is not recommended to keep it with voile fishes. The developing fins may resemble algae aquatic plants, and he will want to taste them. For example, sluggish veils cannot protect their gorgeous tail from this nimble lover to try everything that is fluttering and trembling. And although the seaweed is not aggressive in fact, there may be problems in keeping these species together.
Стремительные «сиамцы» порою доставляют проблемы shy fish. For example, dwarf cichlids may be under stress due to their active movements. However, experienced aquarists have noticed one fact: in the presence of algae, cichlids are more likely to spawn. Stress in this case encourages them to continue the race. Some even use this technique to stimulate certain species of fish to spawn: they set up restless neighbors in the mother liquor for a while, and after the process of spawning and fertilization they are deposited.
It is believed that the Siamese seaweed eatsalgae alone, but this is not true. Many experienced aquarists even deliberately do not feed these fish, and then wonder why they start to hurt and die. Of course, algae enter the diet, even occupy a large part of it, but still additional food is also required. In wildlife, the algae eats not only underwater greens. Usually the calories from algae are enough for fry and young, and the grown-up individuals prefer live food.
In the conditions of the aquarium "Siamets" will be willing to eatspinach, zucchini and cucumbers, scalded pre boiling water. Also suitable live dried food - gamarus, daphnia. Even the usual fish "chips" and flakes will not leave this fish indifferent.
Многие неопытные аквариумисты считают, что если do not feed the seaweed, then it will not fulfill its main duties - to eat algae. In reality, the opposite is true! A weakened hungry fish with impaired metabolism will generally stop eating, and then will die very soon. Do not be afraid to overfeed this fish. Extra Siamese seaweed will not eat, and on a full stomach to clean the aquarium will be even better.
Sex in these fish is extremely difficult to distinguish.In juveniles and young individuals, this task is generally impossible. In adult representatives, the female is larger, with a rounded belly. Also, if you watch the fish, the females are less active, they often lie on snags or leaves. Algae aggression if they show, it is the females. They are more nervous, can drive away foreign fish from their corner with a delicacy. Males do not even defend their territory, like other species of fish.
Siamese Algae - migratory fish.During the spawning period, which usually coincides with the dry season, the representatives of the species leave in flocks upstream. The water level drops sharply, the current weakens, which only benefits the underwater inhabitants. Shoals of fish overcome considerable distances, reaching the spawning site. For throwing caviar choose a creek where the water level is higher. After the marriage ritual, they come back.
Increasing water levels contributes to survival.fry. Throwing the same game in shallow water is not safe. Also in their reproduction plays a role a sharp change in water parameters. Such conditions are required for the continuation of the genus of Siamese sea-eaters.
It is believed that in captivity algae are notmultiply. In fact, it is possible to achieve the emergence of offspring, but this is a laborious process. To do this, spend a special hormonal therapy. Drugs to get in the free market is problematic, need special admission. You can try to get them through a familiar veterinarian working at a fish complex or a farm for growing fry.
However, hormones alone can not do.It is necessary to significantly change the parameters of water - make it softer with a neutral acidity. But even if all these conditions are met, it’s not a fact that the fish will spawn. In addition, such abrupt changes of parameters can have a bad effect on the rest of the inhabitants of the aquarium. Therefore, for aquarists, the answer is obvious - the reproduction of Siamese algae in captivity is meaningless. They are not very expensive. It is easier to acquire new individuals as needed.
