Adinia xenica
Adinia xenica occurs naturally along the Gulf Coast from southern Florida to Texas. The fish stay along the coast in shallow water, in quiet pools heavily overgrown with aquatic vegetation. Usually found in brackish water, fish do not stay long in fresh water. In the collections of aquarists can meet these fish are very rare.
Adinia xenica has a tall diamond-shaped body with a pointed head. Coloration is light yellow with contrasting transverse bands. The fins are transparent with bluish mottling at the base. Adult males in contrast to females are more brightly colored and slightly larger. Males have elongated unpaired fins and bony prominences on the body above and behind the anal fin and on the fin itself. The maximum size of fish is 4-5 cm.
Keep fish is recommended a small group of 4-6 individuals (2-3 females to 1 male) in a species aquarium of 150 liters. Adinia xenica - not the best choice for the general aquarium, given the special requirements of the chemical composition of water. If you pick up the other species of fish living in similar conditions, in which case it is recommended to keep Adinia xenica alone.
As a substrate used sand or gravel. At the bottom are large boulders, and the perimeter of the aquarium is densely planted with a variety of plants that can grow in brackish water. Need to take care of the presence in the aquarium secluded places where females could hide in the spawning period from the excessive attention of the alpha males.
Water parameters: temperature 21-35° C, hardness dH 10-30°, acidity pH 7,5-9,0. The water in the aquarium must be brackish, which should be dissolved in it sea salt in the proportion of 3-10 grams of salt per 1 liter of water. Necessary filtration, aeration and weekly substitution of ¼ of the aquarium water with fresh water with similar parameters.
Adinia xenica is an omnivore. In nature, it feeds on small insects, which she hunts on the underwater vegetation or water surface, as well as filamentous and diatom algae, rotifers, nematodes. Under aquarium conditions, the fish eat dry food containing spirulina, live and frozen food such as artemia, daphnia, moths. Food is given twice a day.
Reproduction
Under acceptable housing conditions, Adinia xenica breeds successfully.
Females spawn at short intervals between March and September. Spawning usually occurs in the afternoon. Female lays up to 30 eggs daily among the thickets of plants. Producers immediately after spawning do not mind to eat their eggs, so they immediately after spawning should be removed.
The eggs are incubated for 9-11 days. The hatched fry are large enough to accept artemia and micro worms from the first days of life.
