Aquarium zebrafish diseases. Schooling zebrafish in your aquarium, how to care for and reproduce? Danio pink turned white

Diseases often affect weakened fish. Typically, the behavior of a sick fish differs from the behavior of other fish. A sick fish swims differently, breathes frequently, hides in thickets of plants, and itches on the ground or plants. A sick fish loses its appetite and its fins are compressed. All these are signs of the initial disease of the fish.

Often one of the causes of fish disease is their improper maintenance, so aquarium fish need to be closely monitored. If the fish grow in unfavorable conditions, then they become defenseless against infectious diseases. Often fish get sick due to low water temperature and insufficient oxygen content in the water.

Also, one of the causes of fish disease is improper feeding. Fasting for adult fish practically does not harm them, but for fry it is a big minus. In the first days of life, fry need to eat well in order to grow. Overeating for adult fish causes obesity, which subsequently leads to their death, since obesity is not treated. Feeding monotonous food can lead to inflammation of the stomach and intestines. With this disease, the fish usually do not lose their appetite, but their color becomes darker and their movements are more constrained. Inflammation of the stomach and intestines in fish weakens them, and this is a high chance that the fish will catch infectious diseases.

How to cure fish?
1. When unfavorable conditions of detention, improper feeding and injury to fish, treatment simply involves creating optimal conditions for the fish.

Curable diseases: clouding of the fish's eyes, damage to the fins, mucus on the gills, changes in the color of the gills, fading of the color of the fish - all this is treated with short-term but repeated baths (water 30-32 ° C with a high concentration of methylene blue). Baths are also used if the fish move little and are covered with all kinds of specks or spots. In the intervals between baths, the fish are kept (as already described above) in a separate vessel.

Incurable diseases:
If a fish loses its balance and swims with its tail down or sideways, then such a fish is incurable.
Bug eyes in one or both eyes are incurable.
Tumors on the gills and skin of fish are incurable.

Pack aquarium fish Danio genus bring the most life to any aquarium.

All varieties of Danio are small, graceful, fast creatures with small, shiny, dense scales. Extended slender body decorated with stripes and spots, often extending to the fins. The mouth is oriented upward. The dorsal fin is slightly displaced towards the caudal region. The caudal fin is two-lobed.

Danio species

The genus Danio belongs to the carp family. Its river and lake relatives in middle lane- carp, bleak, crucian carp and minnows, and the aquarium “relatives” are barbs, rasboras, labeos and cardinals.

Genus Danio in aquariums

The following are currently kept, propagated and raised: zebrafish species:

  • Rerio. The silvery fish, up to 7 cm long, is decorated with long longitudinal dark blue stripes located not only on the body, but also on the fins, which may have a yellowish border.

  • Malabar (devario). Along the silvery background, from head to tail, there are longitudinal bluish stripes, interspersed with golden-yellow areas. This variety grows up to 10-12cm.

  • Dangila (olive). Reaches a size of 10cm. On the grayish-olive background of the body there are darker chain patterns, behind the gill cover there is a dark spot.

FACT: This the most aggressive species of zebrafish– in a pack they can attack more large fish, and also bite the veil fins of neighbors in the aquarium.
  • Erythromicron. A small bright variety - only 2.5 cm long. It is painted with “tiger” dark blue transverse stripes on a golden-bronze background. The gill covers, anal and ventral fins are reddish-orange.

  • Burmese (fagradey). It has a bluish body up to 8 cm long, dotted with golden spots; behind the gill cover is marked with an orange-yellow spot.

  • Bengal. The light background of the body from the dorsal to the caudal fin is painted with blue longitudinal stripes and intermediate yellow lines. The dorsal fin of this species is the longest among zebrafish. They grow up to 7-8cm.

  • Blue (Kerry). From head to tail, the olive color turns into bluish, and two shiny pink stripes run along the body. Dimensions – up to 5cm.

  • Spot. The coloring is close to that of zebrafish - dark longitudinal stripes on a light silver background, however, the dotted appearance can be distinguished at first glance: in the lower part of the body the stripes break up into separate dotted lines. The length of the fish is no more than 4 cm.

  • Pearl. Grows up to 5 cm, the color is light, bluish. The blue tone intensifies in the tail part of the body, where there is also a central orange stripe. By this stripe it is easy to distinguish it from the pink zebrafish, which is similar in color.

  • Pink. Maximum length- 4.5 cm. Pink danios are colored in a basic silver-blue tone, more saturated towards the caudal fin. The lower part of the body is shiny, bright, pink; A stripe of the same color runs along the anal fin.

  • Firefly (chopra or khopra). A miniature three-centimeter zebrafish with an orange-yellow color. A shiny stripe of the same sunny color runs along the top of the back from the head to the dorsal fin.

  • Margaritatus. The most picturesque variety with a dark gray body and fins, painted with bright yellow dots and deep orange stripes.

IMPORTANT: They feel good only in a flock of two dozen individuals.

Breeding forms of Danio rerio

  • Veiled. The length of the lush caudal fin reaches 2 cm.
  • Leopard. Through the efforts of breeders, the original smooth stripes of zebrafish have been transformed into miniature rings and spots.
  • Fluorescent (GloFish). Genetically modified forms aquarium fish approx bright color, especially shining under soft ultraviolet lighting. The bright red GloFish zebrafish carry coral genes, the brilliant green ones carry jellyfish genes, and the sunny yellow ones carry both foreign gene regions. Glowing genetic chimeras are capable of reproduction.

Habitat in nature

Schools of frisky zebrafish inhabit slow-flowing, moderately warm rivers, streams and creeks on the Hindustan Peninsula, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. Mainly kept in upper layers water. IN natural conditions These beautiful fast swimmers skillfully hide from danger in thickets of aquatic plants. Reproduction takes place in shallow water.

Graceful sparkling danios are among the most unpretentious, hardy, easy to care for, maintain and reproduce fish species. They are usually recommended for beginners.

Optimal conditions

The basic characteristics of a zebrafish aquarium, its contents and equipment are not rare or complex.

Priming

To make shiny schools of fast zebrafish look more advantageous, a layer of gravel or coarse river sand is poured onto the bottom dark color. Before placing it in the aquarium, the soil must be thoroughly disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate and rinsed thoroughly.

Plants

The central part of the aquarium for fast swimmers should remain free of plants, and along its edges it is necessary to arrange dense shelters from myriophyllum, vallisneria, and cabomba. Plants are also disinfected and washed before planting in the ground.

Water parameters

The aquatic environment for successfully keeping zebrafish must be neutral or slightly alkaline (pH from 6 to 8 units), soft or moderately hard (5-19dH).

The water temperature should be maintained at 18-24ºС. The minimum permissible limit is +15, and the maximum is +30ºС.

IMPORTANT: At least once a week it is necessary to replace 20-25% of the total water volume of the aquarium with a portion of fresh water.

Aquarium dimensions

For each aquarium fish up to 5cm in size there should be at least 4 liters of water. Based on the fact that zebrafish are a gregarious species and are kept in aquariums in groups of 6-8 specimens, the minimum volume of a vessel for small zebrafish is 25-30 liters. Larger ten-centimeter fish will need a container of 50-100 liters.

An aquarium for keeping a mobile flock must be elongated in length.

IMPORTANT: Aquarium with Danio must be covered with glass, as nimble fish playfully jump out of the water.

Lighting

Since plants are planted in the vessel for keeping Danio, they will need sufficient lighting. If the aquarium is located in a shaded area, lighting should be provided.

Aeration

Blowing with air is necessary, since lively fish need an abundance of oxygen. Aeration is especially necessary when the water temperature rises to the upper limits.

Filtration

Water must be filtered. It is best to install a high-performance internal filter, which will not only effectively purify the aquatic environment, but also create a weak current in it, which is especially favorable for zebrafish.

Feeding

Danios feed mainly from the surface of the water and in its upper layers, practically not picking up food from the bottom. Therefore, these fish are preferred floating types of food.

The best is live food. However, getting it is not always easy or convenient.

Available for sale frozen daphnia, bloodworms, cyclops. A package weighing 100g costs approximately 600 rubles.

The popular Tetra line of dry food comes in a wide range. For zebrafish different ages The following options apply:

  • Balanced dry food Tetra Min. 500ml cost 620 rubles.
  • Dry food with carotenoids to enhance color Tetra Pro Color. Visible results appear after 2 weeks of feeding. A 100 ml package costs 170 rubles.
  • Small dry food enriched with protein for fry - Tetra Min Baby. 66ml costs 230 rubles.
  • Liquid food with brine shrimp for fry early stages development - JBL Nobil Fluid Artemia. 50ml can be purchased for 475 rubles.

Zebrafish and other aquarium fish: compatibility

Danios, with the exception of the dangil species, are peaceful and even shy fish. Therefore, they can be kept, in addition to other zebrafish, together with small representatives of peace-loving species:

  • minor;
  • tetra;
  • thorns;
  • angelfish;
  • rainbow fish;
  • catfish;
  • rasbora;
  • swordtail;
  • mollies;
  • neon.

Incompatible with zebrafish even moderately aggressive

  • barbs;
  • gourami;
  • macropods;
  • lalius;
  • labeo.
ATTENTION! Neighborhood with large aggressive cichlids, chromis, and astronotuses is absolutely unacceptable.

Danio diseases: prevention and treatment

Under optimal conditions of maintenance and care, unpretentious viable zebrafish practically do not suffer from diseases.

The best preventative measures are:

  • systematic weekly change of 20-25% water,
  • constant aeration,
  • uninterrupted operation of bottom filters,
  • regular, dosed and varied feeding.

Therefore, food must be purchased from trusted sellers and carefully examined before use in order to distinguish and remove third-party harmful components.

Before placing plants in the aquarium, plants, like soil, must be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate and then washed.

Purchased fish should be observed for 3-4 weeks in a separate quarantine vessel before being added to the rest.

However, despite precautions, zebrafish can suffer from the following diseases:

  • Plistophorosis. On the body of the fish, gradually growing, whitish spots form. The dorsal and caudal fins are spread out and pressed down, the tail part moves down, so that the zebrafish swims at an angle of 45-60 degrees, constantly trying to take a normal position. The fish becomes emaciated, trembles and suffers from ulcers. In this case, obviously sick zebrafish should be destroyed, the soil removed, and the aquarium disinfected with bleach or a five percent solution of hydrochloric acid. Surviving inhabitants can be treated with food. To do this, add erythrocycline (50 mg solution in one liter of water) or griseofulvin (10 mg/l), trichopolum (5 mg/l) or methylene blue (10 mg/l) to the usual dry feed mixture. Fish whose condition worsens during treatment are also destroyed.
  • Trichodinosis. Disease caused by the proliferation of pathogenic ciliates. Danio begins to rub against hard objects and plants. The color of the fish fades, a grayish coating appears on the body, which is separated by flakes. Treatment consists of increased aeration of the aquarium with an increase in water temperature to 31 degrees, as well as the gradual addition of a solution of table salt in the amount of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water. This concentration is maintained until the zebrafish recovers completely for 7-30 days, and then the salinity is eliminated by regular water changes.

For everyone else painful conditions The following general rules apply:

  • clouding of the eyes, damage to the fins, mucus on the gills and changes in their color, tarnishing and spotting of color can be cured by regular five-minute baths in a solution of methylene blue (3 ml of a 1% solution per 10 liters of water) at a temperature of 30 degrees.
  • Conditions involving loss of balance, bulging eyes, and tumors on the gills and skin are incurable.

Lifespan

In an aquarium, small species of zebrafish up to 5 cm in size can live 3-4 years with proper care. Larger, ten-centimeter varieties live 5-7 years.

average price

The cost of aquarium Danios depends on the rarity of the species. The most common Danio rerio cost from 21 rubles per specimen. Fluorescent fish cost 29 rubles apiece, and Firefly Danio is sold for 137 rubles.

Reproduction

Sex differences

A common feature by which females can be distinguished from males is body size and the degree of fatness. Males are somewhat smaller and slimmer than females, their abdomen is smaller, and the coloring is usually brighter. In addition, some species have additional color nuances that make it possible to reliably distinguish the sex of the fish:

  • Malabar danio - the pelvic and anal fins of the male are bright pink, those of the female are pale, pinkish.
  • Danio firefly - the dorsal stripe is orange in males and yellow in females.
  • Burmese danio - an orange stripe runs along the anal and ventral fins of males. In females it is white.
  • Spot zebrafish - the female has an orange abdomen, the male has a white abdomen.

Fry

Juvenile Danios develop quickly, going from egg to larva in no more than 3 days. In the larval stage young growth hangs on glass, substrate and plants, after a day it begins to swim freely and actively eat microscopic food. In practice aquarium fish farming The following methods of feeding young fry are used:

  • Feeding ciliates-slippers, propagated on hay or banana peels. The process is labor-intensive and requires skill.
  • Treat with a few drops of water suspension mashed boiled yolk. At the same time, it is necessary to carefully monitor the cleanliness of the water in the aquarium: an uneaten yolk quickly deteriorates. This feeding method is used as a temporary or auxiliary feeding method.
  • Feeding with specialized food for juvenile aquarium fish, frozen plankton. Then, as they grow, dry food is used for the fry.

Getting offspring

IN natural conditions Danios breed in shallow water, during the night and early morning hours.

To ensure productive spawning, prepare a separate aquarium with a capacity of 20-30 liters. A substrate is placed at the bottom, which will serve as a shelter for the eggs, since after spawning the producers willingly eat them. The protective bottom coating can be

  • fine mesh;
  • small pebbles;
  • glass balls;
  • low-growing small-leaved aquatic plants- Riccia, Java moss.

The breeding aquarium is filled halfway with water, an aerator, a heater and a low-power sponge filter are installed in it.

Prepare Danio for spawning: raise the temperature to the upper norm (24-25ºС), maintain a neutral water reaction and provide abundant protein food consisting of live or frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, and bloodworms.

Females ready for reproduction can be distinguished by their rounded abdomen, and males by their especially bright coloring. The best manufacturers planted in a prepared separate aquarium for spawning. At the same time, there are 2-3 males per female. The water in the spawning area should also be heated to 24-25 degrees. Then, to stimulate the start of spawning, cool fresh water is added little by little, reducing the temperature by evening time aquatic environment up to 20ºС. In this case, spawning occurs at night, and in the morning the producers should be returned to a regular aquarium. The temperature in the spawning area is raised to 28 degrees to speed up the emergence of larvae from eggs.

  • Easy to care for, Danio rerio has become a favorite model object for geneticists. The large, translucent, rapidly developing embryos of this fish are very convenient for genetic manipulation. Intensive reproduction with a rapid change of generations (Danio rerio are capable of spawning at the age of six months) is an additional plus for those who experiment with heredity.
  • As a result of the fluorescent zebrafish, GloFish can be considered the first publicly available domestic genetically modified animal in history.

Photo and video

Zebrafish diseases, as well as the causes of their occurrence, will become main theme today's conversation. One of the most common aquarium inhabitants can rightfully be considered a fish such as.

This is a very unpretentious and popular species, easily recognized by several horizontal dark stripes running along the body, as well as by its tendency to live in small groups. And despite its unpretentiousness, this friendly and sociable fish, like any other species, is prone to a number of diseases. So, let's begin.

It is a very small relative of the well-known carp. These fish live in reservoirs in the southeastern corners of Asia.

It is small, about 6-8cm long. a fish with an elongated body flattened on the sides, the color of which ranges from white to red, and the main external attribute is horizontal stripes along the body. This is a gregarious species, usually keeping a company of 6-8 individuals.

Preventing possible health problems in zebrafish

As befits zealous owners, we begin caring for both the new pet and those residents of the aquarium that we already have, from the very moment we purchase the zebrafish.

It is very important to first carefully examine the skin of the fish to make sure there are no signs of disease or mechanical damage on the body and fin system.

Do not panic if the zebrafish looks too pale, as this may be a consequence of fright from the process of receiving and transferring from hand to hand. It is also a reasonable precaution to place the zebrafish in a separate container for a while immediately after purchase in order to observe its behavior, and only if you are confident in the healthy condition of the fish can you safely add it to a common aquarium.

Danio has quite reliable health and is quite resistant to diseases. And this is one of the reasons for its popularity among beginners in the aquarium business, because it is really very unpretentious in care.

However, one of the first requirements for its healthy maintenance is the need for artificial aeration of the air inside the aquarium and high-quality filtration. There is no need to mention the timely change of water in the aquarium, since this iron rule is equally important when keeping almost all aquarium fish.

Zebrafish are also quite demanding regarding water characteristics such as its acidity level. Its value should fluctuate between 6.5-7.5. ABOUT possible consequences We will talk about deviations of this parameter from the norm later.

Just as the unshakable rule is the inadmissibility of regular overfeeding of fish. After all, it is known that most diseases of both zebrafish and other aquarium fish most often arise from metabolic disorders in our charges.

This is very important point and determining a healthy daily and daily dosage when feeding zebrafish should be given priority.

And don’t forget to sterilize with boiling water everything that we place in the tank with the fish, be it artificial decorations, pebbles or driftwood.

Zebrafish Diseases

Now, actually, about the main thing.

The most frequently occurring ones include the following:

  • bulging eyes;
  • obesity;
  • trichodinosis;
  • growths on the body;
  • tuberculosis;
  • alkalosis.

Bug-eyed

Bug eyes are the most common disease affecting zebrafish. The reason for its occurrence is unsatisfactory water quality.

Typically, the disease affects fish during spawning, and it is not always possible to track the occurrence of symptoms, since one of them is an enlarged abdomen, which can be mistaken for pregnancy in the female.

A few weeks later, a more serious symptom of the disease appears, which is how it got its name. The fish's eyes bulge and fall out over time, which ultimately leads to death.

Obesity

Obesity is a consequence of overfeeding, the avoidance of which was discussed earlier. And if we see an increase in the abdomen of the zebrafish, this is, of course, not a reason to immediately sound the alarm, but it does mean that it is already necessary to take a closer look at the fish. Metabolic disorders are quite possible.

Prevention is important here; we remind you once again of the rule - it is better to underfeed the fish than to overfeed it.

Trichodinosis

Trichodinosis is an infectious disease caused by the trichodina ciliate.

Occurs due to poor quality disinfection of objects placed in the aquarium. When this disease occurs, the fish often begins to rub against the walls of the aquarium, the shade of the skin also changes, it becomes pale, and a dirty coating on the body is noticeable.

As a treatment, you should increase the water temperature to 30 degrees, and you should also use trypaflavin or table salt as baths.

Growths

Growths on the body of zebrafish, in principle, occur infrequently.

However, sometimes this happens, and in this case the fish should be removed from the general tank into a quarantine tank, where salt baths should be used at a temperature of 28 degrees. The problem should go away quickly.

Tuberculosis

Yes, he can even suffer from such a dangerous disease as tuberculosis or mycobacteriosis.

Another infection fish, which can be brought into the aquarium along with soil, algae or other infected fish. The most common symptoms include lethargy, lack of appetite in the fish, and even loss of scales.

Very dangerous disease, which is treatable only in the initial stages. Basics medicine for fish tuberculosis - kanimycin.

It must be mixed with food in a one to one ratio, that is, 15g. We give 15 grams of food. medicinal product.

It is mandatory to quarantine a sick individual in a separate tank. At the same time, after the end of treatment, no matter what its outcome, it is necessary to carry out general cleaning and cleaning of the general aquarium with disinfection of all decorative elements.

Alkalosis

Alkalosis or alkaline disease. This disease occurs when the acid-base balance of water is not observed.

They are sensitive to this parameter, and therefore, if your pet shows noticeable anxiety, often jumps out of the water, itches on the bottom or walls of the aquarium and has pale skin - all this may be signs of alkalosis.

To eliminate this problem, you should purchase a pH buffer, which will further maintain the acidity of the water at the desired level.

Conclusion

Thus, we have learned everything we need to know about the most common diseases in zebrafish. As well as getting acquainted with their few needs and conditions for the proper maintenance of these wonderful creatures.

It is truly unpretentious and caring for it should not be a problem even for a novice aquarium fish lover.

Pink danios were brought to Europe in 1911. The fish comes from Asia. Belongs to the carp family. Habitat: cool, vegetated parts of tropical rivers.

Under natural conditions, the fish grows up to 8 cm, in aquariums 4.5–6 cm. They look impressive when proper lighting. When they begin to rush around the aquarium, the illusion of multi-colored sparks is created.

Appearance

Elongated body, compressed at the sides. A pair of mustaches above the upper lip.

The color is pink with a blue tint, the abdomen is shiny. The fins are yellow-orange or yellow-green, with a pink stripe on the anal fin. Wedge-shaped red stripes on the sides are pronounced in young fish, but fade with age. Juveniles are grey-blue.

Aquarists have created a hybrid of pink zebrafish and pearl zebrafish. The fins of these fish have a reddish tint.

Behavior

Zebrafish have characteristics behavior:

  1. Fish prefer to spend time in the upper layers of water.
  2. They abruptly change the direction of movement.
  3. They prefer to swim in a flock.

Lifespan

In captivity they live 2–3 years.

The pink zebrafish is simple to keep - it adapts to new conditions, is not picky about food, and the aquarium setup is suitable for many breeds of fish.

Aquarium

Choose a long, shallow aquarium, 70 cm long and 40–50 cm high. Danios live in schools, for 7–10 individuals a volume of 50 liters is needed, for 20 from 100 liters.

Be sure to have a tight-fitting lid.

Water parameters

Danios love cleanliness and freshness. TO chemical composition not picky.

However, temperature fluctuations of 16–26 degrees will not harm the fish. Change water weekly at a rate of 20–30% of the volume.

Plants

For the pink zebrafish, arrange thickets of plants and open areas in the aquarium. Choose plants that create shaded areas:

  • Eleocharis;
  • hydrophila siamese;
  • Carolina cabomba.

Priming

Place small pebbles and several large boulders without sharp edges on the bottom. Set up some driftwood.

Equipment

Use filters with centrifugal pumps or circulation pumps to create a flow so that there are areas in the aquarium without water movement.

Aeration is moderate, zebrafish need oxygen, but what gets into the water during changes is quite enough.

Lighting

Zebrafish look most striking when daylight. Install lamps near the front glass with a power of 45–69 W. Then the scales of the fish will sparkle with bright colors.

Feeding

The diet of wild zebrafish consists of small insects and their larvae. When kept at home, they eat ready-made commercial food. As a supplement, give bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp.

When purchasing food, pay attention to the manufacturing date and store it in vacuum packaging.

Zebrafish eat from the surface. Remove food that has sunk to the bottom or is floating in the middle layers of the water.

Feed the zebrafish once a day. Overfeeding causes problems with internal organs.

Compatibility

Peaceful zebrafish are well compatible with other fish. Thanks to high degree adapting to any conditions, they become excellent neighbors for inhabitants of other countries, such as titers and iris. Get along well:

  • neons;
  • guppy;
  • gourami;
  • catfish.

Zebrafish are schooling fish and when kept in numbers less than 8, they experience stress, which is why they become lethargic and inactive. The fish in the group are bright and active. A school of zebrafish in numbers of up to 8–10 individuals exhibits aggressiveness towards neighbors. Increase the population to 12-14 to avoid fights.

Veiled does not get along with barbs.

Not compatible:

  • goldfish;
  • acne;
  • cichlids;
  • discus.

Reproduction

Breeding zebrafish is accessible to novice aquarists, subject to the following principles:

  • Avoid spawning in a community aquarium. Adults will destroy the eggs.
  • The female spawns before the age of 1 year.
  • For spawning, take 1 female and 2 males.
  • The fish reach sexual maturity at half a year.
  • In zebrafish pink reproduction happens in the aquarium all year round.
  • After spawning, create conditions for the female to spawn again in order to prevent the development of cysts.

Sex differences

Distinguish male and female by external signs difficult. Before puberty, the fish are very similar. From the age of six months, the differences are insignificant and require attention.

Adults of the same age differ in size: the female is larger and more rounded. The stripes on the sides of males are brighter. The anal fin of females is larger.

Another way to determine sex is by observing mating games. The female is always in the center, and the male swims around, showing off.

Preparing the spawning area

Create spawning grounds for pink zebrafish, guided by the principles:

  • Take an aquarium with a volume of 10 liters for 1 female.
  • Water level 7–9 cm.
  • Place a separator net or small-leaved plants 2 cm above the bottom.
  • Boil 30% water and add settled water. Achieve hardness up to 10, acidity at 7.0.
  • The temperature is between 20–23 degrees.

Spawning

Place the females and males in separate aquariums for 2 weeks. During this time, feed only live food. The rounded abdomen of a female is an indicator of readiness for spawning.

In the evening, place the male in the prepared container, and a few hours later the female. Increase the temperature by 5 degrees and turn off the lights.

In the morning, aquarium zebrafish begin spawning. In a few hours, the female will lay about 200 eggs. When finished, remove the adults from the aquarium.

Caring for fry

Gently shake the eggs off the safety net or plants and remove them from the aquarium. The fish hatch within one to three days. On the fourth day, start feeding the fry with food ground into dust. After two weeks, switch to larger feed.

Place the fry in flocks depending on their height.

Repeated spawning

After spawning, have the female spawn again a week later. Without this, cysts will develop and the individual will become infertile.

After 4 weeks the fish are ready to spawn again.

Diseases

The fish are hardy and have good immunity. Zebrafish diseases appear due to improper care: pollution and poor nutrition.

Bloating

Signs:

  • enlarged abdomen;
  • the carp lies on the bottom;
  • lack of contact with the flock.

As a treatment, dilute 1 tablet of trichopolum in 30 liters of water. The procedure can be carried out in a general aquarium; it will not harm healthy inhabitants.

Growths

Rare disease. Place the affected individual daily for 15 minutes in warm water with added salt (1 tablespoon per half liter).

Swimming in circles

The unusual method of swimming causes nitrate poisoning. Replace the entire volume of water and change 1/3 of the aquarium every day for a week.

Bug-eyed

A common disease caused by pollution. Without help, the fish lose their eyes and go blind. As a treatment, rinse the entire contents of the aquarium and replace 1/3 of the water volume every other day.

Trichodinosis

The disease develops due to the infusoria Trichodina entering the aquarium with soil or food.

Signs:

  • the fish itches on glass and plants;
  • scales become dull;
  • light-colored coating.
  • increase aeration;
  • increase the temperature to 30–31;
  • feed bloodworms with antibiotics for a week;
  • salt baths as for growths.

Tuberculosis

Treated with food containing antibiotics for 2 weeks. If the fish has no appetite, quarantine it and dissolve the medications in water:

  • kanamycin – 3 g/100 l;
  • rifampicin – 600 mg/100 l.

Do not add antibiotics to a community aquarium.

Beautiful and bright, like precious stones, zebrafish were brought to Europe in 1911. They first appeared in Russia in 1958. The homeland of these fish is Southeast Asia: Thailand, Myanmar, Sunda Islands. The peculiarity of zebrafish is that their translucent body changes color. Sometimes the fish takes on a pink tint, sometimes bluish or olive. Along the entire length of the fish there is a clearly visible reddish stripe with a border. In young individuals it is more noticeable, in adults it disappears completely. The body of the fish is somewhat flattened on the sides. The dorsal and caudal fins are greenish-yellow. The anal fin is yellowish-spotted. If you look closely, aquarium zebrafish have small whiskers that point downwards.

Today, aquarists breed such species.

Rerio

A silver-colored fish with a body length of up to 70 mm. The body is dotted with longitudinal stripes of dark blue color. There are also stripes on the fins. Sometimes the fins are decorated with a yellowish border.

Devario

These fish, compared to rerio, are larger. They grow up to 100–120 mm. The main background is silver, with bluish stripes. The spaces between the stripes have a golden yellow hue.

Dangila

The length of an adult individual of this species is 100 mm. The main background of the fish is gray-olive, with chain patterns of a darker tint. There are also dark spots behind the gill covers.

Erythromicron

This is a miniature species of zebrafish, with a length of up to 25 mm. The background is golden with a bronze tint. The stripes are dark blue, transverse, brindle-type. The color of the gill covers and fins is orange with a slight reddish tint.

Burmese

These beauties have a body length of up to 80 mm. Golden specks are scattered across the bluish background. This species is characterized by an orange-yellow spot behind the gill covers.

Bengal

The main tone is light gray, mottled with longitudinal bluish and yellow stripes. Bengal danios have a long dorsal fin. The average length of an adult is 70–80 mm.

Kerry

Some of the most beautiful fish zebrafish The color of the fins is olive, and the body is bright blue, with two pink stripes. The dimensions of these fish are 50 mm.

Spot

They resemble rerio in color: the same silver with dark stripes. But there is also a difference. At the bottom of the body, the stripes are not solid, but seem to form a dotted line. These fish grow to no more than 40 mm.

Pearl

The color of these fish is light blue, length up to 50 mm. The bluish tint intensifies towards the tail. The tail is decorated with a bright orange stripe, which is hallmark pearl danios.

Pink

Small fish - 45 mm zebrafish. The lower part of the body is colored hot pink color. The main tone is bluish-silver. The anal fin is decorated with a pink stripe.

Firefly

Another miniature view. The fish grows to only 30 mm. The color is bright, sunny, orange-yellow. The area from the head to the fin on the back is decorated with a shiny stripe of a sunny orange hue.

Margaritatus

The most colorful and elegant species of zebrafish. The body of the fish is dark gray with yellow spots, and the fins are decorated with bright red (sometimes orange) stripes.

Proper arrangement of the aquarium

Zebrafish are classified as schooling fish. A school of 5-6 adult fish needs a fairly large aquarium of 50-100 liters. If you only have 3 fish, they will get along quite well in a smaller vessel, but there is a high risk of stress or aggressive behavior. A small tank of about 10–30 liters is absolutely not suitable.

Gravel or sand that has been rinsed clean works well as aquarium soil. The soil is poured onto the bottom of a dry aquarium and carefully leveled. It is advisable to place plants in the aquarium along the perimeter so that its central part remains free for fish to move around. Zebrafish are very active. For normal existence they need constant movement. The decor won't hurt, especially since the inhabitants of the aquarium sometimes like to hide there. But too many decorative elements are not needed. Nothing should restrict their movement.

Pre-settled tap water is suitable for an aquarium. Duration is up to 12 hours.

Water requirements:

  • Average temperature regime 22–26 degrees.
  • pH level from 6.5 to 7.5.
  • dH ranges from 5 to 15 0.

The set of aquarium devices is standard: lighting device, filter, compressor, temperature control device. The optimal temperature regime for zebrafish (rerio, pink) is 21–24 degrees. For fish of hybrid breeds, higher temperatures are also acceptable. If your home is cool, you will need a water heater.

Do not rush to introduce fish into the aquarium until the nitrogen cycle is established there. Otherwise, it may harm capricious aquarium residents. Keeping fish in a vessel without a stable biological environment is harmful to aquarium inhabitants. Water parameters can be assessed using special indicators that indicate the concentration of substances such as nitrates, nitrites and ammonia. Until the measurements result in a safe concentration of these compounds, the aquarium cannot be stocked with fish. Keeping zebrafish is not particularly difficult, but requires a certain scrupulousness.

Watching fish is a pleasure. If there is enough territory, they get along well with each other. There are no fights or other manifestations of rivalry. Zebrafish are very active. Males are especially active and love to chase each other. It must be remembered that pets are excellent jumpers and periodically jump out of the water. If nothing is done, one day you may see your pet on the floor or table. Cover the tank with a special lid with ventilation holes. In this case, it is necessary to leave an air gap of at least 5 cm from the surface of the water to the lid, otherwise the pet may simply crash while performing its acrobatic exercises.

It is advisable to maintain an optimal temperature regime, but the inhabitants of the aquarium feel good with a slight increase or decrease in water temperature. But they are extremely demanding about the purity of water. You have to replace the aquarium water by about a third every week. Frequency spring cleaning aquarium - once a month.

Most often, zebrafish can be seen in the upper and middle part of the aquarium. But sometimes they hide in the sand at the very bottom. So that the inhabitants of the aquarium can have a secluded corner and live comfortably, the bottom must be covered with a layer of sand. It is advisable to plant low-growing varieties of algae, but there must be free space for the fish to play.

Pets do not need constant aeration, but they really love light. If the duration daylight hours will be less than 10–12 hours, then soon the fish will become less active and mobile, and their coloring will become less bright.

Reproduction

For home use, females up to one year old are selected. About 2 weeks before spawning, the female should be kept separately from the males and generously fed with high-quality live food: enchytraea, tubifex, bloodworms. During this time, the female becomes noticeably rounder. This is a sign that she is ready to spawn.

For successful spawning, there are 2 to 3 males per 1 female. Place them separately in the aquarium. The volume of the spawning area per 1 female is about 10 liters. The water temperature in the spawning aquarium is 26–28 degrees. Under favorable conditions, the female lays eggs. The males chase the female, “knocking out” the eggs from her. This is immediately followed by the process of fertilization of the eggs with milk. This continues until the female has completely used up her eggs. At the end of spawning, the activity of the males drops significantly, and the female, quite plump at the beginning of spawning, “loses considerably.”

Once the spawning is over, the producers have nothing more to do in this aquarium. The number of eggs per litter is about two hundred. To preserve caviar and prevent it from being damaged by fungus, you need to properly care for it using special antifungal agents. A good antifungal prophylaxis is penicillin (25 thousand units per 10-liter vessel) or a 2 percent iodine solution.

After two days, larvae emerge from the eggs and attach themselves to whatever they can for 6 days. After 6 days, the larvae turn into fry. The initial feeding for zebrafish babies is ciliates on a banana peel. A week later, their diet is replenished with brine shrimp and cyclops. With good filtration, it is permissible to give crushed dry food. The amount of food increases as the young animals become adults. The fry become sexually mature at 6–8 months of age.

How long do zebrafish live?

With adequate care, small varieties of zebrafish (up to 5 cm) live for about 3–4 years. Lifespan large species ranges from 5 to 7 years.

Compatibility with other fish species

Danios get along well with the following species:

  • cockerels;
  • angelfish;
  • guppy;
  • mollies;
  • swordtails;
  • platies;
  • labeo;
  • Corydoras catfish;
  • battles;
  • With different types gourami.

The compatibility of zebrafish with barbs, shrimp and eels is limited.

Danios will not be able to get along with species such as astronotus, discus, goldfish, and koi carp. They will not be able to get along with cichlids either.

Features of feeding

A few words about what to feed zebrafish. In terms of feeding, zebrafish are unpretentious. Therefore, many owners feed their pets dry food. With good care, fish can live quite a long time and even give birth, but their immunity leaves much to be desired, and the risk of disease is greater. For this reason, if it is not possible to give live food to the fish, then at least it should be regularly introduced into the diet.

Diseases

Many questions about zebrafish are raised by their maintenance during illness. Sometimes, despite good care, pets may get sick. Here is a description of characteristic diseases.

Plistophorosis

The disease begins with the appearance of white spots on the body of the fish, which turn into ulcerations. The fins are disheveled, the fish swims at an angle from 45 to 90 degrees, and is very exhausted. The aquarium needs to be disinfected and soil removed from it. A 5% solution of hydrochloric acid or bleach is suitable for disinfection. Fish need to be treated using food additives.

Medicines:

  • Erythrocycline – 50 mg per liter of water.
  • Trichopolum – 5 mg per liter of water.
  • Methylene blue solution – 10 mg per liter of water.

Those fish whose condition worsens despite treatment should also be destroyed.

Trichodinosis

The source of the disease is ciliates. The fish rubs against plants and objects in the aquarium. The body is covered with flakes of gray plaque. Treatment consists of increased aeration of the tank. The water temperature rises to 31 degrees. Table salt is gradually added to the water (1 tablespoon per 10 liters). The recovery process for fish lasts from a week to a month. The salt concentration must be maintained until the aquarium inhabitants have completely recovered. Then, as the water in the aquarium is replaced, the water becomes less and less salty.

Conclusion

Proper maintenance and care of fish, a spacious aquarium, high-quality and varied food are the key to the longevity of your pets. A good proximity to other fish in the aquarium is also important. They should not be housed with large and overly aggressive fish. If these conditions are met, zebrafish will delight you long time, and breeding them will turn into pure pleasure.

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