Micropoecilia branneri
Micropoecilia branneri in natural conditions lives in the northwestern part of Brazil in the delta of the Amazon River. These fish differ from their fellow pecilians not only in size, but also quite peaceful disposition. Fish are found in both fresh and brackish water bodies. These fish are the most interesting of all the fish of the family pecilievyh.
Females Micropoecilia branneri show the classic rounded shape of the abdomen, common to most of the viviparous family of pecilians. The body of the fish has a pair of so-called false “eyes”, the first eye is located on the spine in the middle part of the body, and the other with a yellow-orange border on the root of the tail plumage. Males have a golden dorsal fin pear-shaped, with black edging, sometimes quite long and reaching to the edge of the caudal fin. Males are slimmer than females and their coloration is more variable, in particular, from age or hierarchical position within the group. The coloration of males is dominated by green, red, yellow, blue and black tones. The back is olive, the abdomen is light gray. There are 7-9 thin transverse stripes on the sides of the body. As in females, there is a dark-colored spot on the root of the tail plumage. Females are slightly larger than males. The size of the fish is about 3-4 cm.
Among Micropoecilia branneri there is a hierarchy - each fish occupies its own social position through competition between fish of their own sex. It should be noted that, having occupied a certain social status in the pack, males and females no longer provoke new clashes. All subsequent small confrontations sometimes arising between the fish are reduced only to strengthen their position in the pack.
Keep fish should be a pack of at least 8 individuals. Given that these fish are very shy to keep them preferably in a species aquarium. The aquarium should be densely planted with plants, including floating.
Water parameters: temperature 22-29° C, hardness dH 2-8°, acidity pH 6,2-7,2. Water should be slightly brackish for which the water should be added table salt in the proportion of 5 g / l . Need filtration, aeration and weekly replacement of 1/3 of the aquarium water fresh. It should be noted that in slightly acidic water color fish becomes brighter.
Fish menu is a variety of dry, frozen and live food. fish eat Artemia, moths, daphnia, dry food in the form of pellets and flakes. It is desirable plant additive to the feed. Feed the fish should not be less than 2 times a day.
Reproduction
Sexually mature Micropoecilia branneri become sexually mature by the age of six months.
Under acceptable conditions, females spawn continuously. It is noticed that females are quite selective with respect to males and often perform a kind of mating dance at the favorite male, even if he does not pay any attention to her.
The female hatch fry near the surface of the water in the thick of floating plants. The fry are 2-3 mm in size and first feed on their yolk sac. In the first days of life, the fry are very vulnerable, as the adult fish demonstrate their cannibalistic tendencies and enthusiastically begin to hunt them. In this regard, in order to preserve the stock of fry, it is desirable to transfer them to another aquarium.
Fry are fed artemia and dry food designed for fry.
Life expectancy of Micropoecilia branneri in aquarium conditions is about 2-3 years.
