"singing catfish" Catfish agamix star-shaped, or white-spotted agamixis Platydoras costatus striped platidoras

Platydoras armatulus is native to South Africa. Habitat - large rivers in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, part of the Amazon basin in Peru, Bolivia. Belongs to the Bronyakov family. One of the most popular types of aquarium catfish.

The outline of the body from above is similar to an arrow. Large head. Stiff mustache. Thick skin with spiked growths on the sides and fins. Hard occipital shield.

In nature, the size of catfish reaches 25 cm in length, in an aquarium it is 15-20 cm.

Appearance

Color ranges from brown to black with white and yellow stripes along the edges of the dorsal and ventral fins, head and sides. The coloring gave the breed its name - striped catfish.

Catfish fry are bright and striped. With age, the stripes fade and are not so noticeable.

A post shared by (@animalu_vali) on Jul 7, 2017 at 3:40am PDT

Gets along with fish without a heightened sense of territoriality of medium and large size:

• cichlids;
• tetras;
• carp;
• angelfish;
• goldfish;
• gourami.

Choose medium and large breeds. The striped catfish takes snails, shrimp and small fish for food:

• guppy;
• neon.

If the neighbors are aggressive, it rarely appears on the surface.

In wild waters, platidoras create flocks for safety and food production. Aquarium striped catfish During the period of habituation, they are aggressive with each other. Over time, the fights stop and the fish share shelter and food.

Reproduction

Catfish are propagated using hormonal injections on specialized farms. There are isolated cases of breeding when in captivity fish reproduced on their own and aquarists found fry that had already hatched.

Sex differences

Sexual deformity in this breed is not pronounced. The male is slimmer and brighter than the female. When purchasing, consult a professional aquarist.

Spawning

In nature, Platydoras females use streams and rivers for spawning. They build nests from leaves, branches and small pieces of wood, or use snags and fallen trees. Females hide in the created shelter and lay eggs. Males swim around the nest several times in a circle. On average, a female lays about 300 eggs at a time. The fry hatch after 3 days, and after 5 they are capable of feeding on their own.

Diseases

1. Be careful when planning your diet. Fish get sick and die due to a lack of necessary substances or an excess of food.
2. Thoroughly clean new items and plants, and quarantine newly purchased fish before transplanting them into the main container.
3. Monitor your nitrate levels. Strong excess is the optimal environment for the development of whisker infections. Constantly replacing part of the water will help avoid this.
4. Do not feed your fish more food than they can eat, otherwise decaying organic matter will pollute the water, causing fin necrosis.
5. Platydoras have spines on their bodies; if you try to catch them with a net, injuries are inevitable. Use a thick canvas net for transplanting purposes.
6. Do not treat sick catfish with potassium permanganate or copper-containing substances, this will lead to death.

A popular species of catfish in the ornamental fishing industry is the Platydoras costatus. Having a fancy color and a funny pattern on the tummy, they attract the attention of many people. Striped catfish can reach a length of twenty centimeters under natural living conditions. If these fish live in aquariums, then their length is sixteen centimeters. Preference is given to a nocturnal lifestyle, but if you create an appropriate environment that is comfortable for their living, then Platydoras can immediately begin exploring the aquarium.

Description

Catfish have strong skin, a well-developed occipital shield of the front fin on the back and a bony growth that forms a spinous bony shield.

The color of the fish is dark brown, some individuals are black. White horizontal stripes are clearly visible along the body, which, alternating, create a beautiful pattern. The muzzle and lower part of the head are white. The fish's head is large and its eyes are large. The antennae are located on both sides of the mouth.

Platidoras striped has two small lateral fins that perform protective functions and are covered with spines. Important! You need to know that the thorns can prick the hand of a person who decides to catch a catfish in this way.

This type of fish has an additional name – “Singing catfish”. Platydoras catfish can make sounds. They are formed due to the fact that the pectoral fins rub against the grooves in the shoulder joints. The sound resembles a drum roll.

TO poor conditions treats the habitat calmly. During the day they can swim out from secluded places to explore the territory. The bottom of the aquarium must be made so that the catfish can burrow into the sand and gravel. The light should be dim, for this purpose the water surface is covered with various plants. Shelter places can be made from driftwood, clay pots, and plastic pipes of various sizes. Beginner aquarists begin the development of their hobby by breeding Platydoras catfish.

Conditions and care

Keeping and caring for catfish requires proper attention. The temperature level in the water is maintained from twenty-five to thirty degrees. Aquarium volumes are at least one hundred and twenty liters. This type of individual belongs to the unpretentious type, so the water is changed every month in a volume of thirty percent of total number liters The water should be sufficiently saturated with oxygen and have medium hardness. At night, the fish leave their shelters and begin to dig in the ground to find food.

Feeding catfish

The Platidoras striped catfish is characterized by omnivorousness and unpretentiousness in food. Feeding occurs once a day, a few minutes before turning off the lights.

Eats crustaceans, mollusks, and everything that falls to the bottom. The main food is food in granular form. They also love earthworms, tubifex worms and live moths. You need to feed catfish daily, but keep the amount of food so that the fish do not overeat.

The volume of protein composition in the diet should be four times the volume of plant components. To find food, fish wait for the onset of night time. Catfish look for food at the bottom of the aquarium; they loosen the soil bottom, thereby maintaining cleanliness in their habitat.

How do they reproduce?

A mature female is larger in appearance than the male. Refers to spawning fish. If Platidoras catfish are bred for sale, breeding occurs through hormonal injections. In natural habitats, the female lays eggs in a river or stream. In aquariums, catfish collect various debris, hide in leaves of garbage, pieces of trees in order to lay eggs.

Sexual maturity of the striped platidora is reached at the age of two years. Home conditions for breeding are not suitable. Otherwise, they resort to the use of gonadotropic substances.

The female can lay three hundred eggs. Incubation lasts at least three days. After five days the fry can feed on their own. In order for breeding to be successful, it is necessary to select spawning tanks of one hundred liters. The water should have a temperature not exceeding thirty degrees, not hard, achieving a softness level of 6 to 7.

Who does he get along with?

Being a peace-loving fish, platidoras can get along with different individuals living in the same environment. The exception is small fish. They are perceived by catfish as food. Compatibility with them is not possible. Therefore, these individuals are forced to hide in dense thickets and floating plants. The fish, which are larger in size than Platydoras catfish, get along well with each other. These include goldfish, angelfish, cichlid, large barb. The lower layers of water are an excellent habitat for Platydoras. They try not to rise high.

Diseases

Catfish are susceptible to many diseases. In order to reduce the risk of disease, it is necessary to provide proper care and select the right conditions for their life.

Common problems include those types of damage that were received when fish got entangled in a net using spikes. At high level nitrate indicator in aquatic environment, an infection of the whiskers may occur, as a result of which it will be difficult for the catfish to find food and navigate in the aquarium. The Platidoras catfish does not have scales, so treatment is carried out using the drugs pimafix and melafix. Treatment with potassium permanganate and products containing copper is prohibited.

In order for the catfish not to get sick and to be healthy, it is necessary to provide him comfortable conditions for life activities that will be close to natural environment.

It is necessary to carefully monitor objects (decorative elements, vegetation) placed in aquariums. They can spread bacteria. Keep the aquarium in order; cleanliness and hygienic cleaning are the key to the healthy development of catfish.

If care is organized correctly, then Platidoras will give you a lot of pleasure, delighting you with its color and behavior. Having an unusual appearance, bizarre shape and curious disposition, it will decorate your aquarium for a long time.

The striped platidoras, also known as the famous singing catfish, is different beautiful coloring, good-natured character and the ability to make sounds. This a good choice for a beginner aquarist or catfish lover. In addition, these fish are easy to buy. This is one of the most popular species for keeping in aquariums, which is why they are sold everywhere.

Habitat of the striped platidoras

Striped Platydoras, or Platydoras armatulus, is a species of catfish widespread in South Africa. Their habitat covers the Amazon basin in Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, and the basins of other large Brazilian rivers; they are found in the Rio Orinoco basin in Colombia and Venezuela; in Rio Essesibo in Guyana; and in the coastal drainages of Suriname and French Guiana. This catfish is not listed on the International Red List of Threatened Species. Alternative names for the species include Raphael's southern striped catfish, chocolate catfish, and striped singing catfish.

For a long time it was confused with Platydoras costatus, and only in 2008 it was proven that this is a different species that lives exclusively in the waters South America.

Appearance

The body of this catfish is cylindrical in shape, resembling an arrow from above. The abdomen is flattened. On the large head there are hard mustaches. Catfish belongs to the Bronyakov family, and this name is not accidental. Fish of this family have thick skin and an occipital shield on their back. The bony growths form thorny scutes along the lateral line, which become tiny protective spines. Thanks to these scutes, the fish received another name - singing catfish. When the pectoral fins rub against the grooves on the shoulders, characteristic chirping sounds are produced. So don't trust anyone who promises to be dumb as a fish. Maybe he means the striped platidoras.

The fish's body color ranges from dark brown to black with prominent white lateral stripes creating a striped pattern. The front of the head and pectoral fins are also white. With age, the stripes become less bright. In the photo posted in the article, the striped Platydoras is in its prime, its stripes are contrasting and clear.

In nature, fish reach 20 cm in length and even more. In an aquarium they usually grow to 14-16 cm. Average age- 20 years.

How does reproduction work?

Visually, Platydoras females are larger than males, but it is not possible to accurately determine the sex by external signs. They reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age. Reproduction in an aquarium occurs only with the help of hormonal injections, so they are rarely bred at home.

These are spawning fish, and in nature they lay their eggs in fallen trees and other shelters. In artificial conditions, they look for a secluded place in the same way to lay their eggs. On average, a female will lay up to 300 eggs during one spawning. Incubation will last three days, and already on the fifth day the fry will be able to feed themselves. For breeding, spawning tanks with a volume of 100 liters and the same water as for adult fish are used.

Catfish behavior

Keeping Platydoras striped will not be a boring routine. This is an inquisitive fish and fun to watch. At first, the catfish will be nervous and will not show its nose from its hiding place - at least until dark. But over time, he will get used to it and will carefully study his home and its inhabitants. The peculiarity of the behavior of platidoras is that they live at the very bottom, at the bottom. And if you set up the aquarium correctly, you will have the opportunity to watch how the catfish digs in the soil or sand.

Because he leads night image life, it makes sense to install dim lighting in the aquarium. This way you will have the opportunity to observe him during active times of the day. In general, this is a calm, peace-loving fish, therefore the compatibility of the striped platidoras with other inhabitants of the aquarium is very good.

Striped catfish platidoras: content

Provide a dimly lit aquarium with hiding places. Roots and driftwood, clay pots or pieces of plastic pipes will work as shelter for catfish. The striped platydorus likes to burrow into the soft bottom of the river, so be sure to arrange open corner with fine gravel or sand. Don't be afraid, it won't harm the plants, but will only graze on small algae.

In the evening, when it starts to get dark, he will go out in search of food. If you want to watch these fish at night, try installing red lights or small LEDs in your tank. This way you can enjoy the process of feeding the catfish.

The preferred tank size is 114 liters as these are medium sized fish and are not very active. Other aquarium requirements are given below:

• The type of substrate is sand/sand or sand/gravel mixture that fish can burrow into.
• Temperature - from 23.9 to 30 degrees Celsius.
• pH range - 5.8-7.5
• Water hardness - 2 - 20°F.
• The water must be fresh.
• Water movement - weak
• Habitat: at the bottom.

There is one more nuance: catfish are sensitive to water quality. It needs to be changed regularly and its hardness monitored.

Feeding

IN wildlife Platydoras feed on mollusks, crustaceans and organic debris. They mostly find their food at the bottom, and in an aquarium they will eat any food that can reach them. Since they are nocturnal, best time to feed these fish - after the light in the aquarium is turned off. Feed them daily, but do not overfeed them. It has been reported that they can actually eat themselves to death if given too much food.

For platidoras, protein food is important: small shrimp, bloodworms, small pieces of fish. Add some seaweed or vegetables. You can also feed them store-bought granulated food. In general, these catfish are unpretentious eaters.

Compatibility with other fish

This is a friendly catfish, and the compatibility of striped platidoras with other fish is very high. It gets along well with medium and large species, but can mistake small relatives for food. Therefore, it is better to be careful and not to house him with guppies and neons. Thanks to its strong protection, it can also be housed with aggressive fish species, but in this case the catfish may very rarely appear on the surface. Remember that these fish eat small river inhabitants, so it is better to remove snails, crustaceans and shrimp from the aquarium. The best neighbors for the striped platidora are as follows:

• angelfish;
• cichlids;
• large barbs;
• carp;
• gourami;
• other catfish without a strong sense of territoriality.

In nature, platidoras can gather in schools for protection and shared food. In an aquarium, skirmishes are inevitable, because these are territorial fish, but there should be no serious fights or damage. Moreover, over time, the fish will become friends and share shelters.

Diseases and how to avoid them

Provide your fish with the proper environment and a balanced diet. The closer the conditions are to their natural habitat, the less stress the fish will experience, making them healthier and resilient.

Keep track of everything you add to your aquarium. New neighbors (fish, crustaceans, snails, etc.), plants and algae, substrate and decorations may contain bacteria. Properly clean or quarantine anything you buy for your pets.

High nitrate levels can also cause these catfish to develop baleen infections; this prevents them from moving and feeding normally. Keep nitrate levels below 20 ppm by simply changing the water regularly.

In a polluted aquarium, in water with a large amount of organic matter, they may develop necrosis of the whiskers and fins.

Striped Platydoras are catfishes that are susceptible to injury from netting and transportation. Be careful when catching these fish - because of their spines, they can easily get tangled in the net and get hurt, or even scratch you.

If the fish does get sick, then remember that it is strictly forbidden to treat them with potassium permanganate and any products containing copper.

Even such hardy and adapted fish as striped platidoras, need care and attention. Take care of your pets and they will live happy life in your aquarium.

There are many catfish that belong to the armored family (Doradidae). They are often also called singing catfish for their ability to make loud sounds. This group of catfish lives in South America.

Now they are quite widely represented on sale, both small and large species. The problem is that large species such as Pseudodoras niger or Pterodoras granulosus quickly outgrow the size of the aquarium in which they are kept.

In order not to push unprepared aquarists into purchasing large catfish, in this article we will focus only on those species that are modest in size.

Unfortunately, not all of them are still available for sale.

Singing catfish can make sounds in two ways - a grinding sound is produced by the blows of the pectoral fins, and a sound resembling a grunt due to a muscle attached to the skull at one end and to the swim bladder at the other.

The catfish quickly tenses and relaxes this muscle, causing the swim bladder to resonate and make sounds. Singing catfish have created a unique mechanism that serves them as protection from predators and a means of communication in nature or an aquarium.

Another feature of armored catfish is that they are covered with bony plates with spines that protect the body. These spikes are very sharp and can injure your hand if handled carelessly.

Due to the bony plates, singing catfish have such an attractive, prehistoric appearance. But they also make the fish very inconvenient for catching with a net, as it desperately gets tangled in the fabric.

When frightened, armored catfish instantly spread their fins, which are covered with sharp spines and hooks. Thus, the catfish becomes practically invulnerable to predators.

If you need to catch it in an aquarium, it is better to use a net made of very dense fabric, in which the fish will be less tangled.

Some aquarists prefer to pick up the fish by the upper fin, but you need to be careful not to touch the body, the injections are very painful! But the most The best way- is to use a jar or Plastic container, then you won’t get hurt yourself or injure the fish.

For large species you can use a towel, wrap the fish in it and remove it from the water, but do it together, one holding the head, one holding the tail.

And again - do not touch the body and fins, they are razor sharp.

The ideal soil would be sand or fine gravel. The aquarium should have driftwood in which catfish hide, or large stones.

Some aquarists use clay pots and tubes as hiding places, but just make sure they are large enough for the fish.

There are many cases where a grown-up armored catfish got stuck in such a tube and died. Always use cover with the expectation that the fish will still grow.

The size of the aquarium for singing catfish is from 150 liters. Water parameters: 6.0-7.5 pH, temperature 22-26 °C. Armored catfish are omnivores, they can eat any type of live and artificial food - flakes, granules, snails, worms, shrimp meat, frozen food, such as bloodworms.

As mentioned above, sand is preferable as a soil. Since fish create a large amount of waste, it is better to use a bottom filter under the sand or a powerful external one.

A weekly 20-25% water change is required. The water must be settled or filtered to remove chlorine.

Types of Platydoras

As I promised, I will list several species of singing catfish that will not grow to the size of river monsters. Please note that although singing catfish are not considered predators, they will happily eat fish that they can swallow. It is better to keep with large or equal sized fish species.

Platydoras armatulus

Platydoras armatulus- or singing catfish. This type of catfish is now the most widely represented on sale and it is with it that the armored catfish are associated.

Like all armored catfish, it prefers to stay in groups, although it can also protect territory. Its habitat is the Rio Orinoco basin in Colombia and Venezuela, part of the Amazon basin in Peru, Bolivia and Brazil.

Platidoras striped, reaches a size of 20 cm. I note that a small group of these catfishes easily cleans the aquarium of snails. Singles eat the same thing, but not as effectively.

Orinocodoras eigenmanni

The Orinoco catfish Eigenmann is less common and very similar to the striped platidoras. But an experienced eye will immediately see the difference - a more pointed muzzle, a difference in the length of the adipose fin and the shape of the caudal fin.

Like most armored fish, it prefers to live in a group, which is difficult to create, since Eigenmann’s catfish ends up in amateur aquariums by chance, with other platidoras.

Found naturally in Orinoco, Venezuela.

It grows up to 175 mm, and like Platydoras, it happily eats snails.

Agamixis stellate ( Agamyxis pectinifrons)

or star-shaped. Quite often found on sale from good suppliers. The color is dark with white spots on the body. It still prefers groups; it is recommended to keep 4-6 individuals in an aquarium. Lives in the rivers of Peru. Grows up to 14 cm.

Amblydoras nauticus

Amblydoras-nauticus (formerly known as Platydoras hancockii). A rare species of singing catfish, the description of which is quite confusing. It is not common, as a rule, juveniles are no more than 5 cm, while adults reach 10 cm in length. Schooling, lives in the rivers of South America from Brazil to Guyana. This species prefers neutral and soft water and abundant thickets of plants.

- dark anadoras. A very rare catfish, found in wholesale deliveries from abroad as bycatch to other types of armored catfish. Juveniles are 25 mm, adults up to 15 cm in length. Like the previous species, it prefers soft and neutral water and an abundance of vegetation. Feeding - any food including snails and bloodworms.

It is also rare, but has an extremely peaceful disposition even in a community aquarium. Reaches a length of 13 cm, like all armored fish - gregarious. In nature, it lives in the rivers of Ecuador. Required pure water with good filtration, omnivorous.

Various catfish have long become common inhabitants of aquariums. They are distinguished by their original colors and sounds. Platydoras striped is one of the most popular representatives of the species. It is very hardy and undemanding to living conditions. It has a peaceful nature and is therefore compatible with many types of fish. Its curious nature makes the catfish an excellent object for observation.

Platidoras striped is very hardy and undemanding to living conditions.

general description

The striped catfish (platydoras costatus) lives in the waters of South America. It belongs to the armored family, so its body is covered with hard plates. Sharp thorns grow on the sides. There are two dark antennae on the head.

IN natural conditions individuals grow up to 20 cm. In an aquarium their size does not exceed 15 cm. The coloring of the fish is remarkable: light and dark stripes stretch from head to tail. The pattern loses its expression with age. The body shape is elongated, cylindrical. The stomach is flat.

The name platidoras comes from two words: “platys” - smooth and “doras” - skin. Representatives of this species can often be confused with the longnose catfish. Distinctive features:

• length of the muzzle - it is longer in the long-nosed catfish;
• adipose fin - in Platydoras it is not so elongated;
• color - in the long-nosed catfish it is more spotted.

Individuals live in captivity for up to 12 years. Females are slightly larger and thicker than males. The singing catfish Platydoras got its nickname for its ability to rub its pectoral fins against the grooves on its body. The result is chirping sounds.

Arrangement of the aquarium

Aquarium striped catfish grow quickly, so they need to choose a container with a volume of about 150 liters. This species leads a benthic lifestyle, so he needs large areas for swimming. It is better to give preference to rectangular aquariums with a lid. This solution allows you to grow a large number of plants.

The water temperature should not exceed +27°C and be lower than +22°C. Acidity 5−7 pH. The ideal medium would be neutral without salts. In Russia, almost all striped catfish are raised by local aquarists. Such individuals are more adapted to local water. They tolerate short-term hypothermia and other fluctuations in parameters more calmly.

A filter must be installed. It will allow the creation of small bottom currents. Some of the water is changed every week. Fine sand or round pebbles are suitable as soil.

Be sure to install various driftwood and plants. They dim the lighting and make it possible to hide under them.

Platydoras striped has good compatibility with large and medium-sized fish. Because of their thick armor and spikes, they are not afraid of attacks from predators. Some aquarium inhabitants also like hiding places., and because of this, conflicts with catfish may arise, so you need to provide houses for all fish. They coexist well with cichlids, angelfish, goldfish and gouramis.

Features of feeding

Proper care and maintenance of platidoras affects its life expectancy. In nature, individuals of this species eat crustaceans and mollusks. In an aquarium they are ready to eat everything. They pick up food from the bottom, so it is better to give them granules or tablets. Due to lack of appetite control, catfish are prone to obesity, so you need to monitor the size of their abdomen. If it becomes very inflated, then it’s time to let your pet fast for a couple of days.

Platydoras pick up food from the bottom, so it is better to give them granules or tablets

The food should be high in protein. Suitable:

• bloodworm;
• earthworms.

You can use frozen food. Must be added plant food in a small volume. These are spinach, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce and seaweed. Since catfish are nocturnal, they need to be fed in the evening. The fish will tear up the soil with its nose, and this will improve the aeration of the soil. Adults are fed three times a week.

Reproduction of platidoras

Reproduction of catfish at home is difficult. This is a spawning fish, and it is difficult to stimulate it to do so. For this purpose, special hormonal drugs. A couple of catfish are placed in a separate aquarium.
An aquarist may notice fish mating. The male will swim over the female and try to touch her pectoral fin. At the same time, you can hear the male singing.

To stimulate the reproduction of platydorus, special hormonal preparations are used

The nest is built from plants, or the female digs holes in the ground. Be sure to place a fishing line or nylon thread in the aquarium. The caviar will be attached to it. After fertilization, the parent couple is separated.

The fry appear after three days. They will be able to swim only on the fifth day of life. They grow slowly. They are offered small pieces of protein food. Artemia will do. It is crushed and mixed with mashed green peas. The resulting paste is given once a day at no time. large quantities. As the fry grow, live food is added. It is important not to give it in large quantities, as it will cause gastrointestinal upset in young fish.