Beginners often make the common mistake of adding completely incompatible species to the aquarium. As a result, the fish begin to eat each other or start fights. To prevent this from happening, we recommend using the compatibility table aquarium fish, which will help you choose the right inhabitants home aquarium.
Aquarium fish compatibility
To choose the right inhabitants for an aquarium, you need to know exactly which breeds can get along with each other. If you plan to keep crayfish, shrimp or other unusual inhabitants, their features are also necessarily taken into account.
Below are descriptions of the main breeds and their compatibility with others. The author of the video will tell you how to choose the right ones for your home aquarium.
Angelfish
Angelfish are not very friendly. The developed instinct of a predator leads to the fact that angelfish attack their small neighbors and eat them, and even get involved in fights with larger ones. large breeds(Table 1).
Note: If young angelfish are placed with others and they grow up together, coexistence will turn out to be quite peaceful.
Table 1. Cohabitation of angelfish with other inhabitants In addition, angelfish can become prey for larger predators. That's why, this breed It is better to grow separately, or add breeds that can easily dodge angelfish (for example, zebrafish).
Loaches
Loach fish feel quite good in closed reservoirs. Thanks to their special lifestyle, they get along well with other breeds. This is explained by the fact that most loaches are active only at night, and during the day they bury themselves in the sand and rest (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Features of loach aquarium inhabitants It is difficult to accurately determine the compatibility of loach fish by photo and name. Much depends on the volume of the container and the nature of its inhabitants. They get along best with plecostomus.
Guppy
Guppies are one of the most popular pets and are great for beginner aquarists. They are unpretentious, hardy, and a wide variety of colors allows you to create a uniquely beautiful aquarium.
Because guppies are small and peaceful, they do not get along well with large predators. They simply eat the guppies, preventing them from reproducing. Therefore, it is better to select peace-loving breeds of small and medium size as neighbors (Table 2). These include zebrafish, cardinals, neons, small breeds tetras and in some cases swordtails.
Table 2. Cohabitation of guppies with other inhabitants Mollies
Representatives of this breed are very active, so the aquarium for keeping them must be quite spacious. In addition, they are heat-loving and react negatively to sudden temperature fluctuations.
For the joint cultivation of mollies, small viviparous breeds (swordtails, platies), labyrinths (lalius and gourami), as well as some species of angelfish and cockerels are most suitable (Table 3).
Table 3. Coexistence of mollies with other aquarium breeds However, you should be careful with the latter, as they tend to be somewhat aggressive. In addition, angelfish and bettas prefer soft water, while mollies prefer water of high hardness.
Plecostomus
Plecostomus is a special breed of aquarium catfish that requires a lot of space (Figure 2). Length adult can reach 60 cm, so when breeding, decorative snags and other shelters for rest should be provided in advance.
Figure 2. Appearance and physiological characteristics of plecostomus Representatives of the breed lead night look life, feeding on algae and cleaning dirt from the walls of the aquarium. Thanks to this feature, plecostomus get along well with almost everyone. The only exception can be representatives of the same species if they are placed in an aquarium with an already adult individual.
Barbs
Barbs, regardless of breed, have enough complex character: They often start fights with other inhabitants of the aquarium (Figure 3). Moreover, aggressive behavior concerns not only representatives of other species, but also relatives. For this reason, it is not recommended to keep more than six barbs in one aquarium at a time.
Since barbs are very active and love to bite others’ tails and fins, cockerels, veil-tails and angelfish are absolutely not suitable as neighbors for them. It is also not recommended to keep them with peace-loving guppies and goldfish. Predators are also unsuitable neighbors for barbs, since in this case they will already be attacked.
Figure 3. Species diversity of barbs The best neighbors for barbs will be swordtails and loaches, although several types of barbs can be kept in one aquarium at the same time.
Cichlids
Most cichlids have an aggressive nature, so they have a hard time getting along with other species. However, there are also peaceful species that feel great with other inhabitants of the aquarium (Figure 4).
Figure 7. Cichlids and their compatibility with other breeds Cichlids are absolutely incompatible with zebrafish, guppies, gouramis, goldfish, bettas and catfish. In some cases, you can add bots and eels to them, but the pets need to be constantly monitored, and if disagreements arise, they must be placed in separate tanks.
Goldfish
All aquarium goldfish were artificially bred, although they were obtained from goldfish. For this reason, they get along well with koi, telescopes and other peace-loving medium-sized species (Figure 5).
Figure 5. Features of goldfish In addition, several types of goldfish can be kept in one aquarium at the same time. However, in this case, it is worth considering that they will begin to interbreed and the purity of the breed will be lost. For this reason, if you plan to breed purebred individuals, each species should be kept in a separate tank.
Gourami
In general, gouramis have a peaceful nature and only become aggressive when attacked by predators. But there are species with which gourami will feel uncomfortable. These breeds include goldfish, koi carp, cichlids, bettas and parrots. Maintenance problems may arise when gourami are bred simultaneously with discus fish, guppies or shrimp (Figure 6).
Figure 6. Coexistence of gourami with other aquarium species When choosing neighbors for gourami, preference should be given to zebrafish, angelfish, barbs, tetras, characin species and catfish. Most of them are small and quite mobile, so they will not claim the gourami’s personal space. Catfish are generally nocturnal, so gourami will feel absolutely free during the day.
Danio
Danios, regardless of the species, get along well with almost all species, but preference should be given to small species, such as guppies, loaches, labeos or angelfish.
The only caution applies to the veiled zebrafish, whose long tail may be of increased interest to individuals with a more aggressive nature. For example, cichlids, eels and even goldfish may try to bite off the zebrafish's tail or fins, so such proximity should be avoided.
Discus
The main problem with keeping discus and other breeds together is that they need enough heat water that other inhabitants of closed reservoirs simply cannot withstand (Table 4).
Note: However, experienced aquarists still advise keeping discus fish separately from other species. Firstly, they are quite large and need a lot of space. Secondly, they are slow, and more agile inhabitants will eat the food faster.
Table 4. Scheme of coexistence of discus fish with other aquarium inhabitants In addition, discus fish belong to cichlids, so they can be aggressive towards smaller neighbors. To prevent this from happening, it is better to provide a separate aquarium for them, and bright colors and unusual shape discus will help make it a real decoration of the house.
Corridors
Corydoras belong to the catfish family, so they are not aggressive in nature and get along well with almost any species.
Compatibility of Swordtails
Swordtails are very popular aquarium pets. This is explained not only by their unpretentiousness in care and maintenance, but also by their peaceful nature. They get along well with all small peace-loving breeds (Table 5).
Table 5. Cohabitation of swordtails with other species Some of the best neighbors for swordtails include small neons, guppies, zebrafish and thornets. However, they will feel good and will not live together with catfish, angelfish and cichlids. large sizes. However, it should be borne in mind that males can show greater aggression towards each other, so it is better to keep one male and several females in one aquarium.
Labeo
Externally, labios are very beautiful representatives water world, but certain difficulties may arise when maintaining them due to their pugnacious nature.
The fry usually behave peacefully, but as they grow older they become more and more aggressive. If you still want to have a labeo, there should only be one individual in one aquarium. You should also avoid fish that are similar in color and shape, as the labeo will attack them. It is better to select small and fast individuals as neighbors: barbs, congos and zebrafish.
Pecilia
These fish can be called truly universal. They get along well with almost any species, do not require special conditions of maintenance and feeding, and therefore are suitable for beginner aquarists.
Even in small aquariums platies do not attack other inhabitants, and if the container is large, they find a secluded corner and do not violate the territorial habitat of other species.
Astronotus
Astronotus are one of the most aggressive aquarium fish. For this reason, they can be kept either in a separate tank or together with spiny fish (for example, synodontis).
In addition to poor livability, the species also has one more feature: they eat almost all plants and move decorations. Therefore, it is better to place large artificial plants in the aquarium. However, astronotuses quickly get used to people and do not show aggression towards them, and thanks to their developed intelligence, they can even learn to eat from their hands.
Botsiya
Botsia belongs to the loach species. They are quite large and at the same time mobile. They spend most of their time at the bottom, so they can be kept in community aquarium(Table 6).
Table 6. Boot compatibility However, it is better to select medium and large fish without long fins as neighbors. Small inhabitants of a closed reservoir can simply become victims of bots, and in individuals with long tails and fins, bots can simply tear them off.
Rainbows
Rainbowfish belong to peaceful species that feed plant foods. Therefore, they can be kept with any other species. It is still better to avoid predators, as even a large rainbowfish can become their victim.
Aquarium crayfish compatibility with fish
The question of livability aquarium crayfish with fish it is twofold. Crayfish are exotic inhabitants of the home aquarium that do not require special care (Figure 7). It is important to choose the right fish to keep together. Some species are absolutely unsuitable for living next to crayfish, while others coexist quite peacefully with them.
Note: Some aquarists believe that crayfish are capable of eating even large species of fish, and during the molting period, the crayfish itself, having lost its scales, can become easy prey for predators. This is partly true, but much depends on the nature of the cancer itself, the mobility and size of the fish.
Figure 7. Compatibility of aquarium crayfish with fish For joint keeping, you should not select slow individuals or species living near the bottom. They will very quickly become prey to cancer. Bright and large species that attract crayfish are also not recommended. It is best to keep crayfish in separate containers or add fast small fish, such as guppies, to them.
From the video you will learn how to properly keep crayfish in an aquarium.
Aquarium shrimp compatibility with fish
The physiological characteristics of aquarium shrimp determine their compatibility with other inhabitants of the aquatic space. In nature, shrimp hide from predators in the soil, algae and any other objects located in the reservoir (Figure 8).
Figure 8. Species diversity of aquarium shrimp In order for shrimp to get along well with fish, you need to very carefully select all aquatic inhabitants. Any big fish Can eat shrimp if it is the right size to swallow. Very quickly they will begin to perceive shrimp as their favorite food and destroy all individuals. For this reason, they should not be kept with gouramis, swordtails, goldfish, angelfish, discus fish and bottom rocks.
Note: Immediately after purchase, shrimp should not be placed in a community aquarium. They will immediately begin to hide from the fish, which will certainly begin to hunt for them. In this case, the shrimp will quickly become prey to other inhabitants or die from stress.
Shrimp - very interesting creatures, so it is better to keep them in a separate aquarium. But if this is not possible, then it is better to add them to guppies, neons or any other small species. However, you will still have to purchase a separate container to keep newborn shrimp. They are so small that even peaceful neighbors can eat them.
To choose the right inhabitants for your home aquarium, you should take into account many nuances. Firstly, each type of fish requires its own temperature, hardness and aeration of water. Secondly, the species differ physiologically and may not get along in the same tank. In addition, the closed reservoir must contain the optimal amount of algae and decorations so that the fish feel comfortable.
Table 7. Compatibility of aquarium fish The compatibility table (Table 7) will help you cope with the task of selecting fish and other inhabitants of the aquarium. With its help, you can properly populate the aquarium by choosing the right inhabitants.
How to choose the most suitable fish for stocking an aquarium.
Many beginners and experienced aquarists are interested in the issue of populating an aquarium. In such cases, the goal arises to select fish that are cooperative and friendly to each other. There are many opinions on how to solve such a problem in an optimal way. Having become familiar with basic rules selection of aquarium inhabitants and detailed information about the compatibility of aquarium fish, you need to arm yourself with knowledge and make a choice. If you create the appropriate conditions and select a comfortable environment, the population of the aquatic world will delight you for many years.
- Compatibility of aquarium fish: useful recommendations
- Compatibility of aquarium fish: classification of species
- Compatibility of aquarium fish: popular types
- Compatibility of aquarium fish - photo
- Compatibility of aquarium fish - video
How important is the compatibility of aquarium fish?
With the appearance of an aquarium in the house, there is a risk of making a common mistake for beginners - populating it with various inhabitants, showing them the most attractive, guided when choosing solely by their appearance. In the future, it often turns out that some of them are completely incompatible. This kind of approach when introducing fish with the existing inhabitants of the aquarium or when filling it with new inhabitants threatens in the future various problems. Different kinds fish can be compatible (completely or relatively), and also have absolute incompatibility with each other. In addition, there is biological and behavioral compatibility of certain types of aquarium fish.
Some species reach sizes too large for an aquarium. big size, such fish can infringe on its small inhabitants. If you put predators together with the most innocent creatures, you will soon have to witness bloody showdowns in the aquarium. In this way, you can lose some of the fish - they may be eaten or die as a result of inappropriate living conditions. To avoid problems after stocking the aquarium with fish, it is necessary to take a balanced approach. Before purchasing, you should study information about the specific types of fish you like and think carefully about everything. It is necessary to select the inhabitants of the aquarium, taking into account their livability and compatibility of the principles of keeping different species.
Basic principles for choosing aquarium fish
When selecting aquarium inhabitants, you must take into account the following information:
- You should not combine large and small fish species, as this combination may result in the destruction of some or all small fish
- predators potentially threatening more civilians aquarium;
- When selecting aquarium inhabitants, you should take into account their temperamental compatibility, since active, mobile specimens may not get along well with slow and calm fish.
Thus, it is necessary to take into account the typical habits of the different fish species, especially their keeping and breeding, as well as the expected final sizes.
Fish of the same species are characterized by distinctive compatibility; they prefer natural environment live in flocks. By grouping in schools in this way, they protect themselves from attacks by predators. In an aquarium, it is better to keep them in groups, since such a fish will feel noticeable discomfort when alone. For example, it is known that individual species bottom and loach fish prefer the company of their own kind.
Typical mistakes of beginner aquarists
Signs that a fish is not suitable for a particular aquarium may include the following:
Features to consider
When buying aquarium fish, first of all you need to:
- assess the condition of the fish - how healthy it looks (lethargy and pale color should cause concern). Also try to determine whether a particular individual is too aggressive - similar behavior is sometimes found in individual representatives of generally peaceful species;
- should also be taken into account characteristics fish When choosing “harem” species, several females should be selected for one male; fish like the barb prefer to live in schools with a predominance of males;
- It is recommended to select fish that live in different water layers (above, below or in the middle). This technique most often it helps to successfully combine compatible and even incompatible fish in one aquarium.
To some extent, the aquarium fish compatibility table will help make the selection task easier. It can be used to obtain basic information. In addition, you will need to take into account the conditions of keeping the fish, the dimensions of the aquarium, etc.
You shouldn’t buy a large number of fish at once; it’s better to put several specimens in the aquarium and see how comfortable they are there. If they take root, you can increase the number of inhabitants of the aquarium. In the future, the aquarist needs to reproduce for each breed of fish conditions that are close to their natural habitat, as well as a balanced diet. You will need to select the types of fish for which the only one will be appropriate temperature regime and water composition.
The above factors should be taken into account as a whole. It is not at all necessary that fish of approximately the same size will be able to get along. Most often, a small fish requires its own territory and will try to restore order in the aquarium according to its needs. Sometimes two fish need similar living conditions, except for the degree of water movement, since one of the species natural environment lives in quiet lakes, and the other in mountain rivers. Not worth it exotic species fish, demanding conditions, can be combined with unpretentious fish; heat-loving fish prefer cool water. The following belief is widespread: if fish naturally live in the same body of water, they can be made neighbors in the aquarium. In fact, this is not the case, because in the natural environment there may be predatory fish and their prey nearby. Also, fish of the same species do not always get along optimally; sometimes males do not tolerate such proximity and compete and fight among themselves. A similar phenomenon can be observed between representatives of fish of similar species and colors.
Classification of species
Experienced aquarists have long noticed that a huge influence on the further behavior of fish is provided by old place their residence. A favorable climate in the aquarium can be created by buying different fish as fry and raising them together - in this case, the chances of peaceful coexistence of different species increase.
Depending on the typical characteristics of behavior, character and temperament, aquarium fish can be classified as follows:
Compatibility of popular types
When selecting neighbors for aquarium fish, you should take into account the observations of experienced aquarists:
- In aquarium fish, neons are compatible only with peaceful small fish - swordtails and lalius, as well as cherry shrimp. In addition, neon should be placed in small or medium-sized containers; they are unlikely to be comfortable enough in large aquariums;
- in large specimens such as aquarium goldfish, compatibility with small species of data - they may well eat neon or freshwater shrimp. Different types of goldfish may differ in size and character, so it is not recommended to combine them together - clumsy specimens of telescopes risk being left without food, in addition, water eyes can be injured by mobile neighbors. Beginners are recommended to start by breeding veiltail or ryukin fish;
- aquarium fish parrots are compatible with many shy and predatory fish ami, although they may accidentally swallow the fry of small timid species, it is not worth adding young neons or tetra fireflies to them. As neighbors, not very small catfish, black knives, Aravan, as well as small and medium-sized American cichlids are optimal for them;
- The cockerel fish, which is not very easy to keep, is widely known for its fighting qualities. However, you shouldn't keep her alone. Having paid enough attention to the compatibility of the aquarium betta fish, you can choose a suitable company for it - for these purposes, for example, platies, as well as macropods and neon iris, are suitable. It is not recommended to house cockerels with aggressive and territorial neighbors, as well as with small timid specimens of guppies and shrimp;
- Angelfish are distinguished by good intraspecific and external livability, as they have a fairly peaceful character. You can observe the compatibility of aquarium fish angelfish with guppies and swordtails, as well as labeo, tarakatum catfish, loachfish and thornets. It is not advisable to populate them with telescopes and cockerels, discussions and cichlids;
- The blue dolphin cichlid has a peaceful disposition with a slight tendency towards territoriality and can get along with other non-aggressive species. Sometimes you can observe a showdown between males, but without causing serious injuries. Optimal intraspecific compatibility of dolphin aquarium fish is observed; it is recommended to populate them with a predominance of females in a separate container;
- The compatibility of barb aquarium fish should be taken into account when populating an aquarium. They are characterized by manifestations of aggression within the school and towards the aquarium population of other species. Barbs can pluck the fins and tails of angelfish, guppies, goldfish, and also chase sedentary and timid neighbors such as lalius, and conflict with Astronotus. A mono-species aquarium is optimal for barbs, or you can combine them with gouramis, platies, as well as side and catfish.
When choosing a group of fish for your aquarium, you should try to take into account various factors. In this case, the joint coexistence of the population of the mini-reservoirs will be peaceful and harmonious.
Selecting fish for your aquarium is a very interesting, but not easy task. The choice is truly huge, and you have to take into account not only the appearance of the fish, but also many other factors. One of them is their compatibility, that is, the ability of different species to get along together and feel comfortable in a common aquarium. We will talk about the basic principles of this compatibility in this article.
The reasons for the impossibility of coexistence of some species of fish - or any other living beings - are intuitively clear: in nature they live in different climatic zones, V different conditions, and even in the case of close proximity, they can be in different relationships with each other, for example, being predator and prey. And if we are philosophical about the fact that in natural conditions Wednesday, some fish eat others, few people would want to witness such a picture in their aquarium. In order to avoid a situation in which the fish in the aquarium suffer from their proximity, when selecting them you need to know and take into account several basic rules.
Compatibility Types
Fish species can be:
- fully compatible;
- completely incompatible;
- conditionally (limitedly) compatible.
Everything is clear with the first two categories, but the third includes species whose coexistence is possible under certain conditions (these could be the size of the aquarium, its correct zoning, the presence of shelters, or even the character traits and life experience of specific fish individuals). I must say that sometimes - very rarely! - in aquariums, completely incompatible species somehow manage to get along, but these are the exceptions.
To facilitate the task of selecting fish, there are species compatibility tables; they are available in specialized literature and on many aquarium websites. But we will still try to formulate the principles by which the compatibility of fish is determined.
Click to enlarge
Basic principles of compatibility of aquarium fish species
Similar conditions of detention
Obviously, fish that require different environmental parameters cannot be placed in the same aquarium: water temperature, hardness, acidity, light, presence and strength of current, and so on. Often related fish species or species that live naturally in the same biotopes have similar requirements for living conditions.
According to this principle of fish selection, species-specific aquariums are built: the now popular cichlids, aquariums with various short-bodied or viviparous species - guppies, platies, mollies. Geographic aquariums (for example, the “South-East Asia” aquarium) are also interesting, recreating the conditions of a particular area, where fish of various families living in this area are placed. 
Predators and prey
Here, too, everything is simple and clear: you cannot keep predatory fish and their potential prey together. That is, predators, of course, will be grateful to you for this - catching and eating a young neon is always more pleasant than choking on dry food (and it’s also healthier for your health). But future victims are unlikely to be happy with this situation. Therefore, before buying fish, you should definitely find out whether they are predators (yes, cute little fish from the pet store can very well grow into ruthless killers), and select neighbors for them of the appropriate size and disposition.
Size matters
Large fish, even if they are not predators, are not recommended to be housed with small fish, since representatives of the latter will always feel threatened and be in stressful conditions. This will have an adverse effect on their health, longevity and decorative value: firstly, the color may fade from stress, and secondly, the fish will hide all the time, it will become uninteresting and almost impossible to watch them. In addition, there is a possibility that a completely peaceful, non-predatory fish of a large size will accidentally swallow a small one, because even such bumpkins as goldfish will grab the prey if it itself swims into their mouth. Conclusion: the fish in the aquarium should be of comparable size and at least not fit into each other’s mouths. 
Opposites don't meet
Unlike people, whose temperaments often complement each other, fish feel more comfortable among individuals with similar behavior. Or rather, nimble, lively and active fish (such as zebrafish) usually pay little attention to phlegmatic and thoughtful gouramis or guppies, but the latter, surrounded by fast and agile neighbors, may experience stress and discomfort. In addition, they often simply do not get food, since energetic neighbors eat it faster than the mattress fish have time to get to this food.
Of course, not everyone wants the aquarium to be a complete bustle or, conversely, a sleepy kingdom. Therefore, you can select fish with different temperaments, but with the condition that they will occupy different layers of water, for example, calm bottom and frisky schooling fish in the middle layers of the aquarium.
Territorial aggressors
There are species of fish that attack other inhabitants of the aquarium not because they see them as food items, but in defense of their territory. Territorial fish protect their family spawning grounds, such as cichlids, and in the case of fish (labeo, girinocheilus) - their pastures. In different species, aggression can be directed either only at individuals of their own species, or at the entire population of the aquarium. Therefore, when purchasing fish, you should definitely find out whether it is territorial and how this property manifests itself in it. The descriptions of the species indicate how best to house them: singly, in a flock, in a pair, whether other species can live in the aquarium with them and what kind of species they should be. 
Tender beauties
Fish that, as a result of selection, have acquired hypertrophied characteristics unusual for their species (veil fins, growths on the skin, greatly enlarged eyes, albino coloration) are usually much more delicate than their wild-type relatives, and the selection of neighbors for them must be treated with special care . It is recommended to place goldfish of telescopes, stargazers, veiltails, pearls in species aquariums, where there should not even be long-bodied breeds of goldfish, not to mention various bullies, such as barbs. The same goes for other fish with long fins. You cannot place them with those who are ready to bite these fins.
Albinos of some species, for example, labeo, cannot withstand competition with their relatives of normal color and lose in battles for territory, which gradually leads to their death. 
What should you do if you really want to add incompatible species to your aquarium?
Species that are biologically poorly compatible (that is, those that require very different water parameters) cannot be housed together. Behavioral compatibility (when fish do not match in temperament or some of them are territorial) can be experimented with. General tips are:
- The aquarium should be spacious and not overcrowded, it should be zoned with decorations and tall, long-stemmed or long-leaved plants (so that one part of the aquarium cannot be seen from another) and provided with a variety of different shelters. For fish that prefer the upper layers of water, this may be dense thickets plants and tall driftwood intertwined with each other, for bottom fish- grottoes, shards, coconut shells.
- Make sure everyone has enough food. Give food in such a way that it ends up in different parts of the aquarium, and the fish do not have to fight for it, and timid fish do not even need to swim far from their corner. Feed algae eaters with lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, which are also placed in different parts aquarium
- Buy fish of different species young and raise them together so that they have the opportunity to get used to each other.
We must remember that introducing incompatible species into an aquarium is a big risk, and be prepared to change the design of the aquarium, equipping new areas and shelters, treat broken or sick fish, and periodically buy new ones to replace the dead ones. But aquarium farming is interesting because it provides us with a wide range of possibilities: we decide for ourselves whether we want to see a peaceful idyll in the aquarium or seething African passions. The main thing is that this decision is conscious.
A short video about the compatibility of aquarium fish:
Hello everyone, dear readers. Today we will talk about a topic such as the compatibility of aquarium fish. Many novice aquarists, after purchasing an aquarium, ask a very appropriate question: What kind of fish should I buy? And they pose this question in a very relevant way, since not all fish can get along with one species or another. I believe that any aquarist should know who, for example, can get along with, or. Let's begin to understand this issue, since it will be very important for colleagues who have just embarked on the path of an aquarist with capital letters"A".
There is a misconception among beginners that they need to grab all the fish a little at a time, because it will be beautiful. However, you should not be mistaken and do such hasty actions. Before buying aquarium fish for your aquarium, think it over carefully, otherwise, in a fit of passion, you may buy fish in the store that are simply not compatible with each other. You shouldn’t rely only on the appearance of the fish; it’s better to find out about the size of the fish, features of care, maintenance and behavior. That is, first you need to read all the information on the fish, and only then make a choice: whether to buy it or not, because you will also be taking other species. I also don’t advise relying on the advice of a salesperson in a pet store, as they are not always competent and can sell you bullshit, to put it mildly.
The key criterion when choosing fish for an aquarium: pay attention to their habitat, whether it is similar or different. I'm not even talking about the fact that you can put freshwater and saltwater fish in a freshwater jar. Very common mistakes made by beginners are that they cannot always correctly determine the active reaction of the environment and.
I don’t think it’s worth telling how to distinguish between peaceful fish and predators :) They differ in both behavior and nutrition. Peaceful fish, such as characins, are active, mobile and swim in schools. Predators will be sharp and very careful. Among predators there is such a thing as cannibalism, that is, they can not only attack strangers, but also their own. There are territorial fish (,), which will chase away any trespasser as soon as he comes into their field of vision. There are also species that drink the beast only during spawning. You need to know all these points so as not to get into an unpleasant situation after settling the aquarium.
I also want to say this: not all peaceful fish can get along with each other. I categorically do not advise you to keep roosters, gourams and guppies in one common aquarium, since the tails of the guppies will be constantly plucked by the gourams and cockerels. One small fish will not feel comfortable in the company of large adult relatives, and vice versa. Phlegmatic gourams, for example, will not feel very comfortable with zebrafish, and not particularly harmoniously.
All fish, from small to large, will feel great in captivity only if you create conditions for them that are as close to natural as possible. The temperature should be the same. Some fish prefer fast rivers, some like slightly flowing water, and some live in stagnant water - take this point into account.
In general, compatibility is divided into two types - behavioral and biological. If behavioral incompatibility is not so terrible for the aquarium as a whole, then the situation with biological incompatibility is exactly the opposite. The causes of biological incompatibility may be the following factors: fish may not match chemical properties water; fish may differ in behavior; fish prefer different food; There may also be incompatibility of some fish species with invertebrates. All these moments are interconnected, so to speak conditionally, all these factors are closely intertwined.
So, I think we have figured out the biological aspects, and if you don’t understand something, you can look it up in reference books and aquarium literature. All you have to do over time is to buy additional fish, plants, and various invertebrates, but only in such a way that all purchased organisms meet such indicators as: hardness, active reaction, temperature. Below I will give you a fish compatibility table, based on which you can find out which one is right for you, taking into account those fish that are already swimming in your aquarium. Well, in addition to the table, you will need to read about each fish you choose, conditions of detention, feeding, and so on. Then compare the main indicators of aquarium water in your aquarium, and with those required for the future inhabitants of your jar. That's all for today, it was nice to see you.
Factors, or seven sad circumstances that prohibit an aquarist from keeping anyone with anyone.
|
Video is not visible, most likely your browser does not support HTML5 video |
| Video 1. There are a lot of aquarium fish and they are so different. How do you know that one fish will get along with another? |
We will talk about how to form a harmonious community of fish in an aquarium, so that each of them feels good, does not experience aggression from neighbors in the aquarium, has access to a sufficient amount of food, and can find a quiet corner to relax. Below, this article presents a video of a densely populated aquarium, in which life is literally in full swing, but most fish feel quite comfortable. This aquarium community was formed taking into account the compatibility factors of aquarium fish. These are what will be discussed in this material.
And so, our task is purely applied. That's the essence of it. You decided to have an aquarium, decided on its size, fit it into the decor of the room, and now you are wondering who will populate it. And here we must not forget that not all fish are compatible with each other.
And there really is reason for thought here. According to some data, there are currently about 2,000 species in aquariums. freshwater fish. This is, of course, very big number. You won’t see so many fish at once in one pet store. But making a choice among 350 species simultaneously available for sale is quite realistic, but not at all simple task. For example, in the St. Petersburg aquarium hypermarket AquaInterio this is almost always available. Visitors' eyes widen. They want to buy a lot of things at once. But... To our great regret, not all fish get along (that is, are compatible) with each other. The aquarium fish compatibility tables available on the Internet do not cover all possible residents of your aquarium, and their information value is sometimes questionable due to large quantity recommended, but in fact incompatible combinations. And, in principle, it is clear why this happens, because the compatibility factors for aquarium fish are not one or two, but at least seven!
Forming a harmonious community of fish in an aquarium is not such an easy task. And the point here is not only that some can be predatory, while others are peaceful, and the former will try to eat the latter at every opportunity. Even peaceful fish can eat each other. A simple rule applies here: for the vast majority of fish, food is everything that fits into the mouth. And this largely determines the compatibility of fish with each other. Everyone knows that they normally do not eat fish, but juvenile fish of the appropriate size will easily and with pleasure eat them.
Fish may not get along in the same aquarium not only because of the predator-prey relationship; there are also other factors that determine the compatibility or incompatibility of fish. So, many of them are territorial, and these are not necessarily predators; rather, on the contrary, they are “herbivorous” fish that do their best. Their principle is this: “Only I graze here, and I drive everyone like myself out of here and will always drive them away.” Labeo bicolor, for example, fully follow this principle. In an aquarium, even a relatively large one, you can only keep one such fish, which will get along with fish of other species that do not claim this pasture. It’s funny that not all “herbivorous” fish are like this: garra rufa and. I think I explained that I was going to classify the fish based on their “tactical and technical data regarding their compatibility.” Let's list the most important of them. The order of listing is not so important; all of the following aquarium fish compatibility factors are equally important.
Factors aquarium fish compatibility:
1. Size of fish.
Within certain limits, the fish in the aquarium should be proportionate. As already noted, babies can easily be eaten simply because they easily fit into a neighbor’s mouth. In this regard, one can distinguish between small, medium, large and very large fish. Who can be classified into these groups will be discussed separately. In the meantime, let's pay attention to one very important circumstance. If you buy fish in the store (small at the time of purchase), be sure to ask how they will grow. For example, Orinoco red-tailed catfish are the most beautiful creatures. But they grow extremely quickly, and eat everything that is not pinned down. And what is nailed down, they tear it off and eat it too. You won't have to wait long for the day when they will be the only ones left in the aquarium. The course of events will develop similarly with the high-finned pangassius (an equally popular “aquarium” fish, but in fact these fish). Sometimes a novice aquarist, without thinking about the consequences, buys for his own pleasure everything that he likes. this moment. As a result, with a blissful smile on his face, he presses to his chest a bag with small astronotuses, platies, "haifins", otocinclus and neonchiks. Well, he will have something to watch in his aquarium, and astriks and shark catfish will have a lot of fun, fully following their hunting instincts.
Video 2. TO Even when they are still very young, the Orinoco catfish with many tails quite eloquently demonstrate their attitude towards food. Their mouth is huge, their ability to swallow relatively large objects is very great, and their appetite is also not small. The video does not show all the feeding; the dispensing of three more cubes of frozen bloodworms was skipped in order to shorten the duration of the video. Even well-fed catfish actively fight for food. They are not compatible with most small and medium sized aquarium fish.
2. Type of food for aquarium fish.
Not everyone can get along with predators, even if at the time of purchase these predators still look quite harmless. And predators themselves often refuse to eat dry food. If your plans do not regularly buy or keep frozen natural food in the freezer, then there is no need to get such fish. For example, juvenile characin pike look original, attractive in their own way, and not at all scary. I have repeatedly stopped attempts to buy them along with neon fish. Or he answered a question, the very form of which already implied an obvious answer:
- Can I have these little pikes with neons? They are really small!
- She’s a pike and will behave like a pike. You didn't have any difficulty defining her predatory nature. appearance. You can have a pike with neon fish. You will buy more neons as they disappear.....
Photo 1. Small pike attract attention due to their pike-like appearance...
Photo 2.
...but they behave exactly the same as pikes. Is it possible to talk here about their compatibility with small characin fish - judge for yourself... In order to do correct conclusion A compatibility chart for aquarium fish is not needed.
3. Temperament of aquarium fish.
Fish can be nimble and slow, very quick-thinking and thoughtful, standing in one place for a long time and extremely mobile. There is no need to explain that the thoughtful ones will have a very hard time in the company of the fast and sharp ones. At a minimum, they will not get food. And the differences in temperament can be simply colossal. It is not so easy to join the company of Malawian cichlids or Tangani tropheus. When determining the compatibility of certain fish, this must be remembered. For example, you can’t get hooked on African cichlids. But fish that occupy a different ecological niche in the aquarium, say, Pterygoplichta cleaners, can easily get along in such a group, especially if from time to time you feed them at night with a special catfish tablet.
Temperament should also be taken into account when forming a team of small, harmless fish. So, I would not recommend keeping guppies and .
 |
Photo 3. Nannostumus Beckford is a temperamental fish in its own way. In the photo, two males are sorting things out. These tournament fights are completely harmless. Otherwise, these fish are quite thoughtful. In the company of peaceful but nimble neighbors, they can starve if the aquarist does not specifically pay attention to them. |
4. Ecological niche of a fish in an aquarium.
Actually, in science the concept ecological niche is multifaceted and includes different aspects of the relationship between the organism and its environment. We use this phrase in a narrow sense: where exactly in the aquarium will this or that species live, what will it eat, which of its neighbors should it fear, and which should it drive away? The capacity of different ecological niches in an aquarium is different. When populating an aquarium, it is important to consider what place in it (what ecological niche) this or that fish will occupy. This is very important in order to ensure the compatibility of the fish. There can only be a lot of schooling fish that live in the middle and upper layers of water. But when equipping an aquarium with bottom inhabitants, moderation should be observed. As I already noted, they don’t like competitors’ fish “grazing” on the bottom. As a rule, only one pterygoplicht is sufficient. Ancistrus and loricaria, even in a large aquarium, there may be only a few pieces. One male and 2 - 3 females get along well. But there are no rules without exception: bots (marbled bots, clowns, sidhimunks, etc.) live well in a flock. Corydoras catfish too. Here we must also take into account compatibility factor No. 6. However, there will be strong competition between corridors of different species and larger species will “crush” smaller ones, because these species will use the food resources of the same ecological niche. Video 2 shows how Corydoras catfish feed and with whom you can keep them.
5. Intraspecific and interspecific aggressiveness of fish.
When populating an aquarium, you should also take into account the aggressiveness inherent in a particular species. This aggressiveness should not be confused with the behavior of a predator. There is another mechanism at work here - the protection of the spawning or grazing area. Aggression can be intraspecific and interspecific, and this most important factor compatibility. Many American cichlids guard their spawning grounds tooth and nail. In this regard it is very eloquent American name turquoise acara: green terror. Although young fish are not aggressive. A spawning pair is a completely different matter. Well, citron cichlazoma or cichlazoma labiatum will give the green terrorists a hundred points ahead. Orange terror will be much cooler than green terror.
It should be borne in mind that intraspecific aggression is much harsher than interspecific aggression. It is quite possible to set up a cichlid aquarium with big amount shelters where there will be “a pair of each creature,” but forcing two pairs of the same species to live together is much more difficult.
6. Schooling of aquarium fish.
When buying fish, you need to think about their optimal quantity, not only taking into account the biological capacity of the aquarium, but also whether they are schooling, living in pairs or alone. You should not have just one glass catfish - this fish will most likely wither away alone. But one calamoikht or one arowana will feel great. American cichlids form pairs; the pair begins to guard their spawning area and drive other fish away from it. Individuals of their own species are subject to particularly violent attacks. Therefore, there is no need to buy heels of astronotuses. Better right away. If the pair has not yet been identified (the fish are too young), then you will have to buy a school of fish, especially since young fish for the time being live in schools. However, when a pair emerges from the school, the remaining fish will have to be urgently placed somewhere, otherwise you will not solve the compatibility problem.
It is important to note that the behavior of fish in a school can be radically different from the behavior of individuals. So in the amount of seven fish or more Hasemania, zebrafish, Sumatran barbs, and also many other fish turn in on themselves. They are passionate about maintaining hierarchy in their own flock and do not pay attention to their neighbors in the aquarium. But one Barbus, Hasemania, Santa Filomena, or Danio remaining in the aquarium can turn into a malicious robber, attacking other fish without any reason - simply because there is nothing else to do.
Photo 4. Axelrod's rasboras (Sundadanio axelrodi) are small schooling fish; in a densely planted herbal aquarium they can easily coexist with (here is Borella's Apistogramma borelli). Even if cichlids guard their spawning areas, rasboras can always quickly hide in the thickets. Thus, these fish are compatible, and this compatibility is based on all the factors listed in this article.
7. Special requirements to the conditions of keeping some “delicate” aquarium fish.
And, finally, the last circumstance that should not be forgotten when determining the compatibility of certain fish. Before you buy the fish you like, ask if it needs anything special. This special one can be anything. Most often, such picky fish require a specific and rather narrow one. For example, for discus 28-32°C.
Such an indicator can also act as a serious factor limiting the aquarist’s ability to keep in one aquarium different types fish There is no need to put altums in alkaline water, and the inhabitants of the African Great Lakes in acidic water. Individual fish species have different attitudes towards nitrogen load, especially when kept in water. If you are aware that you will not be able to provide ideal biofiltration in the aquarium regularly, then it is better not to get loricariid catfish, especially wild caught ones. Therefore, accounting is necessary to determine the compatibility of fish.
We will talk about each of the seven compatibility factors for aquarium fish listed above in more detail in the following articles, but for now just take them into account when buying new fish.
Aquarium forum topics from which you can learn more about the character, behavior and compatibility of popular types of aquarium fish: , .
V. Kovalev 2013
Updated 09/21/2017
Loading...
