Abbottina rivularis
The Abbottina rivularis is native to mainland China, the Korean peninsula and southern Japan. The fish can be found in small, slow-flowing streams and creeks. The Abbottina fish takes its name from Abbott Lawrence (1792-1855), an American businessman, politician and philanthropist. The fish is considered a weed, and is often banned from importation into other countries. For example, the Chinese false gudgeon was quickly displaced by other, smaller carp species when it entered Kyrgyzstan's water bodies.
Abbottina rivularis has an elongated body. The body colouring varies from grey to grey-yellow to grey-brown. The entire body is decorated with fine black mottling. Larger spots are located in the upper part of the body. In contrast to the females, the males have a larger dorsal fin. The maximum size of the fish is 10-15 cm. Fish spend most of their time in the lower layer of water.
The Abbottina rivularis can be kept in an aquarium like a slowly flowing stream or river with a substrate consisting of a mixture of coarse river sand, fine gravel and flat stones of varying sizes. Snags can be placed in the tank, and hardy plants such as Microsorum, Bolbitis or Anubias may be planted around the edges.
Keep gudgeons Chinese spoonbill preferably in a species aquarium in a small group of 5-8 fish. It is possible to keep them in a common tank together with larger fish and active fish. Inactive fish should be avoided, as false Chinese gudgeons, due to their excessive activity and vigorous feeding, can simply leave the other fish without food.
Water parameters: temperature 16-24° C, hardness dH 2-15°, pH 6.0-8.0. Requires filtration, aeration and weekly replacement of 1/3 of the aquarium water with fresh. It is advisable to create a small water current in the aquarium, for example, by directing the withdrawal nozzle of the water filter along the back wall of the aquarium.
The diet of fish in nature consists of algae and invertebrates. In aquarium conditions, fish are given live and frozen bloodworms, Tubifex, Artemia nauplii, ground meat shrimp, etc. do not refuse to fish and various dry flake and granular food containing spirulina, which descend to the bottom.
Reproduction
The Abbottina rivularis does not breed under aquarium conditions. All fish that occasionally appear in the trade are supplied from their natural habitat.
Under natural conditions, the female spawns in a pre-digged shallow depression in the sand, about 25 cm in diameter and 5 cm deep. The eggs are very sticky and are literally completely enveloped in the sand. The male takes care of the clutch, he drives other fish away from it and aerates the eggs by fanning them with his fins.
