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05-05-2016 | Author: admin

Tetra rhodostomus description

Red-nosed tetra tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus) is an excellent aquarium fish with:

a bright red spot on the head,
tail fin in black and white stripe,
silvery body.

At the same time, the red-nosed tetra aquarium fish are small in size, about 4.5 cm, and have a peaceful character, they are able to get along with any peaceful fish.

It got its name red-nosed tetra (or it is also called red-headed tetra) for the color of the head, but in the post-Soviet space the name rhodostomus has taken root more.

The life span of a tetra is six years (in natural conditions) and from 5 to 6 years in an aquarium.

Some sources write that the life span of red-nosed tetras can reach eight years.

The red-headed tetra is distinguished by its silvery-gold color. The nose, head and operculum are bright red. The tail is striped (black and white).

A flock of tetras will feel comfortable in a well-balanced, overgrown aquarium.

For the best color and high activity, it is necessary that the water has parameters close to those that are their habitat in nature. It is soft and acidic water, often dark in color from organic matter. Therefore, you should not place the red-nosed tetras in a freshly neglected aquarium, where the balance has not yet returned to normal, and the fluctuations are still too large.

In general, red-nosed tetras are quite demanding in terms of keeping conditions in an aquarium. At the same time, if something goes wrong, you will quickly find out about it. Tetra redmouth will begin to lose its bright color and the fish will be unlike themselves. Do not be alarmed if this happened immediately after the purchase. It's just that the fish are under stress, they need some time to get used to and gain color.

The natural habitat of red-nosed tetras:

Brazil in the basin of the Rio Negro to Colombia and Rio Meta,
in the shaded waters of the rainforest.

The red-nosed tetra rhodostomus (Hemigrammus rhodostomus) was first described by Gery Gery and Mahnert in 1886. This species is not included in the IUCN Red List. They live, as mentioned above, in South America, in the Rio Negro and Colombia rivers. Also, a large number of them live in the tributaries of the Amazon, the waters of these rivers have a brownish tint and high acidity, formed due to a large number of fallen leaves and other organic matter.

Fish live in schools, feed on various insects as well as their larvae.

Outwardly, representatives of the species of rhodostomus (Hemigrammus rhodostomus) are very similar to their close relatives Hemigrammus bleheri - and the so-called red-nosed tetra (Petitella georgiae).

It is difficult for the inexperienced aquarist to distinguish between these three species. However, it is in Hemigrammus Blecher that the red color spreads behind the operculum in the form of a tapering blade. Due to its unusual color, Bleher's Hemigrammus is more in demand in pet stores.

Hemigrammus Bleher and rhodostomus are easily distinguished from the red-nosed false tetra (Petitella georgiae) due to the dark bean-like speck on the caudal peduncle below. Petitella has such a bean-like speck only at the top of the caudal peduncle.

Some scientists argue that this species of fish has a thin side line that is brighter, but not as long as that of Hemigrammus Bleher. Scientific name: Hemigrammus bleheri.

Tetra rhodostomus red-nosed detailed description

Hemigrammus rhodostomus is a tropical fish of the haracin family from the carp order and the characin suborder. This aquarium fish has many variations of its name:

Red-nosed tetra,
Red-headed tetra,
Red-necked tetra,
Tetra-Drunken Nose.

The captivating and peculiar beauty of this fish beckons to acquire it, despite the difficult breeding.
Rhodostomuses in aquariums usually reach up to 6 cm, their body is slender and elongated, compressed at the sides. Tetra has an unusual appeal and is remembered for a long time due to its mysterious colors.

Sex differences, by external signs, are rather difficult to determine due to the same color in males and females:

head and gills of intense red color,
the body is transparent blue or silvery yellowish,
there are three black and white stripes on the tail.

Rhodostomus fish has an unpredictable feature of changing the brightness of the head color. But the golden "flashlight" at the base of the tail fin always remains unchanged.

In fish, all fins are transparent, except for the fat, which has a blue-white tint. Females are slightly fuller and rounder, while males are brighter and have a hook on their hind fin.

They feel comfortable in a large company of their own kind and lead an active lifestyle. Tetra redmouth is graceful, has a peaceful but shy disposition and requires sensitive and careful handling.

Red nosed tetra content

It is best to keep the red-nosed tetra in a flock in a spacious aquarium. It is desirable to combine:

dense vegetation,
free swimming space,
muffled light.

The red-nosed tetra is a peaceful fish and can coexist with many not too temperamental species, in particular with:

other tetras,
small South American cichlids.

A richly landscaped aquarium with diffused lighting will allow its characteristic color to fully manifest.
The red-nosed tetra is a rather capricious fish, and most likely will not work for inexperienced aquarists. For its content, it is required to observe very carefully:

purity of water,
water parameters.

In addition, it is very sensitive to the content of ammonia and nitrates in water. As mentioned above, it is not recommended to introduce rhodostomus into a new aquarium.

The red-nosed tetra is not easy to keep in an aquarium, and a certain experience is required from the aquarist. All conditions for the content must be strictly observed.

Rhodostomus fish photo

The red-nosed tetra fish is very sensitive to water pollution. It should not be kept in a new system, as unstable environmental conditions can negatively affect the well-being of the fish.

Nevertheless, the red-nosed tetra perfectly adapts to new conditions of detention. Well heated houses do not require heating the aquarium.

Aquarium climate: moderate
Aquarist Experience: Above Average.

Unlike its congeners, the red-nosed tetra is more sensitive to environmental conditions.

Rhodostomus content features

Tetra is a schooling fish and loves a large space, so it is better to immediately purchase an aquarium with a volume of at least 40 liters. I want to emphasize once again rhodostomuses will not live in an aquarium with a small volume. It is preferable to lay out dark high-quality gravel soil that does not give in to rotting and plant more plants. Ferns and arrowheads in the corners and on the back wall work well. Fish will feel much more comfortable surrounded by algae.

To ensure the usual living conditions, you need to measure the parameters of the water: pH5.8 - 7.8, hardness 6 ° - 15 °, water temperature - about 22 ° С - 26 ° С. Requires a weekly change of a third of the water and filtration. Fish are afraid of bright light and swim more often in the lower water layer. But a sudden turn off of the lights can cause severe fright for the entire flock.

The red-nosed tetra is very sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. The aquarist should always have a set of instrumentation close at hand. The aquarium is a closed system and, regardless of size, always needs maintenance. Over time, due to fumes in the aquarium, organic matter will begin to decompose, nitrates and phosphates will appear in the water, and the level of water hardness will increase. In order to avoid changes in the environment, the water in the aquarium should be changed regularly, especially if the aquarium is filled to the top. Every two weeks it is necessary to change 25 - 50% of the fresh water in the aquarium.

It is best to keep a school of fish in the aquarium, from 7 individuals. They then establish their own hierarchy in which behavior unfolds and color flourishes. For such a number of fish, 50 liters is quite enough. Fish are more demanding in terms of keeping conditions than other tetras, the water should be soft and sour (ph: 5.5-6.8, 2-8 dGH). It is advisable to use an external filter, as red-nosed tetras are sensitive to the content of ammonia and nitrates in the water. Lighting should be soft and dim, since in nature they live in areas with a dense crown above the water surface.

The best solution for decorating an aquarium would be a biotope. Use river sand, driftwood and dry leaves to recreate the environment in which these fish live.

Be sure to change the water weekly, up to 25% of the volume of the aquarium. Water temperature for content: 23-28 C.
Keep in mind that the fish are shy and you should not put the aquarium in a walk-through place.

The main signal to the aquarist that conditions in the aquarium have deteriorated is that the color of the fish has faded. As a rule, this means that the level of ammonia or nitrates has risen to a critical level.

Rhodostomus content and compatibility

The red-nosed tetra is a peaceful fish. Fish thrive in a school of 7 to 10 fish. They look great in a spacious aquarium.

The red-nosed tetra will not get along in the same aquarium with particularly lively fish. The best neighbors in the aquarium for them will be:

small rassory,
peace-loving barbs,
apistograms,
benthophage,
common discus.

The aquarium should be installed in a quiet and calm place, as the fish react sharply to extraneous loud sounds and excessive activity outside the aquarium.

Rhodostomus breeding

Breeding these fish is a challenge, even for an experienced aquarist. There are two reasons for this: firstly, in parents who grew up with too hard water, the eggs of the red-nosed tetra are not fertilized, and secondly, the fry grows very slowly. It is also difficult to accurately determine the sex of a fish until it comes to spawning.

For breeding, the spawn must be kept perfectly clean, it is advisable to use a UV sterilizer in the filter, since the caviar is very sensitive to fungi and bacteria. After spawning, it is imperative to add antifungal agents such as methylene blue to the aquarium.

Spawning behavior:

There is one important point here. Breeders that will be spawned must be raised in soft, acidic water throughout their lives to remain capable of breeding. If this condition is not met, then breeding them is doomed from the very beginning. It is also highly recommended to use peat in the spawning grounds in order to create the necessary parameters.

Breeders are fed generously with live food before spawning to get them in their best shape.

Although they spawn among small-leaved plants, it is not easy to find such ones. The thing is that most small-leaved plants (for example kabomba) like bright light. And for the reproduction of fish, on the contrary, you need a muffled one. In this case, it is best to use Javanese moss, which grows in any light, or synthetic threads, such as a washcloth.

Breeding rhodostomus video

Breeders are placed in the spawning grounds 7 days before the expected day of spawning, fed abundantly with live food, and the lighting is dim. It is best to place the aquarium in a quiet place where no one will disturb them.

The water temperature is slowly raised to 32C, and sometimes up to 33C, it all depends on the fish themselves. Tracking spawning is quite difficult, since it takes place in the twilight, parents just chase each other, and full confidence can only be obtained using a flashlight to see the eggs.

Red-nosed tetras do not eat caviar like other types of tetras, for example, thorns. But they still need to be removed from the spawning grounds. From this point on, anti-fungal drugs must be added to the water, since caviar is very sensitive to fungal attack. Although their caviar is not as sensitive to light as the caviar of neons or cardinals, it is still quite vulnerable to direct sunlight. It is better to observe the twilight.

Fertilized eggs develop from 72 to 96 hours at a temperature of 32C. The larva will consume its yolk sac within 24-28 hours, after which it will begin to swim. From this moment, the fry begin to feed with ciliates or egg yolk, and regularly change the water in the aquarium (10% within a day or two).

When all the difficulties associated with breeding are over, the aquarist finds a new problem. Malek grows more slowly than any other haracin fish, and is one of the slowest growing fry of all popular fish.

Infusoria and other micro feeds are needed for fry for at least three weeks, and often as long as 12 weeks, to switch to larger feeds. The growth rate of fry depends on the water temperature. Much faster they switch to large forages at water temperatures above 30C during the first three months of their life. And even after that, the temperature is often not reduced, since the fry is very sensitive to infections, especially bacterial ones.

Before transferring fry to daphnia, it takes about 6 months. During this time, the fry will be very sensitive to the content of ammonia and nitrates in the water, and you should not forget that the water must be very soft and acidic if you want to get more fry from them in the future.

Considering all these nuances, we can say that breeding a rhodostomus is not an easy task and depends a lot on luck and experience.

Very soft (about 2 ° dGH), acidic water (pH 5.5) is required for spawning.

Sexually mature juveniles are placed in a small flock or in pairs in a slightly larger aquarium with a spawning grid.

Patience is required, as they sometimes spawn many days after that.

Eggs should be harvested daily and brought to hatch in separate bowls at 25 ° C. On the 5th day, the food is dusty.

Very soft water is needed for reproduction. Use a 50L spawning box, with a darkened one, as the eggs are afraid of light.

Spawning occurs in the water column. After it, seed the parents, and after about five days, start feeding the fry first with ciliates, and then with brine shrimp nauplii.

Breeding these fish will cause a lot of trouble for an inexperienced owner, so they are considered problematic compared to other aquarium fish.

Proper care and maintenance accelerates the process of puberty in fish. By 8-12 months, you can prepare a spawning ground and not be mistaken in the selection of males, which must be planted from females a week before spawning.

The accepted size of the aquarium for spawning is 50/40 / 50cm with a water level of 10cm and a temperature of 25 ° C - 27 ° C. Water hardness 2 ° - 4 °, pH 6 - 6.2.

Be sure to place a spawning net inside. And from above the spawning box should be covered with glass, otherwise the fish can jump out of it. You can protect caviar from fungal diseases by adding antifungal drugs to the water.

The spawning period is up to 10 days and is an interesting sight: males amusingly courting females, swimming up from below and repeating all their movements. The number of males should exceed 2 times the number of females. The male quickly overtakes the female and drives around the aquarium until she gets tired.

It is better to plant for spawning in the evening, and spawning occurs in the morning. After that, the fish are set aside to avoid eating eggs and the aquarium is darkened. The incubation period lasts a day or more, after which the water level is lowered, the net and plants are removed.

In most cases, the female lays sticky eggs almost on the surface of the water. Usually the female brings up to 400 eggs. The fry are activated on the 4th day, they should be fed with live dust and ciliates. At the age of 3 weeks, they acquire color, and by 2 months they reach the desired length.

Developing rapidly, it spawns approximately 7-8 times per year, provided that strong pairs are selected.

Rhodostomus sex differences

It is difficult to visually distinguish a male from a female.

Males are more graceful, with a small abdomen. In females, it is more pronounced, more rounded.

The male is thinner than the female. During spawning, the female has a large belly.

Rhodostomus disease

Red-nosed tetra does not tolerate content in insufficiently soft acidic water. Fish will not get sick if the aquarium is kept in good conditions.

Rhodostomus is a very hardy fish and, as a rule, practically does not get sick when kept in a well-kept aquarium.

However, it should be remembered that everything in the aquarium can cause illness in the fish.

Bacteria can contain not only other fish, but also plants, substrate and decorations. You must be extremely careful and properly handle everything you add to the aquarium.

As a rule, the disease affects one or more fish at an early stage.

By keeping these fish with the more sensitive species of aquarium fish, the disease will spread to all fish at an early stage.

The best way to prevent disease is to maintain an aquarium with an appropriate environment and a well-balanced diet.

The closer the conditions are to their natural habitat, the less stress the fish will be.

It must be remembered that a fish that is constantly exposed to stress is more likely to get sick.

Like most fish, the red-nosed tetra is prone to infection:

parasites (protozoa, worms, etc.),
Ichthyobodo infections,
bacterial diseases.

It is recommended that you become familiar with diseases spreading in aquariums.

Having established the symptoms of the disease, the fish should be removed from other fish and processed.

Feeding rhodostomus

for omnivores,
dry,
frozen,
alive.

In the diet, the fish are unpretentious, they use various types of food. They eat both frozen and live food:

cyclops,
daphnia,
small bloodworm,
insect larvae,
moins,
corsets,
pipe maker,
brine shrimp.

Herbal supplements should certainly be included in their diet.

It is undesirable to give dry food due to its adverse effect on the general condition of the fish. But they will be glad if sometimes they are pampered with Rainbow, Tropy or Universal.

Representatives of rhodostomuses are omnivores with a preference for small live and flaky food. To maintain excellent health, it is recommended to feed the red-nosed tetra daily with high-quality flake food.

As a treat, you can use brine shrimp (live or frozen) or worms. The fish has a small mouth, so the food should be of the appropriate size.

It is recommended to feed the fish several times a day.