HOME AQUARIUM

Whether you like it or not, the aquarium is a new permanent home for fish. For many of them, there was a long way from the creek in the jungle to the home pond - but hopefully not too long. The dimensions of the natural life space of our fish are very different. They live there just like people: alone in their whole life and nose do not stick out of their "shelter" and the surrounding neighborhoods, while others make long trips. So, the circumstances contribute to the fact that it is the long-distance fish that seek only a permanent shelter from time to time (for example, when they care about juveniles), they are better able to adapt, and therefore get used to the new conditions in the aquarium more quickly. And fish intended for life in a restricted area require special attention to the conditions of their living space. Even if many of these species have long been artificially bred, fish can not abandon their innate territorial (biotope-oriented) behavior. The natural space for fish, which many amateurs try to recreate in the aquarium, can look quite differently, and this is not so difficult to achieve with the help of various crafts. After all, the creek in the jungle does not look exactly like the seashore, but the river's creek is not the same as the biotope of the river rapids.

It is believed that many cichlids from the lakes of Malawi and Tanganyika are real plant-eaters, and eventually they destroy any greenery in the aquarium. But in fact, it's just a matter of planting density and plant selection. Luminaires HQI in combination with fertilizer CO 2 provide a full life environment. There is no overhead glass!

Knowledge of the natural life of fish will help the aquarist avoid gross errors in their content. Some fish can adapt to certain deviations due to the ability to adapt. But you need to be extremely attentive to all the details of aquarium design and to technical adaptations, especially when it comes to fish, known for their legibility. Fish, accustomed to live above the sandy bottom, should find it in the aquarium. In this case, I mean the fish of the genus Geophagus , who like to tear the bottom of their heads in search of food. Of course, fine gravel is also suitable for them, but, on the other hand, they can pass the sand through the gills, and small grains of gravel - no. Consequently, fish can be helped by the thoughtful equipping of the aquarium and, on the contrary, to make it difficult for them to exist and search for food if the aquarium is not properly designed. Most fish love an aquarium, divided into many areas and corners, since the life space of the reservoir is closed, and in the struggle for superiority the weaker fish can not escape, they need to be given the opportunity to hide behind some barrier or in shelter. In principle, feeding fish does not make much effort for the aquarist . Feeds, offered today by trade, correspond practically to all "wishes" of fishes. But still, from time to time (at least once a week) you need to carefully inspect the fish to see if they eat right. The indicator is not only a tight abdomen, but also the mobility of the fish. Feeding fish with exceptionally dry food, of course, satisfies (depending on its type and composition) all the vital needs of fish in the sense of nutrients, but in their appetite and greed to live food one can be convinced by looking at least once how they take it. Often they express the same attitude to vegetarian food - for example, cabbage salad, oat flakes or spinach (pre-scalded with boiling water). Logic suggests that the number of fish and plants should be limited by the amount of water in the tank. The decisive role is played by water! The number of inhabitants of the aquarium is calculated depending on the number of liters, and not on the capacity of the tank. In this case, the amount of bottom soil and stones should be subtracted. An outdated theory that, for one fish up to 5 cm, requires up to 2 liters of water, it is not just ridiculous, it borders on the torment of living beings. Try to shift this example to our, human, concepts: this would mean that we should spend our whole life in a tight pantry! Most often, mistakes of this kind are made immediately with the purchase of fish. Lovers do not take into account (incidentally, this also applies to plants) that they deal with young, immature specimens: such fish, with good care after a certain time, repeatedly exceed their original value. So ask at once about the presenter, what can be the final size of your feed. It will be good for everyone: for fish, plants and - in the final count - personally for you. The following sentence seems more successful to me than the "rule" above ; You need to take into account the centimeter of fish for 2 liters of water, taking into account the height of the trunk maximum to 2 centimeters (that is: only 2 square cm).

Example 1: The capacity of the aquarium (100x30x40 cm) is 120 liters, and you need to subtract a minimum of 20 liters as the volume of sand / gravel and stones, so that there remains 100 liters. The aquarium will be inhabited mainly by large fish about 6 cm in length, but the height of the trunk does not exceed the above 2 cm (6 x 2 = 12 or 6 x 1.5 = 9, respectively ). For each of these fish, according to the calculation, requires 9 to 12 liters of water, that is, an aquarium can accommodate 8-10 fish. In addition, their future growth and expected behavior in a given space should be taken into account.

Example 2: In a tank with a capacity of 80 x 26 x 38 cm = 79 liters, you intend to launch a flock of 15 neon (4 cm) and many larger fish. If you subtract the volume of decorative elements, then the capacity becomes no more than 65 liters. The young, which usually buy, initially has a length of 2.5 cm, so that for each specimen there will be enough 4 liters of water. But in just a few months they will reach their final length - 4 cm, and everyone will need (already 6 liters of water) (4 x 1.5 = 6)! That's how fast all the calculations change. If you immediately take into account the growth, it turns out that the aquarium will be well loaded, even with 12 fish. Hence, you either need to reduce the "flock", or do not buy larger fish at all.

Of course, such examples can be continued and varied; They are also not unconditional. Life in the aquarium is constantly changing. Some fish grow, others - less healthy - perish. An aquarist should not sit with a ruler in front of his or her home pond. He just needs to remember these conditions and at times refuse to buy new fish to ensure that the "population" of his aquarium has the necessary living space.