Compatibility of neon with other aquarium fish. Neon, a bright, unpretentious fish

Aquarists affectionately call neon fish “neons.” There are several types of these fish: neon blue, neon red, neon green, neon black, neon gold, but the most popular and famous are blue neon fish. The popularity of these fish is directly related to their beautiful reflective coloring. It’s simply impossible to walk past the blue neons and not admire them.

Neon fish are strong, unpretentious, but difficult to breed, and if you meet a seller at the market selling neons, most likely this is a reseller. In most cases, neon fish are popular among beginner aquarists because at this time aquarists do not think about breeding, but only strive to decorate their aquariums bright views fish

Habitat in nature

Neon fish live in Central and South America, Mexico and southwest Texas, mainly in tropical and equatorial regions. Common or blue neon fish are naturally found in the basin of the Rio Putumayo River, bordering Colombia and Peru.

Description

Common or blue neon fish (Paracheirodon innesi (Myers, 1936)) are named after the outstanding American aquarist, author of books and publisher of a magazine that have become classics of world aquarium literature - W. T. Iness. Blue neon was first discovered in 1934 by French traveler August Rabaut during his expedition through the Amazon jungle.

Neon fish belong to the characin family. Characinaceae (lat. Characidae) - family freshwater fish from the order Characinidae. These are mostly small peaceful schooling fish. Many Characins are brightly colored and breed well in captivity.

Among the common aquarium fish of the characin family, a noticeable feature is the presence of an adipose fin - a small fin without a ray on the upper side of the caudal part of the body. This feature is characteristic not only in the entire family, but also in the entire order of characins.

The back of the blue neon is dark olive-gray, the belly is silver, from the eyes to the adipose fin there is a neon iridescent stripe from turquoise blue to deep blue.

There are usually varieties of neon, in which the neon stripe has a greenish rather than blue tint. Fans classify these fish as varieties of ordinary neon under the code name “green neon.” There are also veil and albino forms of blue neons.

Neon fish are not demanding in their maintenance. The cool water of natural reservoirs allows you to keep neons in home aquariums even without heating. Neon fish are predominantly animal-eating, schooling, peaceful fish. The water temperature at the content is 20-24° degrees, hardness is 6-15 °dH.

In an aquarium under optimal conditions, neon fish live up to 3-4 years. Aquarium for keeping neon Any will do containers provided that there should be 1 liter of water per 1 cm of body length of the fish. The presence of plants in the aquarium, aeration and filtration are mandatory.

Feeding

Neon fish do not refuse dry food: daphnia, gammarus and artificial food specially produced by industry.

But just like all fish, neons prefer live food: daphnia, tubifex, small bloodworms, and coretra, and among the food grown at home, neons eat well: daphnia moin, fruit flies Drosophila, Grindal and enchytraeus.

Compatibility with other fish

Neon fish are compatible with all peaceful and not large species fish The following are well suited for joint keeping: swordtails, guppies, mollies, zebrafish, thornets, barbs, angelfish, cockroach catfish, corydoras and other peaceful small species.

Sex difference

Females grow up to 4 cm, males are usually 0.5-1 cm smaller. Females are much plumper than males. Males are slimmer than females and their blue stripe looks straight, but in females it has a break in the middle of the body.

Reproduction - preparation for spawning

When keeping fish for a long time in warm water(27-29° degrees and above), their reproduction becomes almost impossible. Before spawning, males and females are kept separately at a temperature of 19-20° degrees for 10-15 days, fed intensively and variedly to produce eggs and milk.

The water in the spawning tank should be soft (DGH 1 - 2°C with zero carbonate hardness), slightly acidic (pH 5.5-6.2), temperature 23-24°C. Well-prepared females lay about 100-150 eggs.

Spawning

In a spawning aquarium (preferably with a volume of at least 2-3 liters), a bunch of Java moss or nylon threads are placed as a substrate and a safety net is installed so that the swept eggs are inaccessible to producers who would not mind eating them.

The lighting is weak - a 15 W bulb connected at full intensity. After spawning, the aquarium is shaded. The larvae are afraid of light, hatch after 24 hours, and on the fifth day they begin to swim normally and feed on the smallest plankton.

Starter feed

“Live dust” is a good starter food. But you can find live food consisting of various ciliates and rotifers only in natural reservoirs, and even then in the spring. In other cases, home culture of slipper ciliates and Artemia crustaceans are used to successfully feed fry.

The fry should be fed with newly hatched nauplii, as after a few hours they will lose their nutritional properties. As the fry grow, the size of the food needs to be increased.

Food for grown fry

After approximately 7-10 days, the grown fry begin to grab small cyclops and daphnia. It is important not to miss this moment, otherwise the fry are “delayed,” that is, they become weak and grow poorly in the future.

The best food for fry of this age is red Daphnia nauplis moin. But finding them is not always easy because the so-called red daphnia moina appears in water bodies for a fairly short time.

The diameter of holes suitable for fry that were previously kept on “live dust” can be more than 1 mm, but if fed with cyclops, the fry can eat crustaceans with a diameter of 0.5 mm. This indicates that the moina is softer. You can breed Daphnia moina at home, read more.

It should be noted that moin small fry are perfectly eaten by fry, and grown-up crustaceans are eaten by adult neon fish. The juvenile fry are gradually accustomed to general conditions content by adding settled tap water to the aquarium.

The first Moscow fancier to obtain offspring from neon fish in the 1950s was G.I. Kretov. Subsequently, breeding was mastered by many hobbyists, and since the late 50s, our aquariums have contained neon fish almost exclusively of domestic breeding.

Neon fish - photo, name and description

Neon red aquarium fish. They inhabit biotopes of the Amazon and Orinoco basins with exceptionally soft “black water”. Fish are thermophilic and prefer water at 24-27°C. Size up to 5 cm. Breeding is more difficult than blue neon.

A larger spawning tank of 30x30x40 cm (36 l) with soft (almost zero hardness), slightly acidic water is required. The number of eggs is up to 250, phototaxis is negative. The first to develop red neon in the mid-1950s was Dr. Cliff Emmens from Australia.

Aquarium fish neon green. The homeland of these fish is Brazil. Size up to 4 cm. Required volume of spawning tank: 30x20x20 (12 l). Water parameters during spawning: hardness 2°, acidity 6.2, temperature 26°C. Maximum amount Up to 200 eggs spawned, phototaxis is negative.

Aquarium fish neon black. The birthplace of black neon is Brazil. They grow up to 4 cm. Spawning tank: 30x20x20 (12 l). Hydrochemical parameters of water during spawning: hardness 2°, acidity 6.5, temperature 26°C. The maximum quantity of spawned eggs is up to 180 eggs, phototaxis is negative.

Aquarium fish neon gold(or Galina's firefly - P. Galinae). Homeland Colombia. The size of the fish is up to 1.5 cm. Spawning tank: 20x15x15 (4.5 l). Water during spawning: hardness 2°, acidity 6.2, temperature 26°C. The number of eggs is up to 40, phototaxis is negative.

Neon fish are one of the most popular inhabitants of home aquariums. Despite small size, these friendly fish delight others with their extraordinary metallic shine, resembling a flock of shining stars in the water column. In nature, they live in the upper region of the Amazon basin, choosing densely overgrown, standing, shallow places.

Main types and colors of neon fish

Neons are fish of the characin family, the length of which does not exceed 4–5 cm. Their body is slightly flattened from the sides and elongated.

The main feature of these little ones is their unusual color, thanks to which the flocks swimming in the water seem to glow.

Exist different kinds neon, each of which has its own unique color:

- a fish with a blue upper body and a bright red lower body.

Red neon is one of the most popular fish in aquariums.

Orange (orange) neon It is distinguished by marbled spots located along the back against a background of light orange color.

Orange neon is an artificially bred species of fish

It has a light belly, yellowish fins and a beautiful violet-blue stripe along the back.

Another name for purple neon is false tetra

It seems to “consist” of two stripes: a wide black one (bottom) and a silver-white narrow one (above).

Black neon fins are almost transparent

It is distinguished by a luminous blue stripe located in the center along the entire body.

Blue neon looks almost the same as blue

It is distinguished by a dark back, a luminous blue stripe along the body and a small red area under it.

Blue neons are easier to keep than red ones

Exactly repeats the blue color, complemented by beautiful veil-like fins.

Voile neon is one of the most expensive types

- a greenish fish with a thin silver stripe along the entire body.

Green neon is also called green neon tetra

Brilliant (diamond) neon differs from other types in the absence of a neon strip. Its body is silver with a red area from the base of the tail to the belly.

Diamond neon is considered one of the most beautiful types

It is distinguished by its “shiny” body with golden scales and a black spot near the base of the tail.

Golden neon is the smallest fish of the species - about 1.5 cm

Pros and cons of neons

The main advantages of keeping neon fish in home aquarium are:

• unusual beauty and “glow”, giving pleasure to the observer of frolicking flocks;
• small size, allowing them to be kept even in a small aquarium;
• unpretentiousness in care, which even a beginner can do;
• peacefulness, thanks to which it is possible to add other neighboring fish to the neon.
• low price.

The disadvantages include:

• difficulty in breeding, since neons are spawning fish;
• small size, due to which large fish can perceive neons as food;
• the need to keep them exclusively in flocks.

What to feed

If there is no filter, snails or catfish in the aquarium, it is necessary to periodically arrange for neons fasting days, so that they independently “clean up” the bottom of the food that has accumulated over the week

You need to feed the fish once a day, alternating live, artificial and frozen food. Neons readily eat bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp and cyclops. Due to the structure of the fish’s mouth, food particles that fall to the bottom remain untouched.

Diseases and treatment

One of the most dangerous diseases among neons, plistophorosis is considered. The fungus, which is the causative agent, is easily introduced into an aquarium with contaminated water, equipment, snails, fish and plants. The disease manifests itself with characteristic symptoms:

• refusal to eat;
• being apart;
• standing in the water (at an angle of 60 degrees) with the tail down;
• sudden movements, similar to jumps;
• faded color.

Plystophorosis cannot be treated or prevented. But it is often confused with false neon disease, the causative agent of which is not a fungus, but a bacterial infection that is completely treatable with drugs (kanamycin, bisseptle, etc.). Determining the nature of the disease will only help laboratory test, therefore, when the first symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult a specialist as soon as possible.

Neons are also susceptible to other common aquarium fish diseases.

Ichthyophthiriasis(“manke”) which appears in the form of small white dots that quickly spread throughout the fish’s body. In the absence of effective and timely treatment, the grains-tubercles become wounds and lead to the death of the fish. Neons are treated with Delagil (one 250 mg tablet per 30–50 liters of water) with a daily change of about 30% of the water and repeated applications of the drug in an equivalent amount. Since neons do not tolerate malachite green solution well, treatment without it will be lengthy. During this period, it is important to increase the water temperature by a couple of degrees and provide aeration.

Fin rot. IN a bacterial disease in which a fish’s fins begin to deteriorate, forming whitish sores and cotton wool-like areas on them. Treatment of sick fish is carried out in a fish tank with the drugs Baktopur, Fiosept or Antibak (can be found in a veterinary pharmacy). To prevent the spread of the disease in a community aquarium, you should regularly change the water and “siphon” the soil.

With an increase in the number of inhabitants, the volume of the aquarium should also increase (for example, for a flock of twenty neons it should be at least 75 liters)

The volume of the aquarium for keeping neons must be at least 10 liters of water.

For different types neons, the requirements for water quality are uniform and must meet the following indicators:

• temperature: 18 - 24°C;
• acidity (pH) – up to 6.5 units;
• hardness (dH) – up to 8 units.

It also requires a weekly change of about 25% of the water and equipping the aquarium with a compressor with a tiny spray. Neons need moderate lighting, as they prefer dim light. And in order for these little ones to be as comfortable as possible, dense vegetation should be provided along the back wall of the aquarium, all kinds of grottoes, snags and stones.

Compatibility with other fish

Non-aggressive guppies, catfish and zebrafish will be ideal neighbors for neons. Neighborhood with big fish and predators (astronotus, angelfish, cockerels, barbs, goldfish, koi carps) is extremely undesirable, since their behavior often causes severe stress in the baby neon, which affects the decrease in immunity and deterioration of coloration.

Breeding at home

The difference between a female and a male

You can distinguish a female neon from a male yourself, because they have quite noticeable visual differences

It is possible to distinguish a male from a female only when the neons reach sexual maturity, which occurs at 6–7 months. Females become larger, and their abdomen is noticeably rounded. Males are much smaller and slimmer. The neon stripe is also different: in females it bends slightly on the side, forming a small hump, while in males it is perfectly straight.

Mating and Spawning

The process of successful reproduction of neons requires the creation of certain conditions.

As a rule, spawning begins within 24 hours after transplantation and can last up to three days, during which the female lays 50–200 eggs. As soon as the process ends, the adult fish are moved back to the general aquarium (to prevent them from eating the eggs), and the spawning area itself is shaded.

During the first 4 hours after spawning, it is important to monitor the condition of the eggs and immediately remove any that have turned white. After five days, the container can be illuminated, because the larvae begin to swim and feed on their own. When the fry reach one and a half months, they can be placed in a common aquarium with the rest of the inhabitants.

How long do neon fish live in an aquarium?

You can extend the life of fish by settling neons in schools (5-6 individuals) and lowering the water temperature to an acceptable level

The lifespan of fish in a home aquarium depends entirely on the care and creation of favorable conditions for them. IN On average, neons live up to 4–5 years.

Despite their small size, bright neons have won the love of a huge number of aquarists. Playful fish get along well with small and non-aggressive inhabitants of the aquarium, creating together with them an incredible kaleidoscope of all kinds of colors and colors. Unpretentiousness in care allows even beginners to keep neons, who, with a little effort, can even breed these luminous beauties.

Neon fish are quite popular among aquarists; they are relatively small in size, up to 4 cm, which allows them to be kept in schools even in very small aquariums. In nature, neons fish live in Peru, Colombia, Brazil and various rivers South America. In natural conditions, they prefer places with a lot of vegetation and very clean and soft water. Neon fish got their name because of the bright blue-blue stripe located along the length of their small body.

Neons are schooling and very active fish, so it is best to keep them in aquariums in a school of 10 or more individuals. In large flocks and against the backdrop of green plants, they look most attractive. They prefer to swim mainly in the lower and middle layers of water; several varieties are found in aquariums: blue neon, red neon and black neon.

Red neon lives in the Rio Negro River, reaches a length of 4.5 cm, slightly larger than blue neon. Their red color is brighter and extends more to the abdomen. Kept in aquariums with a water temperature of 22-26 degrees, hardness up to 4 DH, weekly water changes are recommended. Red neons tolerate transplants and slight temperature fluctuations well.

Black neon inhabits the waters of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay; the size of the fish does not exceed the size of ordinary neon. A golden-green stripe stretches along the body of the fish, the back is olive-brown. Below the golden stripe is a black stripe, thanks to which this type of neon got its name. The content of black neons is similar to that of red neons.

Neons are unpretentious in their maintenance, preferring a water temperature of 18-26 degrees, life expectancy is about 3-4 years. It is worth remembering that at high water temperatures of about 28 degrees and above, the neon's metabolism accelerates significantly and they age very quickly; in such conditions they will not live more than 1.5 years, so they should not be kept with heat-loving tropical fish. Due to the small size of the fish, they can be kept in almost any size aquarium. Despite the fact that neons prefer soft water, they will do well in hard water. It is highly desirable to have live plants in the aquarium.

Since neon fish live mainly in the lower layers of water, it is recommended to add dark soil to the aquarium; against its background, the fish will stand out with their bright colors. Try to reduce the flow from the aquarium filter to a minimum; aeration can be completely turned off if there are live plants. In nature, fish choose places where there is no current. During transport from a pet store or other stressful situations Neons may temporarily lose their brightness, but after some time it is restored.

When feeding, it is worth considering that neons have a tendency to obesity, so you should not feed them “from the belly”, and once a week you can arrange a fasting day. You can feed both live and dry food of a suitable size, since the fish is small, it can choke on large food.

Reproduction

Despite the simplicity of keeping neons, their reproduction is a rather complicated process for an inexperienced aquarist. Their sexual characteristics are very weakly expressed: females are slightly larger than males and have a larger abdomen, males have a blue stripe that is almost straight along the entire body, and females have a bend in the abdomen area. Since it is not possible to accurately recognize the sex based on such characteristics, a group of individuals is placed at once for spawning.

The spawning aquarium for neons does not need to be too large, 5-10 will do. liter jar, the height of the spawning tank should not exceed 30 cm. The difficulty of breeding neons lies precisely in the whimsical nature of the caviar, which needs very soft and pure water, practically distilled, otherwise, due to hardness salts, neon caviar becomes covered with a hard crust and its fertilization does not occur. It is for these reasons that it is not possible to obtain offspring in a community aquarium. In addition, neon caviar is very sensitive to various chemical compounds.

Before spawning, in the evening, the spawners are placed in a spawning aquarium, which is filled with distilled water and some water from the aquarium is added. The water temperature should be about 22-24 degrees, the light is diffused, you can slightly increase the acidity of the water in the spawning tank relative to the aquarium. Also, for successful spawning, it is necessary to add a substrate to the spawning tank in the form of a pinnate bush or a clean lump of fishing line in which the eggs will be safe, since the producers can eat them after spawning.

Usually, spawning occurs early in the morning, after which the spawners must be removed from the spawning tank and it must be completely shaded, since the eggs do not tolerate neons. daylight. If spawning does not occur, you can leave the spawners for another couple of days until the long-awaited moment arrives. During spawning, the female lays 100-200 eggs, from which larvae emerge after 1-1.5 days and after another 5 days they turn into fry. Make sure that no snails get into the spawning area, otherwise they can easily spoil the eggs.

As soon as the fry appear in the spawning tank, you can turn on lighting and start feeding the fry. Since neon fry are very small, they can be fed only with the smallest food; ciliates or rotifers are excellent starter food. As the fry grow, make small water changes in the spawning tank, increasing its hardness; the fry should gradually get used to adult life in more severe conditions.

Do not forget that the fry need to be fed very often, at least 4-5 times a day, frequent feeding is the key to their rapid growth and good health. But don't forget about high demands to the purity of the water in which they live.

Today we will talk to you about the beautiful little ones that have won the hearts of millions of aquarists, both beginners and quite experienced ones. Neons are those fish that you can enjoy for hours, admiring their coordinated movements and outlandish glow. We will tell you about what neons are, what conditions and care they need, and also consider the reproduction procedure.

Habitat where the fish come from

Let's start our discussion of beautiful little fish with where they live in natural conditions.

Neons live in the waters of South America. They inhabit the basins of the Rio Negro and Orinoco rivers. You can meet them in shallow water, where they hide in thickets of algae. Historically, these fish inhabited shallow water streams in Peru, Colombia and Brazil.

Description

Neons is a genus of ray-finned fish that belongs to the characin family. There are three types of neon: red, blue and false red neon. Regardless of the species, all representatives of this genus are united by a bright line that runs from the side of the head to the tail.

Before us are small, brightly colored fish, the length of which, even in natural conditions, does not exceed 40 mm. Females are always more males. They are omnivorous fish, as they can feed not only on crustaceans and various worms, but also on algae.

Neons are schooling fish, therefore, it is impossible to meet lonely individuals in nature. The same goes for the aquarium.

Separately, it is worth mentioning that life expectancy directly depends on water temperature. It is interesting that the dependence on temperature is inverse, that is, the lower the temperature, the longer the lifespan (up to 4 years inclusive).

Important! Heat shortens life expectancy because the biorhythm accelerates.

Types and their differences

We mentioned above that there are three types. Below we will tell you about them in detail so that you can make the right choice.

First of all, it is worth saying that three natural looking have been expanded with additional artificial variations, so you can find 10 different color variations in pet stores.

Did you know? Neons don't glow like some deep sea fish. The scales of fish work as a light reflector, and only refract the light that falls on their body.

Temperature, acidity and water hardness

We wrote above that life expectancy depends on the temperature of the water in the aquarium, so this aspect should be discussed in more detail.

IN natural conditions the fish lives in reservoirs that warm up to 23-27 °C, however, such high rates negatively affect life expectancy.

Optimal temperature in the aquarium is 18-24 °C. If you are not going to breed, then it is better to keep it at 18-19 ° C all year round so that the fish live longer. If you are thinking about breeding, then in the summer it is better to maintain it at a level of 22-23 ° C.

As for the pH parameter, to which many types of fish are demanding, in this case there is no need to worry, since neons feel great in water that has a pH of 5.5 to 8. Agree that this is a very large gap - accordingly, Any clean water at optimal temperature will do.

Water hardness also affects fish. This parameter is not clear to many aquarists, so we’ll make a small digression.

Hardness shows the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium particles. Soft water corresponds to 2 dH, medium hardness - 3-10 dH, hard water - from 11 dH.

Neons are happy with water whose hardness ranges from 5 to 20 units. To accurately determine the water hardness in advance, you should purchase a test strip from a pet store that will show the exact result.

Lighting

As for light, in this case the fish are not unpretentious. They need low, indirect light to feel comfortable. If you have a large aquarium containing fish that require bright lighting, then place the lighting fixtures so that artificial reservoir there was shadow or partial shade.

It is highly not recommended to use multi-colored lighting, since the fish can “discolor” in the literal sense of the word, which is noted by many amateurs who decided to experiment with the color of lighting lamps.

Important! You can create shading using floating algae.

Aquarium parameters

Because fish are no different large sizes, small-sized aquariums can be used for their maintenance, however this topic requires additional discussion, otherwise mistakes cannot be avoided.

First of all, you should pay attention to the fact that that neons are schooling fish- accordingly, you need to keep at least 3-4 individuals so that they feel comfortable. There is an unspoken rule that about 5 liters of water should fall on one individual. It turns out that the minimum volume of an aquarium should not be less than 20 liters. However, in this case an exception is made, since the fish are very small. If your aquarium does not contain other species, then each fish can be “allocated” 2.5-3 liters of water. As a result, a 50 liter aquarium can contain about 20 individuals.

Priming

It is best to line the bottom of the aquarium with dark soil, so that the fish look more impressive against its background. It is better to use a substrate with a fraction of up to 4 mm, that is, with small granules/pieces. It is not recommended to line the bottom with large stones.

Immediately discard brightly colored soil, as attention will focus on it, and not on the small inhabitants. Multi-colored soil is suitable for large fish and, accordingly, large aquariums, but in this case this option is not suitable.

Vegetation and structures

Let's start off with, that there should be vegetation in any case, even if the aquarium is very small, since such a design is necessary for the fish. If it is not possible to take live algae, then buy artificial ones, but only at the pet store. This need is due to the fact that neons use algae as shelter, so their absence will affect not only general form aquarium, but also on the life activity of the inhabitants.

If you have a choice, then give preference to plants, which are planted directly into the ground. At the beginning, we wrote that neons can feed on algae. So, vegetation can partially act as food if the fish want to diversify their menu. Also note that the vegetation should not be represented by one lonely algae. It is advisable to form an area where there will be dense thickets while leaving free space for swimming.

As for various driftwood, locks, broken amphorae and other things, then they can be present in the aquarium subject to the following standards:

• The color of buildings should not be bright.
• Everything should be purchased only at a pet store.
• Designs should not worsen the life of neons (restrict mobility, scratch fish with sharp edges, change chemical composition water).

Important! It is not necessary to cover the aquarium with a lid, since neons do not jump out of the water.

Care

Having understood the necessary conditions for neons, Let's talk about caring for small fish. Let's consider those points that can affect life expectancy or reproductive abilities.

Feeding

If the aquarium contains only neons, then there will be no problems with feeding. It is enough to purchase dry food for small fish and use it on an ongoing basis. You can also grind up standard dry fish food at home so that your little neons can consume it. The following crustaceans can be used as food:

• small bloodworm;
• echythrea;
• tubifex;
• coretra.

Feeding is carried out once a day, which is slightly unusual. It is also worth remembering that once a week it is useful to do a “fasting day” when the fish are not fed at all.

Important! Neons are prone to obesity, so overfeeding reduces their length and quality of life.

If small inhabitants are kept with other large fish, then problems may arise. The fact is that neons are not conflicting, so they can remain hungry, if other inhabitants of the aquarium eat the food faster. Also, a problem may arise if small food is eaten and neon is left big pieces, which they physically cannot consume. This problem can be solved either by installing an additional feeder in the darkened part of the aquarium, or by double feeding in different time when others big inhabitants the aquarium will be full.

Aeration and water replacement

Since neons in nature live in shallow waters of streams and rivers, The water in the aquarium must be changed regularly, otherwise its composition will negatively affect the health of babies. Once a week it is necessary to replace a third of all water in the aquarium, regardless of its volume. Fresh water should have the same temperature and composition as that to which the fish are accustomed.

As for aeration and filtration, you cannot do without it even if a lot of live algae are planted in the aquarium. Of course, there is no need to submerge huge aeration systems, but purchasing a unit that pumps oxygen into the water and at the same time purifies it is simply necessary.

If desired, you can install a special filter that creates a flow. Neons naturally live in rivers, and there is a current in them even in shallow water, so neons will not suffer from such innovations.

Important! The higher the water temperature, the less oxygen it contains, so as the temperature rises, be sure to increase the operating hours of the aeration system.

Compatibility with neighbors in the aquarium

Neons are so harmless that their aggressiveness can be equated to zero. They get along with any species of fish that do not show aggression towards the little ones. Together with neons, you can grow ornatus, pulchers, as well as other peaceful small or large fish.

Remember that many big fish They perceive neons as food, so even a good diet will not save the little ones from the attacks of aggressive “neighbors”.

Reproduction and spawning

It’s worth saying right away that breeding neons is not difficult, as well as maintenance, so even a novice aquarist can get offspring if he is careful.

Before discussing reproduction, should talk about gender differences, otherwise you will put two fish of the same sex into the spawning tank.

Females are always larger than males. The body of males resembles an oval elongated to the sides without sharp transitions. The female always has a smooth transition in the area of ​​the dorsal fin, which is why her body is shaped like a parallelogram. “Girls” have a larger belly, and their longitudinal stripe is characterized by unevenness, which occurs due to the displacement of the thoracic part of the body.

Puberty occurs after 6 months, however, it is better to prepare parents for such a procedure around the 9th month of life. For them, you need to create comfortable conditions in the aquarium, as well as diversify the menu with live food. The water temperature should be 22 °C, pH 5.5-6.8; dH up to 10. The water in the aquarium should be changed regularly to keep it very clean. We make sure to increase the operating time of cleaning and aerating systems.

We keep the fish in such conditions for several weeks, after which we place the males and females in different aquariums. They should be kept like this for about 2 weeks. You need to feed only fresh food and constantly change the water. In individual aquariums, the water temperature should be 19 °C.

Let's move on to setting up the spawning area.

We need an aquarium the length of which is at least 40 cm. The bottom is not covered with soil. Instead, a separator mesh with small cells is laid (used to protect the eggs from the parents). The water level should be 15 cm, temperature - 20-22 ° C, hardness extremely low, up to 2 dH units, pH 5.5-6.5.

Important! The water used to fill the spawning tank should first be disinfected with ozone or ultraviolet light.

When the spawner is fully prepared, the future parents can be released. Maintain the correct ratio: either 1 male 1 female, or 3 males and 1 female. It is necessary to launch them into the spawning aquarium in the late afternoon, since spawning will take place in the morning.

It's worth remembering that during mating games and spawning there is no need to feed neons. You place them there not for fattening, but to produce offspring. Moreover, any food provokes the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms that can kill eggs.

As soon as the eggs are spawned, the parents need to be removed to the general aquarium. They have nothing else to do in the spawning grounds. It is worth understanding that neons are hungry, and caviar is good food, so do not hesitate to jigger.

Next we need to darken the spawning area as much as possible so that light does not fall on the eggs, regardless of its source. Remember that light kills eggs, so take this warning seriously.

The incubation period is about 22 hours, therefore, within a day you will see the first fry.

Important! During the first 4 hours after laying eggs, you need to carefully monitor the spawner. As soon as you see that some eggs have turned white, immediately remove them from the aquarium.

The young begin to swim already on the 4th day. It is at this time that the fish should be provided with oxygen, as well as optimal temperature. The water should warm up to 22 ° C, and the oxygen blower should run as long as possible. Also, do not forget that every day you need to change a tenth of the water to new, settled and disinfected.

As for light, its intensity should be increased gradually. Maximum lighting (as in a general aquarium) should be set only at 1 month of life of the young. Until this point, the light should be very weak.

Feeding the fry causes a lot of inconvenience, since not every novice aquarist can choose the right food, and any food pollutes the water, which is something you should always remember.

The fry begins to be fed at the moment when it shows mobility. There is no need to stop feeding until this point. weak fry in any case, they will not be able to use it.

It is best not to engage in amateur activities, but to buy special compounds for fry at a pet store, since neons are already not large in size, and fry even less so. If you have any problems with the purchase, you can use ground and slightly dried yolk as an initial feed. boiled egg. Be careful, such food quickly pollutes the aquarium.

Disease Prevention

Unfortunately, neons can be affected by almost any disease that “clings” to aquarium fish, so we will consider preventative measures and health improvement measures for pets.

• Before introducing new fish into the aquarium, be sure to quarantine them for several days. If the new inhabitants turn out to be sick, it will be much easier to cure them before placing them in the community aquarium.
• Do not feed Neons with the same food, especially if it belongs to the low price segment. Such feeds do not contain additives that provide additional vitamins and microelements, and accordingly, the fish’s immunity is reduced.

• Do not leave fish without lighting. If your pets will be constantly kept in the dark, without their own light source, and only a light bulb in the room or sunlight will at least somehow illuminate the aquarium, then health problems cannot be avoided. The fish will feel stressed, which is why you can forget about the attractive color of your pets and long life.
• Promptly remove dead plants and fish from the aquarium. Many novice aquarists believe that dead plant leaves will serve as fertilizer for other algae, just like dead fish that catfish or snails “feast on.” This is a big misconception, since any dead tissue affects the composition of the water and also provokes the proliferation of dangerous microorganisms.

• Never place objects or plants into the aquarium that have not been pre-treated. If you want to feed your fish cabbage, you must first boil it. And not so that it becomes softer, but because dangerous microorganisms will die during the cooking process. The same goes for objects. A house purchased at a pet store must first be boiled or immersed in boiling water to kill germs.

Did you know? Bright color neon in wildlife attracts predators, so in stressful situations the fish changes colors to darker ones, which blend into the general background. The colors become especially vibrant during spawning, when the babies need to find a mate.

These rules will help you prevent your small pets from getting sick.. If they are sick, you should take a good picture of the sick fish and go to the pet store for medications.

Now you know enough to choose the type or variation you like, as well as create comfortable conditions for keeping and breeding babies. Remember that the lifespan of neons is extremely short, so it is worth regularly replenishing the population, especially if most of the individuals are the same age. Also, do not forget that all recommendations related to spawning should be followed without any exceptions, otherwise you will not get healthy young animals.

Neon fish are perhaps one of the most common inhabitants of home aquariums. Watching these charming glowing creatures is a pleasure. In addition, neon fish are unpretentious and have a peaceful disposition. They feel best “in the company” of 6-7 people like themselves.

The neon fish (or neon tetra) belongs to the order Cyprinidae, family Characinidae. It got its name because of the luminous strip along its entire body.

There are several types of neons:

• blue (ordinary);
• red;
• black;
• blue;
• gold and diamond (artificially created);
• voile and orange (rare).

Blue
Red

Black
Blue

Golden
Diamond

Veiled
Orange

The size of this fish does not exceed 3–4 cm. You can distinguish females and males by their abdomen: in females it is more rounded, and in males it is flat. Such characteristic differences appear only in adult fish; in young fish it is almost impossible to determine the sex.

Content Rules

If you want to get fish for the first time, the ideal option is neon fish. Maintaining and caring for them is not particularly difficult even for a novice aquarist. They are usually bred in large quantities for sale.

Despite their miniature and fragility, aquarium fish neons are quite hardy and adapt well to new conditions. But sudden change habitat is a difficult test for them. Therefore, they need to be placed in a prepared aquarium with settled water and an established ecosystem. In favorable conditions, blue neon can live 3–4 years.

How to set up an aquarium

For neons to feel comfortable, there must be a lot of water and greenery. For 4–6 fish you need an aquarium of at least 10 liters. They prefer stagnant water, so a few small bubbles will be enough for them. A compressor with a fine spray is suitable for this.

Water parameters:

• The optimal water temperature is between 18–24 degrees. By the way, the lifespan of neons directly depends on it. If at a temperature of 18 degrees they live on average 4 years, then at 27 degrees - no more than 2 years. The fact is that as the temperature of their habitat increases, their biorhythms increase. Therefore, keeping neon tanks in cool water will allow them to live longer.
• Hardness dH – 5–8, acidity pH – 5.5–6.5 – this is ideal parameters. In reality, common neon can feel fine in harder and more acidic water.
• Change water every week - 1/4–1/3 of the aquarium volume.

Neons do not need bright lighting; a cozy, dim light is enough for them. And it is not necessary to cover the aquarium; the fish are not so active that they jump out of it.

But the greens need to be thick and voluminous. Little “fireflies” love to scurry playfully in the lower layers of algae. The presence of dark areas, stones and snags at the bottom will bring living conditions as close as possible to the habitat habitual for neons and will help them feel “at home”. In addition, against the background of dark soil, their luminous stripe will appear brighter and more beautiful.

What and how to feed

Neons are unpretentious to food, so there are no special requirements for their feeding. It is enough to follow some simple rules:

• Give food once a day.
• Don't forget about live food, it is needed for good nutrition fish
• Once a week, do not feed them at all, give them a “hungry” day. Surprisingly, they are prone to obesity, especially females. Fish can swell to enormous sizes, as a result of which their spawning process is disrupted and they die.
• Pour in the food little by little so that it does not have time to fall to the bottom. As a rule, neons take it from the surface of the water or in its thickness.
• The food should not be too big for their small mouths.

Neon fish eat both live food and dry food equally well, so the question of what to feed the neons will not arise. If you want to pamper your pets, give them bloodworms or tubifex - these are theirs favorite treat. And, of course, we must remember that the diet should be varied and complete.

Diseases

The symptom of this disease is fading of color and body position with the tail up.

There is no treatment for plastiphorosis. They destroy not only sick individuals, but also everyone in the aquarium, since even a seemingly healthy fish can be a carrier of a harmful fungus. The aquarium is cleaned and disinfected.

Compatibility

Neons are peaceful fish that cannot get along with predatory or large species of their own kind. They are also not friends with goldfish and cichlids.

Neons can only have peaceful and small fish like themselves as neighbors. Cohabitation with such species as:

• Guppy.
• Sword bearers.
• Rasbory.
• Molly (mollies).

Goes well with neons. He calmly cleans the soil in the aquarium and does not disturb his little nimble neighbors.

Reproduction

Breeding aquarium neon fish is relatively easy. She doesn't need special conditions. We discuss this topic in more detail in a separate article.

Neon blues are considered sexually mature at 6–9 months. The most the best manufacturers individuals are considered to be 10–12 months old.

Preparation for spawning: males and females are placed in different aquariums, where they are kept in cool water (about 19 degrees) for a month and fed well and varied with live food.

Spawning: in the evening, “potential parents” are transplanted into a separate aquarium in the ratio of 1 male and 1 female or 3 males and 1 female. You cannot feed them during this period. Typically, aquarium fish spawn early the next morning. But it also happens that spawning lasts for 3 days.

Females lay from 50 to 200 eggs at a time. Caviar should never be exposed to light! Therefore, immediately after spawning, the aquarium with eggs is darkened, and the parents are separated so that they do not eat their offspring.

The incubation period for eggs is approximately 22 hours. But during the first 4 hours after spawning, you need to carefully monitor the eggs. If white eggs appear, you need to quickly remove them.

Caring for the fry: the larvae first hang motionless in the aquarium, and by 4–5 days the fry begin to swim and eat. They need to be fed little by little: boiled egg yolk, ciliates, rotifers or special food for juveniles. Maintain the water temperature within 20–22 degrees. There should be little of it, no more than 10 cm from the bottom, replace 1/10 of it daily. Increase the light level in the aquarium gradually, reaching normal lighting by 1 month of the fry’s life.

Conclusion

If you are interested in aquarium keeping, keep neons in your aquarium. It is not as difficult and troublesome as it seems at first glance. And you will see how many pleasant moments amazing luminous creatures called neon fish will bring you.