Gorgeous, amazing, fabulous, magical, mysterious - this list of words of admiration can go on for a very long time. And all of them belong to one small, but very beautiful fish, which any self-respecting breeder certainly wants to see in his aquarium. And the name of this underwater beauty is a cockerel. Care and maintenance of this chic creation requires certain knowledge and practical skills. Let's figure it out together how to care for cockerel fish in a closed system environment.
Description, varieties of cockerels
The traditional habitat of males is the warm reservoirs of the southeast Asian region. Males prefer freshwater bodies of the tropical and equatorial zones, which have a slow flow or with stagnant water. Therefore, the Indonesian islands, Vietnam and Thailand are places with climatic conditions ideally suited for the habitat of these fish. Europe met with males at the end of the 19th century. The first countries where these fish were universally recognized were Germany and France. At the beginning of the 20th century, males came to the United States. It was in this country that the first "color" version of these amazing fish was bred. Russia first became acquainted with these creatures in 1896.
Cockerel fishes (Betta splendens) are part of an extensive family of macropods and are labyrinth fish. These fish have a special organ - the labyrinth, which allows them to use atmospheric air for breathing. Fish do not differ in large size. Their length is only about 5 cm. In this case, the females are slightly smaller than the males. Fish are diverse in color. It can be either monophonic or include all the colors of the rainbow. During spawning, the color of the males takes on a particularly bright shade. Currently, there are more than 70 species of these fish. They all differ from each other in color, as well as in the shape and size of the fin.
Aquarium arrangement
Aquarium volume for rooster fish
Care and maintenance of cockerel fish is not very difficult for the breeder, but has a number of features that must be fulfilled. Let's start with the volume of your aquarium. Since the fish are not large, then the capacity of your closed system can be very small. It all depends on the number of individuals that you contain in it. One copy requires about 3-4 liters of liquid.
When equipping your home reservoir, do not forget about the physiological features of this species. Since the fish are labyrinth, they occasionally jump out of the water at a fairly high distance from the surface. So they breathe. So that your pets do not suddenly appear right under your feet, you need to equip the aquarium with a hinged lid of transparent material or a mesh with a small mesh. Such an obstacle in time will stop them flying too high, saving both them and you from additional problems. If the cover is solid, then it is necessary to drill a series of holes through which air will pass.
Important! Breeders should remember that male males, in spite of their beauty, have a very cocky character and a truly fighting character. Therefore, when several individuals are kept together in one aquarium, it is better to distinguish their habitat with transparent partitions. This will prevent the excessive manifestation of aggression, which very often ends in fights and mutilations. Naturally, to carry out this action, the aquarium tank must have an appropriate volume, capable of providing a comfortable existence for the fish.
Aquarium water requirement
The proper care and maintenance of cockerel fish is inextricably linked to water quality. It also has certain mandatory requirements. Let's start with the temperature. The optimal values for this species are indicators of 24-28 degrees Celsius. Despite the tropical and equatorial habitat, the males are able to withstand the cyclical drop in temperature indicators to 18 degrees Celsius. However, you should be aware that the systematic presence of these fish in water too cold for them is fraught with serious health problems. Therefore, each breeder needs to have a thermometer and a temperature regulator in the aquarium. The presence of these devices will help maintain an optimal temperature regime in a closed system.
This type of fish is not demanding on the composition of the aquatic environment. But it will be better if the breeder still adheres to certain indicators of the rigidity and acidity of the water substance. Water hardness should be between 4-15 degrees of hardness. Acidity should be in the range of 6-7.5 pH. To correct the water composition and prevent disease, you can use a special aquarium salt. Aquarium water must be changed every two weeks. If the aquarium tank is small in volume, then water is replaced every three days. Mandatory cleaning of the aquarium from feed residues.
Important! Males are labyrinth fish. This feature implies the minimum requirements for aeration of the aquarium. It is enough for the breeder to install a low-power filter and remove the bacterial film and excess vegetation from the water surface in a timely manner, which can make it difficult to fish out in the air for breathing. This can be done with a paper sheet, tongs and other specialized tools.
Soil, plants, scenery
Soil for the aquarium can be bought in specialized stores or use gravel or river sand for this purpose. Before placing in the tank, the soil fractions are calcined or washed thoroughly in hot water.
You can use both living plants and their artificial counterparts. If a choice is made in favor of artificial plankton, then specimens that do not have sharp edges that can injure fish should be chosen. The best option is silk. If the choice is made in favor of natural plants, then it should be remembered that they need systematic care. Do not forget to thin them in time and remove rotted leaves.
Males love swimming among various obstacles. The breeder should make sure that his aquarium has a variety of obstacles, caves, pylons made of stones. You can use flower pots as makeshift grottoes. The main requirement is that the edges of the products are not able to injure your pets and, of course, that they are all made from environmentally friendly materials. We have clarified the main questions on the topic: how to care for fish by males. Let us conclude by looking at the nutritional profile of these magnificent fish.
Important! Any item must be thoroughly sanitized before being placed in the aquarium. Bacteria caught in a confined aquatic environment can cause serious problems for your pets. The most common diseases of cockerel fish are dropsy, ichthyophthyroidism, fin rot!
Food for cockerels
These fish are unpretentious in food. We can say that males are omnivores. They eat dry, lively and frozen food equally well. Nevertheless, it is recommended that the breeder give preference to live food. You can feed these fish with bloodworms, earthworms, snails, representatives of zooplankton. When feeding, individual gastronomic preferences of fish should be taken into account. Feed the males 1-2 times a day. Serving size is determined empirically. If the feed is not eaten by fish for 15 minutes and settles to the bottom of the aquarium, then the portion should be increased. It is impossible to overfeed the fish, as this can cause excessive deposition of fat in pets, which, in turn, can cause other diseases.
If you want to know more about how to care for fish with males correctly, then watch this video.
