The barbus is most often a small, but very bright and beautiful fish of the carp family. In Russia, the most popular is the Sumatran barb, but some aquarists also breed clown barbs, cross and fire barbs. These fish are quite, unpretentious to food, water temperature, they are easy to keep.
It is necessary
- - aquarium 50-60 l with water (water hardness 15-18 dH, acidity 6, 8);
- - aquarium heater;
- - aquarium lighting;
- - aerator;
- - plants and soil.
Instructions
Step 1
You will need a separate aquarium to breed barbs. Novice aquarists most often start exactly Sumatran barbs, which are inferior in price to other species, but have one big drawback - they are the most aggressive species. This schooling fish does not hesitate to bite each other.
Step 2
Barbs are spawning fish and create temporary pairs to reproduce offspring. For a pair of adult barbs, the female of which is ready to spawn eggs, an aquarium of at least 50-60 liters is required. It is quite simple to distinguish a male from a female barb. The male is brighter and smaller in size than the female.
Step 3
This is not to say that this is a warm-water fish. She easily tolerates temperatures of 20-23 degrees. In a spawning aquarium, you need to raise and maintain the temperature up to 26 degrees. The aquarium should be densely planted with plants, both during life and during spawning of fish.
Step 4
Regardless of the type of barbs, they reproduce quite easily. They are satisfied with an average water hardness of 15-18 dH. The acidity level should be lowered to 6, 8. Fish spawn extremely chaotically - either on plants or soil, or simply into the water column.
Step 5
Do not forget that the barb is a predatory fish, and as soon as the female spawns and it is fertilized, the pair must be urgently planted from the spawning aquarium so that the offspring are safe from their own parents. Eggs look like air bubbles. Within a day, you can see barely noticeable fry. It is best to use an infusoria-shoe as the first food for them.
Step 6
Barbs are highly fertile. Depending on the species, they can lay up to 400-500 eggs. The mortality rate of eggs is very low, therefore, observing the growth of fry, you do not need to worry about contaminating the aquarium with dead fry.
Step 7
If you decide to breed barbs, choose the male with the most beautiful and colorful coloration and the largest female with a thick belly. This will serve as a prerequisite for the offspring to be healthy and pleasing to the eye, as their parents once did.
