The aquarium in the house is not only quite exquisite.decoration (unless, of course, it is artistically equipped and carefully looked after). Fishes as pets are a sight that never bothers to watch. And doctors advise to buy an aquarium for medicinal purposes:
- those who are prone to depression or have heart disease;
- hyperactive children;
- an autistic child or a cerebral palsy;
- allergies with a reaction to animal hair.
Fish - a worthy alternative to the same turtle, which is not very active and gives much less emotional impact when living in a house.
Most often, novice aquarists inhabitglass houses guppies or swordtails; the bravest of the newcomers dare to buy a scalar. But all this is a small fish. If you want something bigger, but with a beautiful color, but so that the care was not too complicated, pay attention to the fish called gouram marble.
Origin
These fish are from Indochina.They are freshwater, and live either in stagnant waters - fresh lakes, dams and rates - or in rivers with a slow current. Europeans brought gourami in 1896, so that he has a rather large "experience" of living in aquariums. The unusual species of fish prompted the breeders to work on a variety of appearance, and now these inhabitants of aquariums flaunt flowers that nature has not endowed them. However, it is the aquarium fish gourami marble that is painted naturally: in its homeland it is found quite often, although there may be differences in color - shades depend on the specific conditions of life.
Unusual appearance
All species of these fish have elongated, elongatedbody, flat on the sides. Lower fin begins near the thoracic, and ends already near the caudal. And the pectoral fins are modified into something resembling long, whole body length, threads, and this is not an ornament, like, for example, some goldfish veils, but an additional tactile organ.
В природе гурами редко вырастают больше 10-11 см, but in the aquarium there are specimens up to 15 cm. The color can be, as already mentioned, several shades, but the presence of spots or stripes is obligatory. No wonder this particular gourami is a marble one. The photo well shows the stains peculiar to this stone.
Pledge successful purchase
If you have not encountered such aquariuminhabitants, be careful when purchasing them. Many refuse to buy, focusing on the fading color of fish. This is not an absolutely correct criterion: at the points of sale, gourami marble somewhat loses its brilliance, since it is under stress. It is necessary to get accustomed to the fins: they should not look scruffy or torn, should be well cracked, and the mustache must be long. If they are less than the length of the body of the fish or broken off - gourami or suffering from poisoning with poor-quality food (and constantly), or experiencing avitaminosis. Of course, it is possible to leave such fish, but it will take time and effort; and if at the same time they are carriers of some kind of infection, they will also infect the other inhabitants of the domestic reservoir.
Quarantine retention
Fundamentally not only to buy correctly, it is importantalso properly plant. Marbles themselves very successfully resist almost all bacteriosis, but may be their carrier. And without temporary isolation, it will repartition the rest, less stable inhabitants. So it is better to hold the new fish for seven days in a separate container, arranging antiseptic “baths” every day. They add antibiotics (biomitsin or oxytetracycline), a little pharmaceutical greens, methylene blue or rivanol. A new marble should be kept in the solution for 10 to 20 minutes, and in the intervals it should rest in warm, fresh and clean water.
The right glass house
Since gourami marble - fish prettya large, aquarium will not need too close. At two or three individuals need at least 40 liters of water. The ground at the bottom of the "house" should be dark; plants are required not only bottom, but also floating. For good development and increased resistance to disease, the gouram marble fish needs sunlight - at least in the morning.
These aquatic inhabitants are labyrinths, i.e.need ordinary air. In order to take a sip, they rise to the surface of the water. So experienced aquarists are advised to equip the home of the trichogaster (this is the scientific name of the gourami) with a special cover that will protect them from cold air. The glass is not suitable: it blocks the full access of oxygen, and the fish may suffocate. If there is no cover, just put the aquarium away from the vents.
Не капризен гурами мраморный и в еде.He consumes both dry food and live food; good eats the usual semolina porridge (only it must be scalded) and for some reason loves canned green peas (of course, crushed).
Additional bonuses
In nature, gourami marble chooses to livestagnant water, and therefore in domestic breeding is very unintelligible. There are no special claims to water quality (oxidability, hardness, pH, presence of nitrates) in trichogasters. Of course, you should not pour them water from the tap, but you will not have to “bother” too much. It is only necessary to ensure that the water in the aquarium does not reduce the temperature below 20 degrees - still tropical fish and need some heat.
Another nice feature of these fishis the lack of need for constant aeration. So you don’t have to buy a pump, and the aquarium can be located even in the bedroom, even in the nursery - the engine noise will not interfere at night.
Very easy content gourami their naturalfight obsessive "neighbors". So, small snails, which multiply very quickly and can go around all the plants in the aquarium, are eagerly eaten by Trichogasters. If they are hungry, they can destroy the hydras who accidentally get into the aquarium along with the food.
Neighborhood pleasant and unpleasant
One of the most important issues when buyingTrichogaster is the question of what fish goura get on with. In principle, they are very peaceful and calm, you can combine them with small species, and with rather large ones. Understandably, predators are excluded. But still there are more favorable combinations, there is less. The gourams get along very well with neons, the same scalars, rassets, antsistrus, minors, apistograms and corridors. But rather badly, trichogasters get on with aggressive species - pseudotrophyus, parrots, cichlids, goldfish and labidochromis. The case will probably not come to the slaughter, but everyone will feel uncomfortable.
Specific behavior
Trichogasters are curious fish.Best of all, they study the surroundings with their whisker threads, so each new item in the aquarium is touched by them. The same applies to the new “settlers”, who at first can react rather nervously to this.
A fun feature of the gourami marbles, behind whichvery interesting to follow - the simultaneous ascent of all the fish of this species to the top of the aquarium for a breath of air, and then the same friendly descent. Something that resembles the performance of the team in synchronized swimming. Even the reproduction of gourami marble is quite peaceful. Several males organize their “nests” at a fairly close distance, and this does not end with injuries. Some border disputes they happen, but they do not lead to injuries (and even more death).
If you want more of them
We'll have to get a separate "pool".In terms of volume, in principle, you can take the same in which you usually contain them, and the ground can not be put, but plants are necessary. From their fragments and foams males build a nest. To "spur" the breeding of gourami marble, water must be heated by five degrees. Children are usually nursed by their dad, but if the female does not set down, she will also take whatever part they can. After the deposition of eggs, fry appear after a couple of days, and adults can (and should) be left for a week, maximum ten days. Then the parental feelings disappear, gourami can eat their offspring, so it is better to transplant them into the usual dwelling. At the same time, part of the water from the aquarium is removed (the total level must be lowered by at least 10 cm) until the labyrinth gills of the smaller ones are fully formed so that they can trap air from the surface. At this time, they are fed infusoria and living dust; the yolk of boiled eggs will be useful.
What are these fish sick
Despite the fact that it is resistant to illnesses gouramiMarble, diseases sometimes overtake him. This happens especially often if the nutrition of the fish deteriorates, they are incorrectly kept, or already sick individuals have been planted. The most common is lymphocytosis. It is accompanied by the appearance of open wounds, nodules or flat swellings, sometimes the sick fish appear to be sprinkled with starchy flour. The second place among the painful lesions is pseudomonosis, causing the appearance of dark spots, from which ulcers are then formed. Frequently aeromonosis. They suffer fish living in too small and densely populated tanks, as a result of which they are weakened. Such inhabitants stop eating, their scales bully, the belly swells up and starts to bleed, they lie at the bottom.
All diseased fish should be planted in a separate aquarium; most of them will die, but the uninfected individuals will remain healthy, and the patients have a good chance of recovery.
However, if you follow the "pool" and the quality of the feed, you will hardly encounter such problems. And the rest of the gourams will only please you - and beauty, and peculiar habits.
