Goldfish was everyone’s childhood dream. Remember how everyone thought that she would fulfill any desire?
Unfortunately, such magical animals do not exist, but there are apparently similar golden catfish. Looking at them, you can imagine that they appeared in your house directly 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 this wonderful inhabitant of the underwater world.
A bit of history
In some countries of South America catfish is really considered a fish that brings happiness. Many people think that the reason for everything is its coloring, reminiscent of gold, so they turn it on as a money talisman.
And some residents pass from one generation to another one story about how a golden catfish helped one person in a difficult situation.
By the way, this legend is in many respects similar to our fairy tale about a goldfish.
Only there is one fisherman who owes a huge sum to the local robber. The robber threatened the man with the death of his only daughter. Almost sobbing, the fisherman brought him a recent catch, consisting of a single catfish, he had nothing more. But the robber, when he saw a net with fish, returned the daughter to his father. The man wondered for a long time about the reason for such a strange act. After a long time, when the robber had already gone to the other world, among the things he was found a fish figurine made of pure gold. Then the fisherman realized that the catfish turned into a piece of precious metal in order to save his daughter.
In gratitude for this, the man told this story to each of the settlement.
True or not, it's up to you to judge. But in any case, with your care, the catfish can really become a talisman and bring good luck.
general description
Golden catfish belong to the genus of corridors. The body of such fish is covered with bone plates that protect them from external influences.
In nature, they live in Central and South America.
Since the fish feeds on the remnants of food that sank to the bottom of the pond, it has special spikes on the fins to move along the sandy bottom.
Sexual difference lies in the shape of the fins. Males have a pointed tip, while in females it is more round. As a rule, females are larger, so they are easy to distinguish from each other.
Interesting points
Corridors come in all kinds of shades: from albinos to bluish-black. But caution must be exercised when choosing them. If you see that the color of the fish is too bright and saturated, it is better to refuse to buy catfish. Unscrupulous sellers often use harmful chemicals to change the shade of their scales. Make a choice in favor of natural and natural colors, one of which has a golden catfish. This type of fish will become a decoration of your aquarium. The sun's rays reflected in the water will make its color bright and iridescent.
The golden catfish, the photo of which is presented below, is really a fish worth breeding!
He does not require constant attention, but everyone is interested in watching him!
Aquarium Maintenance
The peaceful behavior of the catfish perfectly contributes to the neighborhood with other aquarium fish, which are friendly. Better to organize him a company of six comrades.
This fish is unpretentious, but needs suitable conditions for its life.
Golden catfish - aquarium inhabitants who need a shadow. It can be created using stones, large curved sticks, as well as other natural materials that 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 blanks for the aquarium need to be thoroughly washed.
It will also be good to place a plant with wide leaves in the future house of the fish, which will create a shadow.
The love of constantly digging the ground 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 a fish.
Water should have a neutral pH balance, and temperature is not recommended to be more than 25 degrees.
Nutrition
As the feed, you can use the most ordinary one, which you will find on the shelf of the store, but you should take into account the fact that the fish likes to eat leftovers that have already settled into the ground. It’s better to buy a natural and proven option, after asking the consultant at the pet store for advice.
Golden catfish, the content of which does not require special expenses, will give you a good mood!
Breeding
Breeding in catfish occurs after the onset of puberty. It can begin at eight months and twelve.
Golden catfish, the breeding of which is quite simple, is very active during the spawning period. Although at normal times, he behaves modestly in the aquarium.
It is recommended before spawning to feed fish abundantly with protein foods. Worms or insects are suitable for this, but you can still use special pills.
Now you need to create the most comfortable conditions for spawning. Golden catfish, the breeding of which occurs before the start of the rainy season, is used to lowering the water temperature. Still need to provide him a slightly acidic environment.
It is not always possible from the first time to create the 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 in the aquarium. They tickle her mustache until she finds a suitable place to lay her eggs.
Mating begins when the male releases the milk to the eggs already laid in the abdominal fins of the female.
Further, the female carries caviar to a place previously prepared for this. Mating takes place there again, lasting until the female swallows her whole eggs.
After spawning, which can last a couple of days, the fish should be removed from the aquarium. If this is not done, then they themselves can eat caviar, which is marked on the plants or walls of the aquarium.
After three days, larvae may appear (you do not need to feed them, since they feed on their yolk sac), which in five days turn into fry. They should already be given food for catfish, which must first be ground in a blender or in a coffee grinder. Also, for this, many use a mortar.
When the fry grow up, you can gradually introduce finely chopped shrimp into their diet, and then try to give a full-fledged feed for catfish.
General information
As you can see, golden catfish can live in the most ordinary conditions, so their breeding is not a big deal, 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 gear for the aquarium, it is advisable to consult a representative of the pet store.