Pethia aurea
Pethia aurea naturally inhabits the delta of the Ganges River in North and East India. The fish stick to places densely overgrown with aquatic vegetation and never swim in open water. This type of barb is very similar to the Barbus gelius, but smaller than the latter. Fish are easy to keep and can be recommended to beginners aquarists.
The body of the Pethia aurea is colored gray-yellow. Scattered throughout the body are large dark spots. All fins are translucent. Compared with males, females have a more rounded abdomen, less bright coloration and slightly larger size. The fish are tiny, their maximum size is 2-2.5 cm.
Pethia aurea are peaceful fish that will not make anyone in the aquarium uncomfortable. Due to their small size and timid nature to keep them preferably in a species aquarium group of about 10 specimens. Keeping fish in a flock makes them less shy, and males in this case show their more contrasting colors and interesting behavior as a result of the competition with each other for the attention of females. Possible content of Pethia aurea in a common aquarium, but in this case as neighbors need to choose peace-loving fish similar in size.
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Keep fish should be in a densely planted aquarium volume of 40 liters. the surface of the water to place several bushes of floating plants. At the bottom can be placed snags and large stones.
Water parameters: temperature 18-24° C, hardness dH 1-10°, pH 6,0-7,0. Requires filtration, aeration and weekly replacement of 1/3 of the aquarium water with fresh. The flow of water in the aquarium should be minimal, because the fish in nature are kept in the quiet backwaters and avoid even a weak current. It is also not necessary to launch fish in an aquarium, which has not yet established the biological balance, because they are very susceptible to sharp fluctuations in the chemical composition of water.
In nature, Pethia aurea eat small insects and their larvae, worms and crustaceans. In the aquarium, fish eat dry food well, which can serve as basic food for them. At the same time, the daily diet of fish need to add live and frozen food, such as daphnia, artemia, small moths, etc. feed the fish should be 2 times a day.
Reproduction
Pethia aurea does not show concern for their future offspring.
In the aquarium, where these fish live permanently, from time to time will appear a small number of fry, but if you want to get much more of their stock, then for these purposes will need a spawning aquarium of about 20 liters.
Spawning aquarium must be filled with old water from the main tank. At the bottom, you must place a separator grid or a layer of glass balls, which will serve as good protection for the eggs from the encroachment of producers to eat them. You can also plant the entire bottom of the spawning tank Javanese moss, which also gives good results on preservation of eggs.
At spawning land 1-2 pairs of fish. Spawning usually occurs in the morning hours. Once the females spawn all fish from the spawning tank should be removed.
The eggs are incubated for 24-36 hours, and after 3-4 days the fry begin to swim and eat.
The fry, for the first few days, feed infusoria, and then begin to give artemia.
Life expectancy Pethia aurea in the aquarium conditions is 2-3 years.
