Hara jerdoni
The Jerdona hara or jacoreca catfish lives naturally in slow-flowing rivers and streams located in India. The water in these areas is muddy and the substrate is a mixture of earth, clay and sand. During the dry season, the streams dry up and these fish burrow into the ground, where they wait out the dry season until the rivers fill up with water again when the rainy season begins. They keep in large groups.
Hara jerdoni is an unusual, small fish. Its entire body is lumpy with tiny spines. The body is colored brownish or gray, and its coloration can vary depending on the environment, as well as the colour of food that she eats. Starting from the dorsal fin and up to the root of the tail plumage, the body is strongly compressed from the sides. The pectoral fins are long, with teeth pointing downwards. Dorsal plumage is rounded. Tail plumage is branched. Sex differences are not expressed. Determine the sex of the fish can only be during the spawning period, when females are more rounded abdomen. The maximum size of fish in nature reaches 3 cm.
The Hara jerdoni is not only tiny but also very sedentary, so it does not need much space in the aquarium. An aquarium with a capacity of 10 liters is sufficient to house a pair of fish. At the bottom of the aquarium should be placed numerous shelters in the form of snags and piles of stones, which will hide catfish. As a substrate, it is desirable to use coarse-grained river sand. Placement at the bottom of a few pre-dried leaves of oak or beech will make the environment in the aquarium as close to natural. Small-leaved species such as Vesicularia dubyana or Singapore moss should preferably be planted.
Hara jerdoni leads a crepuscular lifestyle, leaving their hiding places only after dark. Fish are very shy and at the slightest noise hide in hiding. Perhaps content in a common aquarium with Rasbora caudimaculata, Brachydanio albolineatus and other small peace-loving fish that occupy the upper and middle layers of water.
Water parameters: temperature 18-24° C, hardness dH 7-15°, pH 5,5-7,5. The water must be highly oxygenated, so increased aeration is essential. Also need filtration and weekly replacement of ¼ of the aquarium water with fresh. These fish are susceptible to fungal diseases, which is why systematic cleaning of the bottom is required.
Ambient light is low. Daylight duration is 10-11 hours per day.
Anchor catfish are fed live and frozen Artemia nauplii, cyclops, daphnia, chaff, and tablets containing spirulina. Feed the fish after lights out.
Reproduction
Under aquarium conditions to achieve breeding Hara jerdoni is very difficult.
The breeding process of these fish in captivity is poorly described. We only know that for breeding pick up a few pairs of producers, which are intensively fed a variety of food for a few days. No further special measures are required. One day you will find tiny eggs attached to moss leaves. At this time, the producers are removed.
Once the fry are turned off, you should carefully monitor the water quality in the aquarium and preventive measures should be taken in time not to allow its contamination.
Feed the fry live dust, and after 7-10 days begin to give artemium.
