Scalar (Read before you buy it!)

Scalar (Read before you buy it!)

The Louis XIV aquarium "" The angelfish "

All these names clearly indicate the scalar own thing, it's majestic. He commands respect, it gives another dimension to the aquarium and seems to float in the current ...

However , this fish has special requirements , whether in relation to the quality of the water in which it likes to live , the dimensions of the aquarium that the host and especially the manners of its kind.

To begin , I will explain what a scalar

Specifications

It belongs to the family of cichlids and comes from South America.
It is a gregarious fish ( living in groups) , territorial and quite large (between 15 and 20cm) .
The Angelfish live in large hierarchical group in nature. Adults forming couples separate group to lay but after returning .
He lives between 7 and 8 years, but it can easily reach 15 years.

Maintain Angelfish

It is especially important to take into account the need to live in a group and its territoriality ! An aquarium worthy of the name should have plenty of hiding places and an opportunity to identify areas for the welfare of Angelfish .

The water quality

The water temperature should be between 25 ° C and 29 ° C.
The hardness should be between 3 ° and 15 ° of GH to GH .
The pH should be between 6 and 7.5 .

These are only approximate values ​​. It will take into account other species kept in the aquarium for optimal values.
Cut tap water with reverse osmosis water or Volvic is very favorable (although Volvic is expensive for large containers) . Peat filtration is also , advantageously .

The aquarium

It should be spacious , long and high. Some speak of minimal volume , I prefer "minimum dimensions " . A group from May to June Scalar , you can count 150cm in length, 50cm in width and above 60cm in height.

Many hiding places will be available. A fairly thick and dense plantation in the background and a swimming area on the front will be much appreciated.

It is extremely risky to take Scalars in a smaller tank. Indeed , imagining that couples are formed but an individual remains isolated in the worst case it will be dominated attacked or killed .
That is why it is essential to create a space full of hiding places. In case of problems , the dominated will always protect and hide.

During spawning , couples can be intractable . I 've heard stories that they were telling the 3/4 of an aquarium that were reserved for spawning. In these cases , parents do not hesitate to attack any fish that pass through there.

How to breed Angelfish

And yet , it is really easy to reproduce Scalar and have young . Must still have the right method and means to raise them properly . Also think about what you will do for young people, you can place them in the aquarium ? etc. .

It will provide :
Much time
Two additional tanks (20 liters and 100 liters (minimum for the latter) )
A drastic maintenance

One can easily spot a couple who will lay . Bodies lay are visible ( this is the time to determine who is male and female)

Here the female is black, white male

A leaf, a window or a wall of the filter is cleaned carefully . Impressive fights may occur

Once the female is ready to spawn , she goes on the bottom bracket up by depositing its eggs on the following carefully to drop over his male seed . Spawning can last around 2 hours .


From there , the sheet where the eggs (or one gently off the support) to put in a tank of 20 liters is removed .

This tray should be naked (without soil for easy cleaning ) with heating ( 26/29 ° ) and preferably a filtration ( put a net in front of the suction if you're afraid the fry gets caught ) .
It will remove the white eggs (which are rotten because unfertilized ) regularly to prevent them from contaminating viable eggs .
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After 2 or 3 days , seed out of the egg , but not entirely. They wriggle constantly while remaining attached to their support nesting .
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2 or 3 days later , it is the freestyle. They are free of support and their egg and no longer have vitelin bag. It is at this point that we can feed them. Given their size , they are given live Artemia nauplii several times a day .
It will siphon after each food intake. Water changes should be scheduled , if possible with a little water from the main tank .



After a month , fins and some colors appear.


After two months the form of scalar appears.


Between the ages of 3 and 4 months , you have to go small in a more substantial aquarium. We can feed them 2-3 times a day ( used to flakes from that age) .



At the age of 6 months, they are definitely trained , they do not have to grow up .