Botia macracantha, Chromobotia macracanthus - clown fish family Cobitidae

In the nature the Botia macracantha lives in reservoirs rich with water vegetation in South East Asia, Indonesia (Sumatra and Borneo). To aquarists it deliver since 1936, and in sale the fishes caught in the nature arrive, as a rule.

The Botia macracantha has the extended, roundish body and magnificent colouring. Primary colour of a body varies from yellow to orange-red, with three cross-section black wedge strips. A back fin of black colour and only at the basis yellow, tail and belly are painted in black and red colours. At the Botia macracantha large eyes without a protective skin under which there are sharp thorns (fish can strain and weaken them). Round a mouth four pairs moustaches are located. At the slightest danger the Botia macracantha publishes the sounds reminding clicks. At length can reach 30 External sexual distinctions at individuals see are absent.

To contain the Botia macracantha (Chromobotia macracanthus) it is necessary in an aquarium not less than 200 litres with muffled light and numerous shelters at the bottom. The ground is necessary soft, sandy. Plants in an aquarium land large-leaved, well taking roots in a ground. The Botia macracantha can live only in flight on 5-7 individuals, on the single they perish, the specific aquarium therefore is preferable. Grow very slowly and not always appear hardy. Water parametres: rigidity of water 5 - 10 °, рН 5,8 - 8,0, temperature 24 - 30 °С. The filtration, aeration and weekly substitution to 30 % of volume of water are necessary.

Botia macracantha (Chromobotia macracanthus) are omnivorous. They consume in food both live, and a dry feed. It is desirable to give them vegetative top dressing and vitamins.

To dissolve the Botia macracantha (Chromobotia macracanthus) in an aquarium extremely difficultly. But, nevertheless, it is known that some aquarists to receive posterity at the Chromobotia macracanthus nevertheless it was possible.

Botia superciliaris, Botia striata

The native land of a Botia superciliaris (Botia striata) is Southern India, the river of Tunga, Shivamagga. Naturally fishes are not numerous and rare. To aquarists the Botia superciliaris (Botia striata) is known since 1920.

The Botia superciliaris (Botia striata) has the body extended at length: the back line is curved, a paunch almost direct. From other kinds differs an intensive and accurate colouring. The basic background of a trunk silvery-yellow, and on it thin cross-section strips of dark colour extending from top to bottom are located. A paunch yellowish-golden. Colouring of a small fish depends on a place of catching and it is sometimes very similar on Botia Dario. Fins at a Botia superciliaris (Botia striata) transparent with a small yellowish shade and a pattern from black points. The head has the dulled form and is supplied by three steams of short moustaches. In the nature the length of a small fish can reach 12 sm, in bondage does not exceed 5-7 see.

Botia superciliaris (Botia striata) very peaceful, harmless, gregarious small fish. In an aquarium it is desirable to hold on 4-6 individuals. Conducts a benthonic way of life and it is active the whole day long.

To contain a Botia superciliaris (Botia striata) it is necessary in an aquarium in volume not less than 100 litres with muffled light and numerous shelters at the bottom. The ground is necessary soft, and sandy. Plants in an aquarium land large-leaved, well taking roots in a ground. Water parametres: rigidity of water to 15 °, рН 6,0 - 7,0, temperature 22 - 26 °С. The filtration, aeration and weekly substitution to 30 % of volume of water are necessary.

The Botia superciliaris (Botia striata) is unpretentious in food uses both live, and a dry feed.

Cultivation of a Botia superciliaris (Botia striata) completely is not mastered.

Botia kubotai - this beautiful fish is one of the new representatives of a kind

The native land Botia kubotai Burma. This beautiful small fish one of new representatives some kind of has been described only in 2004, therefore for the present seldom enough meets in pet-shops.

At Botia kubotai the extended body: the back line is curved, a paunch almost direct. The head has the dulled form and is supplied by four steams of short moustaches. Eyes large. A tail fin two-bladed. The basic background of a body ink with numbers of large among themselves large and small light stains. All fins light with issine-black strips. Sexual differences: are not revealed. At length Botia kubotai grows to 10 see.

Botia kubotai very active, peace and a bit timid small fish. To contain it it is necessary group of 6-8 individuals with mobile, but not aggressive kinds of fishes which will not bother small fishes with the excessive attention. Activity shows in the afternoon. It is often possible to observe, how botia kubotai a cheerful flock scurry about on an aquarium in search of food, chase one after another or as the pair of young small fishes sorts out relations (thus, their colouring becomes much more pale). Botia kubotai not a territorial small fish: in one hollow snag can peacefully co-exist to 5-6 small fishes. To have a rest боции love on wide leaves of plants.

The aquarium in volume of 80 litres is necessary for the maintenance botia kubotai (on pair small fishes) with various shelters (snags, caves from stones, flowerpots) and thickets of the plants landed at lateral walls or on a background. Illumination should be muffled, disseminated. As a ground sand or small gravel (botia like to rummage in a ground in search of the forage rests) approaches. Water parametres optimum for the maintenance botia kubotai: rigidity to 15 °, рН 6.8 - 7.5, temperature 24-28°С. The constant filtration, aeration and weekly substitution to 30 % of volume of water is necessary. Botia kubotai it is susceptible to parasites of a skin.

In food Botia kubotai uses a live forage (bloodworm, koretra, loves snails) with addition vegetative (leaves of salad, spinach etc.) and substitutes. It is periodically necessary to arrange days of limited intake of food as the small fish is inclined to an overeating.

Cultivation Botia kubotai completely is not mastered.

Botia Morleti aquarium fish

The native land Botia morleti is South East Asia, Thailand. This small fish is known to aquarists since 1855.

Botia morleti has the body extended at length: the back line is curved, a paunch almost direct. A distinctive feature of this small fish is the narrow black strip which passes from a mouth tip on all crest of a back and comes to an end with the wide black ring covering a tail stalk. The basic background of a trunk light brown, it allows to mask excellently to small fishes at a sandy bottom. On fins by close examination it is possible to find out small specks and strokes of brown colour, sometimes with a yellow-orange shade. Unlike other kinds Botia, colouring at Botia morleti remains invariable during all life. The head has the dulled form with the big eyes without a protective skin under which there are sharp thorns (fish can strain and weaken them). Round a mouth four pairs moustaches are located. At length can reach 10 see.

Botia morleti conducts a benthonic way of life, likes to hide in various shelters. She is a gregarious small fish. There are extremely cocky and aggressive individuals (especially to Pantodon), therefore it is desirable to hold them in a specific aquarium. Botia morleti it becomes most active with approach of twilight.

To contain Botia morleti it is necessary in an aquarium in volume of 200 l with muffled light, numerous shelters at the bottom and a vegetation abundance. The ground is necessary soft, and sandy. Water temperature should be 26 - 30 °С. The filtration, aeration and weekly substitution to 30 % of volume of water are necessary.

Botia morleti it is omnivorous. Uses in food the live, frozen, dry, vegetative forage, likes to regale on snails.

Cultivation Botia morleti completely is not mastered.

Botia lohachata Chaudhuri, Botia almorhae

Botia lohachata Chaudhuri naturally lives in reservoirs of various type in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Aquarists this small fish is known since 1912.

The appearance Botia lohachata Chaudhuri it is very similar on catfish, however concern group carp shaped. It has the body extended at length: the back line is curved, a paunch almost direct. A body as well as fins, it is painted in silvery colour with dark strips forming itself as though a grid (from here and the name mesh Botia). The head botia lohachata Chaudhuri has the dulled form and is supplied by three steams of short moustaches. In the nature the length of a small fish can reach 10 sm, in bondage does not exceed 5-7 see.

Botia lohachata Chaudhuri a peaceful, gregarious and timid small fish. Conducts a benthonic way of life, likes to hide in various shelters. Botia lohachata Chaudhuri it is most active in the afternoon.

To contain botia lohachata Chaudhuri it is necessary in an aquarium in volume not less than 100 litres with muffled light, numerous shelters at the bottom and a vegetation abundance. The ground is necessary soft, and sandy. Water parametres: rigidity of water to 12 °, рН 6,0 - 7,0, temperature 24 - 28 °С. The filtration, aeration and weekly substitution to 30 % of volume of water are necessary.

Botia lohachata Chaudhuri it is omnivorous. Uses in food the live, frozen, dry and vegetative forage. In an aquarium botia lohachata Chaudhuri it is very useful, as eats from a bottom, selecting that other small fishes have left. It is very gluttonous, especially in youth, at an overeating at it the paunch gets fat.

Cultivation Botia lohachata Chaudhuri is mastered more recently. The aquarium in volume is necessary for reproduction 150л. Water parametres: rigidity of water 11 °, рН 7,0, temperature 28°С. On a bottom spawning stack a separator grid. Manufacturers in the beginning hold separately from each other and feed with their mainly vegetative forage. Cultivation occurs to application гонадотропных injections. During spawning males pick up a female a chest fin under a paunch and swim up to a water surface where occurs выметка calves (so occurs until all caviar will not be put out). Right after it manufacturers are necessary for removing from нерестовика (parents do not show any care of posterity). Fruitfulness botia lohachata Chaudhuri makes from 3 to 5 thousand small berries of glaucous colour. They bulk up to 2-2,5 mm and later 16-18 hours from them appear fry. To care about fry it is easy, they eat even dry mixed fodders approaching them on the size. At the age of 1 month Botia lohachata Chaudhuri reach at length 1-1,5 see Them color differs from the adult: at first fry striped, and in process of a growing they have a mesh colouring.

Acanthophthalmus semicinctus, Pangio semicincta

Acanthophthalmus semicinctus (Pangio semicincta) lives in slowly current streams and ditches with a soft ground of South East Asia: Zondsky islands, p Malacca.

At acanthophthalmus semicinctus the body worm prominent forms, is weak flattened on each side in the field of a tail, the lateral line is absent. All body, except a head, is covered by small scales. Eyes with thin, transparent leatherback a film and under each eye a thorn doubled on the end. A mouth bottom with three steams of moustaches facilitating search of a forage in an oozy ground. Fins small. The back fin is on a back half of body. The trunk is painted in zolotisto-red colour, to a belly the pinkish. On a body of 12-16 wide cross-section strips sphenoid forms (it is frequent with a light site inside) dark brown almost black colour, as a rule, not crossing the body middle (except for 3 strips at a head and a strip on the end of a tail stalk). Sexual differences: at the male thickened the second beam of a chest fin; the female fins has less, a little more dense belly in which transparent, greenish berries can be visible. At length acanthophthalmus semicinctus reaches 8 see Life expectancy till 5 years.

Acanthophthalmus semicinctus ground and peaceful fish. Activity shows with approach of twilight. Prefers pure and transparent water, shelters from light and a soft ground in which with pleasure buries. Gets on with any small peaceful fishes living in average and top layers of an aquarium. At sharp differences of atmospheric pressure acanthophthalmus semicinctus become very uneasy.

Acanthophthalmus semicinctus it is possible to contain in the general aquarium in volume from 70 litres with a ground from rounded river sand (places with a peat layer). As shelters use thickets of plants (including floating), snags, stones etc. Illumination disseminated. Parametres of water for the maintenance acanthophthalmus semicinctus: rigidity 5-20 °, pH 6.5-7.2, temperature 22-30 ° C. The constant filtration, aeration and weekly substitution to 25 % of volume of water are necessary.

Acanthophthalmus semicinctus uses in food live (small bloodworms, tubifex), vegetative and dry artificial the forage (80 % of live and 20 % of a vegetative substitute), sympathise with special tablets for ground fishes. Acanthophthalmus semicinctus selects a forage only from a bottom and is the excellent cleaner.

The aquarium in volume is necessary for cultivation acanthophthalmus semicinctus from 30 litres, equipped with a separator grid. Establish spawning so that fishes disturbed nothing. Parametres of water for cultivation acanthophthalmus: rigidity 5-15 °, pH 6.5-7.0, temperature 27-28 ° C and a water level 20 see On spawning put group of fishes of 3-6 individuals (the female should have an increased paunch) at the age from 1 year where on one female two males have. For stimulation of spawning to manufacturers do an injection chorionic gonadotropin of calculation of 50-70 m. е. On 1 small fish. As acanthophthalmus semicinctus very mobile fishes to keep them in hands it is almost impossible. For this purpose, before an injection of small fishes place in small aquarium in which water have added some drops novocaine. Through 5-10 mines of a small fish freeze, and it can be made an injection. After that manufacturers transfer to an aquarium. In some hours males start to pursue females, nestle a head on a head of a female, thus as though supporting its chest fin. In this position of steam quickly moves at an aquarium bottom, then rises to a surface. During this moment the female throws a portion of light green, sticky berries which fall on a bottom or are pasted to plants. Efficiency of 500-700 berries. Manufacturers at once removed. In a day from caviar there are tiny green larvae, and in 4 days fry start to float and eat. A starting forage: the infusorians, small cut tubifex, brine shrimp nauplii or rotifers. Also it is possible to bring up their dry feed intended specially for fry eggs throwing of fishes.

Sexual maturity acanthophthalmus semicinctus reaches at the age of 8-12 months.

Pangio myersi, Acanthophthalmus myersi

In the nature Acanthophthalmus myersi (Pangio myersi) live in slowly current streams with a soft ground of South East Asia and India. At length reach 10-12 see.

Acanthophthalmus myersi has serpentine, flattened from sides a body covered with very small scales. The small fish is painted in bright orange colour. On all body 15-20 cross-section strips of dark brown, almost black colour are located. At acanthophthalmus myersi small fins, without rigid beams. On a head are absent scales. In mouth corners three pairs short moustaches which facilitate acanthophthalmus myersi forage search in an oozy ground are located. Under eyes sharp infraorbital thorns are located. Males differ from females in smaller size. At mature females in a paunch it is possible to notice greenish berries.

Acanthophthalmus myersi conducts a benthonic way of life, preferring shaded and dimly lit to bottom zones. These small fishes recover an aquarium bright color bodies and prompt movement. Acanthophthalmus myersi (Pangio myersi) can co-exist with any small peaceful fishes living in average and top layers of an aquarium. They are evening fishes and at first they can be observed only in the evening when light is switched already off, in the afternoon they hide in thickets of plants or in various shelters. However acanthophthalmus myersi quickly get used to feeding in the daytime, and start to show activity and in the afternoon. At sharp differences of atmospheric pressure become very uneasy.

To contain acanthophthalmus myersi it is necessary in aquariums of the average sizes. It should be with absent-minded illumination and the big area of the bottom, densely set small-leaved the plants having as much as possible of various shelters and snags. The ground in an aquarium is desirable for placing dark and small, acanthophthalmus myersi like to be dug in in it in search of the hidden worms.

Water temperature for the maintenance acanthophthalmus myersi 22-24°C. Water parametres - rigidity 5 15 °, рН 6,5-7,0.

For acanthophthalmus myersi it is necessary to select a forage on the size so that fishes could swallow it (a mouth at acanthophthalmus small). Select it only from a bottom, therefore the quantity should be calculated so that other fishes have not eaten sterns until when it will fall on a bottom. Acanthophthalmus myersi prefer small bloodworms, tubifex, a vegetative and dry artificial forage, sympathising with special tablets for ground fishes.

The aquarium in capacity is necessary for spawning acanthophthalmus myersi from 30 l and a water level 20-25 It see should be equipped by a spawning lattice and a spray. Establish an aquarium so that fishes disturbed nothing. Light should be soft and disseminated, plants and shelters are not required. An aquarium fill with the soft acidified water. For this purpose add specially prepared peat broth or a specialised preparation (for example "Amazon extract"). Temperature lift to 28 ° With. In spawning put group of fishes of 3-6 individuals (the female should have an increased paunch) at the age from 1 year where on one  female two males have. To manufacturers do an injection chorionic gonadotropin of calculation of 50-150 m. е. On a copy. As acanthophthalmus myersi mobile fishes to keep them in hands it is almost impossible. For this purpose shortly before an injection of small fishes place in small aquarium capacity of 3-5 l in which water have added some drops novocaine. Through 5-10 mines of a small fish freeze, and it can be made an injection, without injuring them. After that manufacturers transfer to an aquarium. Through 6-8 h males actively pursue females, nestle a head on a head of a female, thus as though supporting its chest fin. In this position of steam acanthophthalmus myersi immediately moves at a bottom, then from the aquarium centre rises to a surface. During this moment the female throws a portion of very small green berries. Manufacturers there and then start to eat the caviar which have appeared in the field of their sight. Through some time interval spawning repeats. Females throws to 500-700 berries, but more often fishes completely caviar not spawn, therefore at once upon termination of spawning it is necessary to decant residual caviar compulsorily. That caviar has not deteriorated in water add an antifungoid preparation (for example Sera mycopur), and establish aeration of water for saturation by its oxygen. In a day from caviar there are tiny green larvae, and in 4 days they start to eat the smallest forage (infusorians, tubifex, Artemia nauplii or rotifers). Also it is possible to bring up their dry feed intended specially for fty spawn fishes. Fry grow quickly so by the end of the first month reach at length of 1 sm and get striped colouring. During the same time them gradually start to translate in more hard water, gradually accustoming to "adult" life that then further without problems to translate them in the general aquarium.

Depending on maintenance conditions the sexual maturity acanthophthalmus myersi comes at the age from 8 till 12 months. Life expectancy makes 4-5 years.