The right combination of fish in the aquarium. Aquarium fish: species compatibility. from our moderator Esta

Choosing inhabitants for an aquarium is a very interesting, but not easy task. You have to choose them not only by appearance, but also take other factors into account. Every beginner and experienced aquarist is faced with the issue of compatibility. aquarium fish OK. When populating an aquarium, it is important that its inhabitants do not conflict with each other.

Selection principles

Not every species can exist peacefully with each other, so it is better to take care in advance of selecting good neighbors.

Basic principles of aquarium fish compatibility:

• by temperament;
• on nutrition;
• by size;
• by content.

By temperament, fish can be naturally very aggressive. This applies to all cichlids. You cannot combine them with peaceful fish of modest size. Barbs bite off the fins of their cohabitants; therefore, their proximity to veiled fish, which attract attention with their pronounced fins and tail, is undesirable.

There are species of fish that are considered territorial. They guard their spawning areas and attack everyone in the aquarium, not excluding their relatives. These traits in the character of the fish must be taken into account when populating the aquarium.

Individuals that have received strong hypertrophied characteristics as a result of selection (albinos or individuals with big eyes, long fins, etc.), have a very gentle character, so it is recommended to keep them with fish of a similar temperament.

Fish are divided into predators and vegetation feeders. However, any fish that prefers to see plants in its diet will not refuse food of animal origin (for example, bloodworms). With frequent consumption of animal food, children in their care begin to get sick due to digestive problems.

Predatory individuals who prefer to hunt at night will attack any small peaceful fish that they can swallow. Sucker fish can even harm their neighbors, which exceed them in size, if their diet lacks some vitamins.

Golden Rule: fish get along better with individuals of equal size. The most peaceful large fish will not miss the opportunity to eat a small fish that will fit in its mouth. If you place a fry of a large breed with small individuals, then when it grows up, it will feast on its neighbors.

Small representatives will experience stress near a large individual and feel threatened. In such an environment, the fish begin to get sick, lose color and simply hide in the thickets. Therefore, fish of approximately the same size should live in the same space.

Some fish representatives feed on plants, making up for the lack of plant food; some species simply dig in the ground, damaging aquarium plants. It is necessary to take into account such behavioral features of fish for their comfortable coexistence.

Parameters and compatibility tables

The following parameters must be taken into account: lighting, water flow speed, salinity level, etc. There is a fish compatibility table that describes in detail which fish are compatible in the aquarium and which ones absolutely cannot be kept in the same area.

Based on the table, three types of compatibility can be distinguished:

For comfortable living of fish species of limited compatibility, it is important to consider the following factors:

• aquarium size;
• zoning of the territory;
• shelters;
• lifestyle of a particular fish.

It is better to place relatively compatible fish in the aquarium at the same time when they are still fry. This increases the possibility of their further happy coexistence.

Features of the species

Overpopulation of an aquarium entails aggressive behavior even in the most peaceful fish. In order to achieve the ideal combination of species, it is necessary to rely not only on the aquarium fish compatibility table, but also to reveal the individual characteristics of each specific species.

Unwanted neighbors

Angelfish are a gregarious species. They get along well with their relatives. They chase other fish, smaller in size than angelfish, and start fights. However, this situation can be avoided if you plant them in the aquarium as fry at the same time as fry of other species.

Barbs are representatives of an active schooling species. If the aquarium contains more than six individuals of this species, a fight cannot be avoided. They get along with difficulty not only among themselves, but also with other species. They have a special passion for lush tails and fins - they bite off and pinch them.

Bettas are fighting fish by definition. Males are more aggressive. Two males in the same territory will constantly conflict, but the combination of two females and one male is quite acceptable. Small bright fish with bushy tails and large predators are especially attacked by cockerels.

Cichlids are also an inherently aggressive species. A fight can arise in any neighborhood, because the fish is territorial and is always ready to rush to defend its territory. To reduce the potential for conflict, it is recommended to place them with individuals that will be similar in temperament and size while they are still fry.

Danios - small fish who live in a flock and have a very active temperament. They cause great inconvenience to slower fish, and they themselves often become victims of fights because of their bright tails. They get along best with neighbors who are not large in size.

Friendly representatives

Corydoras are a type of catfish. They live well with peaceful neighbors, for example, goldfish. Living in the same territory with aggressive barb fish can be disastrous for the corydoras.

Guppies are tiny fish with a fairly peaceful temperament. They feel most comfortable with neighbors of the same size or slightly larger. At wrong choice can often lose their tail or be eaten.

Not every fish is ready for a certain neighborhood. Any aquarist should become familiar with the life characteristics of each individual species. This will ensure peaceful coexistence and an ideal living environment for the fish. Otherwise, you should always be prepared to replace equipment, change the design of the aquarium to provide hiding places, or buy a new fish to replace the dead one.

Choosing the right aquarium fish is the key to a successful aquarium. To help beginners (and not only) aquarists, we have prepared a small infographic in the form of a table, a kind of cheat sheet, which we hope will help you select compatible fish and avoid some troubles in the future when keeping them.

How to use the table?

The table shows the most popular groups of freshwater aquarium fish, as well as crustaceans, amphibians and plants. Each group is located on a separate line and duplicated vertically in a column. To determine compatibility, you need to select the fish you are interested in in the row, and find the one you want to check in the column. The intersection point will be indicated by one of three colors: green, red and yellow, which respectively means - compatible, incompatible and sometimes can coexist together.

For example, having chosen Angelfish, we will see that they go well with their relatives, Barbs, Danios, Corydoras and others, but there will be difficulties. African cichlids don't seem like very friendly tankmates at all and are likely to cause problems for most fish species.

Aquarium fish compatibility table

If you want the inhabitants of your aquarium to live a long time and not get into fights with each other, then it is better to take care of selecting fish in advance. After all, not every species can get along with others. And some can become food for their relatives. A special table will help you determine whether your pets can get along with each other, as well as the characteristics of each individual species. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Pisces compatibility: main nuances

This aspect is worth paying attention to, if only because the probability of survival of fish and their life expectancy depends on it. Pisces can be incompatible, partially compatible and completely compatible.

To create the perfect aquarium world, it is also important to consider:

• fish habitat - in which layers of water they prefer to live, at what temperature;
• what do they eat and whether they eat their relatives;
• fish of the same size, mobility, and type of nutrition get along better;
• relatively compatible fish can get along if they are placed in the aquarium at the same time and at the age of fry.

Compatibility of aquarium fish in one aquarium: table

You can determine compatibility using special tables, similar to which you can see below.

Important! Before buying fish, it is worth talking with breeders, because they can better characterize the behavior of the species they raise.

Angelfish love to conflict even with compatible species. They get along with their own kind and with those who were placed in the aquarium with them as fry. They should not be planted together with small fish, such as guppies. They immediately begin chasing smaller species and starting fights.

With these inhabitants water world It is difficult not only for other fish, but also for their relatives. Aggressive barbs often chase others and get into fights. They love to pinch their neighbors' tails, so you should avoid cohabitation with angelfish, bettas and goldfish. You should not keep more than 6 barbs in one aquarium - they will even conflict with each other. But they can get along with swordtails and fighting dogs.

Cockerels

Conflicting individuals in general, it’s not for nothing that they are called fighting fish. They especially find fault with males, even of their own species. Therefore, the main thing is not to house two males, but give one a pair of females as a neighbor. Do not put motley and bright fish in the same aquarium with these fighters, with long tails and fins, with predators, large fish. But catfish, gourami, and swordtails will make good company.

Not suitable for living together:

• guppy;
• gourami;
• zebrafish;
• gold fish;
• cockerel

These are representatives of catfish, so they can coexist with many species. The ideal neighbor is a goldfish, but the loachfish, ancistrus, and labeo are unwanted guests in the house of the Corydoras.

It can exist calmly alongside many species. But it feels best with small fish.

Important! Danio rarely attacks, but may well become a victim due to its tail. This is especially true for the veiled zebrafish.

This is one of the species that still requires separate cohabitation. And there are several reasons for this:

• because of large sizes Discus needs a lot of space;
• the slowness of fish can cause malnutrition - faster fish will take food;
• the species requires high water temperatures, which is not suitable for many fish;
• They don't really like their little neighbors and can eat them.

Due to the fact that this species is active more often at night, it will be a good neighbor to many individuals. IN in rare cases conflicts with catfish are possible. Otherwise, if the aquarium is large, there is a lot of decorations, sand and plants, then loaches will not bother anyone.

These are peace-loving representatives of the marine world. Varieties of goldfish also get along with each other. True, they can begin to interbreed and produce offspring of mixed species. They feel good in the company:

• koi carp;
• telescopes;
• soms;
• other non-conflict fish.

They are non-confrontational, but will fight if predators start attacking them. It is better not to plant them in the same aquarium with:

• cockerels;
• parrots;
• koi carp;
• cichlids.

But the following will be excellent companions:

• catfish;
• angelfish;
• barbs;
• zebrafish

These are small and peaceful fish. They are adjacent to species of the same size or slightly larger. Predators and large individuals can eat them. They cannot be housed together with cichlids, angelfish, zebrafish, goldfish, and astronotus.

This is a large individual that needs free space. Although it is not aggressive, it is not recommended to house it with other species. The only ideal neighbors are considered to be other individuals of the carp family and a variety of comet goldfish. They can not only complement the aquarium, but also help koi carp survive stressful situations (relocation, wintering in a closed reservoir).

This species is not compatible only with astronotuses. He can get along well with everyone else, since he lives most of the time at the bottom. It is worth considering that neighbors with long fins and tails may suffer - the bots will damage them.

Mollies

Active medium-sized fish. The following inhabitants will not get along with it: cichlids, goldfish, the carp family, astronotuses. She will not compete with the others, unless it is better to avoid aggressors (cockerels, angelfish).

Did you know? Fish can only swim forward, nature did not provide for them reverse stroke. But some types of eels can still move tail first.

This species is especially conflicting - it is better to house it separately. The only possible neighbors are spiny fish.

They get along with almost everyone. The exception is predatory species that can prey on platies.

Representative of catfish, nocturnal resident. Can coexist with everyone in a large aquarium. In rare cases, male plecostomus do not get along if they were introduced as adults.

These are bright, beautiful medium-sized individuals. They exist peacefully in any society, but color competitors can irritate them. It is better to avoid large predatory neighbors - the iris will easily become food.

Small individuals that live in schools of at least 6 fish. They are peaceful neighbors. They get along best with fish of the same size (neon, erythrozonus, pristella).

This species is interesting because small individuals are peaceful creatures, but when they mature they become aggressive. Therefore, Labeo should not be placed with small-sized inhabitants of the aquarium, or with bright and colorful species. Since labeo feeds from the bottom, small catfish can also suffer. She will get along with medium-sized, nimble individuals - cyprinids, barbs, zebrafish. Also, labeos should not be planted in pairs of males - they will fight.

Swordtails

They get along with almost everyone. Exceptions: goldfish, cichlids, cyprinids, astronotus. Ideal for neon, guppies, zebrafish.

Fish compatibility: common mistakes of novice aquarists

Besides natural characteristics, there are many other factors on which their compatibility with their neighbors depends. And ignoring this data for novice aquarists may result in the loss of swimming pets.

• age of fish and their temperament;
• aquarium volume;
• division of feeding between individuals;
• arrangement of the aquarium (canopies, shelters, vegetation);
• maintenance conditions (water temperature, acidity, aeration);
• spawning of certain species (fry may be eaten).

Therefore, before populating the aquarium, you need to study the compatibility table, and then the life characteristics of each selected species. This will help provide them with an ideal habitat where individuals will not interfere with each other and can live peacefully.

Did you know? Of all the fish, only sharks have eyelids.

So, we found out that not every fish can become a good neighbor. There are special tables and characteristics that will help you avoid mistakes when choosing aquarium mates. Therefore, novice aquarists should study this information in advance so as not to make mistakes and not to place aggressive and peaceful individuals in the same territory.

Video: compatibility and maintenance of aquarium fish

Compatibility or livability of fish in an aquarium- a burning question that arises for many, and especially for beginning aquarists.

They usually make the following mistakes when combining fish:

Main mistake lies in the desire to unite all the fish you like in one water space.

OVERPOPULATION in an aquarium is a direct path to fights, injuries and death of any fish, even peaceful ones. Every pet should live in comfortable conditions, and not in a “communal apartment”.

Other violation- this is non-compliance with the conditions of maintenance and zoning of the aquarium.

When choosing fish, you must take into account the comfortable water parameters for keeping them (fish are cold-water and heat-loving, some prefer soft water, others feel great in hard water, some need live plants, others dig them up and eat them with pleasure).

There are a number of other options- requirements for lighting, speed of water flow, degree of salinity, etc. But this is not the only thing that needs to be taken into account when combining fish in an aquarium.

Basic principles of compatibility of aquarium fish in one aquarium

Very great importance It has compatibility of fish in size and in the nature of behavior and nutrition.

There is a rule - you should keep large fish with large ones, and small ones with small ones.

According to the diversity of their characters, fish can also be divided into several groups:

• To the first group include "timid" small fish, who exist perfectly with representatives of their own group.

This group includes the following representatives: guppies, fire tetras, blue neons, cardinals, glass shrimp, heteromorphs, honey gouramis.

• To the second group peaceful small fish that live collectively unite. It is best to purchase several representatives of each of the selected species.

This group includes: copper tetras, swordtails, thornets, black and sickle-shaped neons, phylomena, zebrafish.

• To the third group relate active fish, perfectly interacting with each other.

These are loaches, barbs, blue and marble gourami, macropods, lalius and eels. These aquarium fish are of average size, so their aquarium must have a volume of at least 100 liters.

• Fourth group of fish includes dwarf cichlids that have a “good disposition” and coexist well with representatives of the first three groups.
• To the fifth group of fish includes aggressive New World cichlids of medium to large sizes.

This type of fish is compatible with cuckoo catfish, adult labeo and plecostomus.

• Sixth group includes various species of Astronotus, which are aggressive and predatory fish.

Astronotus get along well in the same territory with large pacu, plecostomus and pangasius. Representatives of this group grow quickly, so they need an aquarium with a volume of more than 500 liters.

• To the seventh group include aggressive species - Mbuna cichlids, which stay in small flocks and constantly guard their own territory.

For their comfortable existence, you will need an aquarium with a volume of more than 500 liters and various artificial shelters.

Thus, in one aquarium it is recommended to combine fish that are similar in temperament, habitat, habits and needs. The main task of the aquarist is to analyze maximum amount information about the types of fish that he plans to purchase, and choose only those that are organically compatible with each other.

The compatibility table for aquarium fish shows that they can be divided into:

“We are responsible for those we have tamed”

When entering a pet store, a beginner is simply lost - there are so many fish, they all appeal in their own way, and you want to put as many beauties as possible in your new aquarium. But choosing neighbors has its own subtleties. Let's look at how aquarium fish are compatible with each other.

Species compatibility

The species compatibility table clearly shows which animals are fully compatible with each other, not compatible, or limitedly compatible, subject to certain conditions. Let's look at the principles by which the table is built.

1. Housing conditions should be well suited for all inhabitants of the aquarium.
2. You can't put predator and prey together.
3. A species of aquarium fish with a calm and slow character should not coexist with fast and active fish. Quiet people will be hungry and stressed.
4. The inhabitants of the aquarium must be proportionate. Even the most peaceful fish will eat everyone who fits into its mouth.
5. Some fish show aggression and can attack both neighbors and members of their own species. It is necessary to take into account the peculiarity of behavior.
6. One type of aquarium fish cannot live without a school of its own kind, another - without a pair, and a third prefers loneliness. This should not be forgotten if you want to avoid fights or stress.

So, let's look at what types of aquarium fish there are, some aspects of their maintenance and compatibility. It is impossible to describe all types of fish in one article, so we will focus on the most popular representatives and general characteristics groups.

Cichlids

Apistogramma are popular species of aquarium fish. Photos show that these small fish look like bright tropical butterflies. Apistogramma do not require a large aquarium volume, do not damage plants and are quite calm. They can be kept with other peaceful fish - swordtails, platies, guppies, mollies, neons, rasboras, tetras, small catfish, barbs. But even dwarf cichlids will happily eat small shrimp. Apistogramma males in a small aquarium will be aggressive towards each other, so you can keep a pair or a harem.

Another popular type of aquarium fish is the angelfish. These fish are also heat-loving and do not destroy plants. But they will eat all their small neighbors (neons, rasbor), and aggressive fish will tear off their beautiful long fins (ternets, denisons, many types of barbs). For these reasons, the list of neighbors is small - leisurely gourami, mollies, platies, cherry barbs, and some catfish.

The kings of the freshwater aquarium - discus - are very demanding fish in terms of conditions and nutrition. Moreover, they prefer high temperature- 28-31°C. Not all plants and animals can withstand such heat. Compatible with discus: clown loach, red-nosed tetra, red neons. Discus fish are delicate fish, susceptible to stress and various diseases, so it is better to refuse any neighbors.

As for others, such as the parrot, beautiful chromis, yellow labidochromis, black-striped cichlasoma, astronotus and others, it is difficult for them to find neighbors. These fish are territorial, aggressive, and require shelter. They dig the soil and tear out all the plants. Two males in a small space will constantly conflict, so they can be kept in pairs or harems, with other active fish that can fend for themselves. They are only compatible with other cichlids, and due to intraspecific aggression, it is better to choose neighbors with a different color.

Viviparous

It is viviparous animals that most often become the first pets of newcomers. Swordtails, mollies, platies, aquarium fish guppies. All species of viviparous fish are unpretentious in keeping, not aggressive, and easily get along with other types of peaceful fish. In addition, a huge number of varieties and colors of viviparous species have been bred. More than 80 species of guppies, dozens of species of platies, mollies, and swordtails differ not only in color, but also in the shape of the body and fins.

Of course, there are some subtleties in keeping viviparous animals. Male swordtails can be aggressive, so it is not recommended to house several males in one aquarium. And guppies can provoke barbs, thorns, angelfish, and some gouramis with their bright long tails.

Guppies are the smallest of the viviparous species, but larger mollies, platies and swordtails can be housed with angelfish, gourami, and barbs. Neons, rasboras, cardinals, cockroaches, speckled catfish, and corydoras will be good neighbors for everyone.

Labyrinthine

Labyrinth aquarium fish are also suitable for beginners. The species of these fish are notable for the fact that they need atmospheric air. Some labyrinths are quite jumpy, so the aquarium should be covered with a lid, but with a mandatory gap. The aquarium should have a lot of plants and hiding places.

Male bettas and macropods are very aggressive towards other males of their species, so these fish need to be kept in a harem. Gouramis and Lalius will also have conflicts between males. They need a spacious aquarium and several females. Females of all labyrinth species also need shelters in order to hide from harassment during spawning.

Despite intraspecific aggression, labyrinths get along well with other peaceful fish - swordtails, platies, mollies, neons, rasboras, zebrafish, cherry barbs, ancistrus, cardinals, speckled catfish. You cannot house fish that like to cut off their fins - barbs and thorns.

Characinaceae

It is not easy to even list all the species and families of characins. They are quite different from each other - these are the well-known neons, tetras, and rare Hudget pikes, predatory piranhas, flying wedge bellies and huge black pacu.

Tetras, phantoms, congos, thornets are very active peaceful fish of medium and small size. They live in flocks, so you should not purchase less than 7-10 individuals. Their neighbors can be black neons, cockroaches, lalius, speckled catfish, zebrafish, cardinals, and viviparous fish. Some tetras like to cut off the fins of other fish, so they must be carefully kept with veiled tails.

Black, red and blue neons are peaceful little fish. They need to be housed in a flock of 15 or more individuals. Due to their small size, large fish are dangerous for neons; it is better to give preference to smaller and non-predatory neighbors - rasboras, small characins, apistograms, wedge bellies, livebearers, cardinals, iris, and barbs.

Botsiya

Clown loach, tiger and marble loach are large and very active fish. They prefer to live in a flock of 5 or more individuals. Get along well with others peaceful fish medium and large sizes. Veil fins may be torn off. They eat plants and snails.

Bots stay mainly at the bottom, occasionally rising into the middle layers of water. Therefore, it is better to supplement their company with fish that live in upper layers. Barbs, angelfish, zebrafish, gourami, viviparous, rasboras, rainbowfish, labeos, and tetras can be good neighbors for bots.

Barbs

The cherry barb is the most peaceful species of aquarium fish among its relatives. He can easily get along with small fish, but large and predatory neighbors can easily offend him. The barb is kept in a flock of 5 or more individuals, in the company of neons, rasboras, cardinals, zebrafish, and corydoras.

As for other types of barbs - Sumatran, fire, mutants, they are known as hooligans and bullies. Active fish that will not allow themselves to be offended are suitable neighbors for them - zebrafish, thornets, congos, tetras, cockroaches, speckled catfish, cardinals. Fish with long fins that will irritate barbs - cockerels, gourami, lalius - are not suitable.

Danio

Danios are active small aquarium fish. Species compatibility - the table shows that due to its size and peaceful nature, the zebrafish gets along well with many fish. They need to be kept in flocks of at least 5 individuals.

The list of good neighbors for zebrafish is really extensive - viviparous fish, cockerels, angelfish, gourami, botia, rainbowfish, rasboras, labeos, tetras. All peaceful small and medium-sized fish that will not offend the zebrafish are suitable.

Labeo

Often recommended as a calm fish for a community aquarium. But that's not true. A young labeo will be timid and shy, but an adult will begin to guard its territory and attack fish that resemble its relatives. Several labeos will invariably conflict. Fast fish living in the upper layers of water - zebrafish, ternets, barbs - will be able to get along with it. The green labeo will also be able to moderate its aggressiveness if it has its own territory and shelter that it will defend.

You can also find black labeo in our pet stores. This fish does not tolerate its relatives, it is aggressive and territorial. It grows up to 80 cm in length and needs a large aquarium. Can live with large fish, such as red-tailed catfish. But conflicts are not excluded.

Goldfish

Another pet for beginners is goldfish. Aquarium species These fish are very common. If you look at the compatibility chart, the line dedicated to goldfish will be completely filled with red, with a few yellow areas, just like many cichlids. But if cichlids are aggressive, then goldfish themselves often become victims. Goldfish are large, and they will gradually eat small things like rasboras and neons. And other inhabitants of the aquarium themselves can offend the slow and gentle goldfish with long fins.

It is best to keep goldfish with their own kind; there are quite a few interesting varieties of this breed. At the same time, do not forget that if you want to get offspring, then keep them together different types it is forbidden. Who can goldfish get along with? Aquarium species of calm catfish - cockroaches, clown loaches, corydoras, peaceful tetras - congo, thornets and calm danios are quite suitable. There are also examples of successful cohabitation of goldfish with neons, angelfish, and viviparous fish, but one must remember that any proximity of goldfish with other species can result in conflicts and death of the inhabitants of the aquarium.

Soma

The bottom is occupied by aquarium fish - catfish. The species of catfish are very diverse, they differ both in size and behavior. Let's look at the most common ones.

The shy Platydoras will definitely eat all the fish that fit into its mouth. Therefore, it can only be kept with large fish, for example, cichlids.

Most often, ancistrus live in aquariums. Several ancistrus can only be kept in a large aquarium; these fish are territorial. But they are not aggressive towards other species, and very few people do not touch them either.

Corydoras are another popular type of catfish. They are kept in a group of at least 3 individuals, if space allows - 10-15. The fish are peaceful, but large fish can eat them. Ideal neighbors for corydoras are tetras, rasboras, zebrafish, livebearers, and dwarf cichlids. They do not like water with temperatures above 25 degrees, so they are not suitable for keeping with heat-loving species.

Tarakatum has a peaceful character and can coexist with peaceful fish and even other catfish.

Red-tailed catfish can often be seen in pet stores, but this fish is not suitable for a general aquarium, as it grows very large - up to a meter, and will simply eat all the inhabitants. It can live with comparable fish, but the aquarium for a group of such fish must be very large - from 1000 liters.

Well suited for a general aquarium, can live with proportionate and small fish - neons, rasboras, small gourami, Ramirezi apistogramma, catfish-shifter. Large fish dangerous for this peaceful catfish.

Pterygoplichts grow large, so their neighbors should match them - large cichlids, giant gouramis, knife fish, polypterus.