Salarias Fasciatus
The algae dogfish, diamondback salarius, adorned dogfish is a marine fish found along the Great Barrier Reef, in the Indo-Pacific region and in the Red Sea. By and large, this fish has become very popular among aquarists due to its unusual appearance, as well as its rampant fight against algae.
The colour of Salarias Fasciatus varies according to habitat and may be brown, green or grey with small black or blue spots on the head and darker stripes all over the body. The blunted shape of the fish's head with contrasting eyes is particularly attractive. The maximum size of the fish is 10-12.5 cm.
The Salarias Fasciatus is a peaceful fish. This fish when kept in a common aquarium with other fish do not give them trouble. The only problem arises when contained in a single aquarium of two or more canine algae. In this case, unless a pair is formed between the fish, there are constant conflicts, which often end in serious injuries. It is therefore advisable to keep a maximum of one algae-dog in a shared aquarium.
The Salarias Fasciatus should be kept in an aquarium of at least 150 litres. The aquarium should take care of a large number of caves and shelters, where the fish feel safe and not stressed all the time. The fish spend most of their time at the bottom, scraping algae off rocks and immediately take shelter at the slightest noise.
A healthy fish is very curious and, if I may say so - sociable. At times you might think that it seems to recognize you and greet when you approach the aquarium.
Do not keep the Salarias Fasciatus together with seahorses, which they constantly chase and can be beaten to death.
The main food for the Salarias Fasciatusis algae. If the aquarium does not contain enough algae, which is good on the one hand but bad for the fish, it will have to be fed flake food containing spirulina or other foods designed for herbivorous fish. The fish are only comfortable in aquariums with sufficient algae. It is a herbivorous fish that happily eats microalgae or film algae as well as rare hair algae. The filmy teeth of the fish are capable of scraping algae from almost any surface in the aquarium.
One problem that aquarists may encounter when keeping an algae dogfish is that the fish may starve. A healthy fish has a smooth body and a rounded belly. If the belly of the fish is hollow, it is a clear sign that the fish is starving and needs to be fed additional food.
Reproduction
Selecting a pair of Salarias Fasciatus is a very difficult task, as males and females look exactly the same, although the males are sometimes slightly larger. For the most part, the fish are supplied to domestic zoos from their natural habitats.
Life expectancy Salarias Fasciatus in aquarium conditions is about 2-4 years, but some specimens, if provided in an aquarium ideal conditions for their habitat, can live longer.
