Shark Ball (Shark Ball)
Such an aquarium fish from the family Cichlid as akuly balu there are many different names: shark balls, shark barbs, etc. But under all these numerous names there is a fish Balantiocheilus melanopterus, which is famous for its beauty, endurance. About, how to keep a shark fish in the home, tells the Land of Soviets.
The fish of the shark ball (shark ball) became popularin our country not very long ago: domestic aquarists began to contain it only about 10 years ago. The appearance of the shark ball is very interesting: this fish has a narrow body, color silver-steel, in length it can grow up to 20 cm (in nature - up to 35 cm). When buying fish to determine the sex of individuals will help some differences: males are smaller and slimmer than females.
For content it is best to start a flock of fish from 5-7 individuals, although in small aquariums it is permissible to keep and1-2 fishes. The sharks are very shy (especially for individuals caught in natural water bodies), therefore it may take more than a month to adapt to the aquarium for this fish.
To keep shark barbs at home, need a spacious aquarium in the volume of 150-200 liters. It should be borne in mind that these fish are very jumping,and the aquarium must always be covered with a lid. To decorate the aquarium with shark barbs, natural stones and snags, living plants are recommended. There should be plenty of free space for swimming in the aquarium.
With other shark fish, the ball goes well, if the "neighbors" refer to peaceful species. For example, they are suitable for keeping the ball with other barbs, minors, irises, tetrams, guppies, corridors, danios, etc., together with a shark ball. You can not keep shark balls with any very small fish or fry, with large cichlids, as well as with territorial fish.
Water Parameters, required for keeping a shark ball, are as follows: rigidity 12-16 °, pH 6.5-7.5, temperature 24 - 26 ° C. Obligatory conditions for the maintenance of these fish are also powerful filtration and replacement of water to half the volume of the aquarium at least once a week.
What can you feed the fish to the ball (shark ball)? In the food for these fish can be given any food: and live, and dry, and vegetable (vegetable additives in the diet are mandatory). For the shark ball, the mottle is undesirable. In addition, it is not recommended to conduct experiments and give fish different types of food each time: it is better to stop on a quality, proven feed.
It is important to remember that the sharks of the ball are verygluttonous fish, so you need to give a lot of food. Take the fodder of fish, usually in the water column, but from the bottom they prefer not to collect food. Undernourished fish should be removed from the aquarium.
In conditions of captivity, a shark does not normally breed, so almost always on sale inpet stores are found in small fish that are exported from Southeast Asia, where they live in local water bodies. By the way, for this reason, quarantine is mandatory for all fish purchased, otherwise they can become a source of infection in the aquarium.
With good care to live in an aquarium shark ball can up to 10 years.
