Aquarium fish: species compatibility. Compatibility of aquarium fish: tips and recommendations Which fish are compatible in an aquarium?

- When choosing aquarium fish, first of all, their compatibility is taken into account.

- When buying fish, take into account their characteristics and intraspecific aggression.

To prevent your aquarium from looking empty, select fish living in different layers of water.

Below is a compatibility table for aquarium fish. It is often criticized by aquarists, however, as a guide it can serve well

Below are all other compatibility tables for aquarium fish

you also need to be skeptical about them

Additional material about compatibility aquarium fish

from our moderator Esta

The joyful moment has come in the life of every aquarist - buying fish for an aquarium. The assortment of fish is very large and varied. In this article I will try to dwell on the basic rules of compatibility of aquarium fish. What would I pay attention to when buying fish?

You should not rely on the advice of sellers selling in specialized stores. Like any trade worker, it is important for them to sell as many goods as possible at the highest prices. Before purchasing fish, you must first make a choice, write down the names of the fish you like, read about your favorites, basic information on the parameters of keeping and behavioral characteristics of the fish in the aquarium.

List of all aquarium fish in alphabetical order, with a link to the photo and description

"Aquarium fish from A to Z"

"Aggressive fish - list of black scoundrels"

All about aquarium goldfish

Fishes of Australia

Fishes of Africa: Malawian cichids and Tanganyika fish

The most beautiful aquarium fish: photo-video review and description

Types and breeds of guppies with photos and names

All types of swordtails

Compatibility of fish according to content parameters

There are cold-water and warm water fish, fish that love soft water, and vice versa, hard-water fish. Fish that need thickets of living plants, and fish that tear, dig up and eat all the plants in the aquarium. Many aquarists may argue that cold-water blue neons (keeping temperature 18-22 degrees) live well with discus fish, which need a temperature of 28-30 degrees.

I agree, they live, but with such high temperature water in the aquarium, all vital processes of neons are accelerated, their lifespan is reduced, which is already short - only 2-3 years at good conditions content, as a result, neons quickly age and die.

COMPATIBILITY OF GOLDFISH

Compatibility of guppies, what other fish get along with them?

Further, soft-water fish, such as American cichlids, will not feel comfortable in hard water. They will live, but reproduce.... This is in question. I will make a reservation that there are exceptions to the rules: professional aquarium growers easily breed angelfish in those cities and regions where very hard water flows from the tap, with a hardness index of 30-35. But such breeding requires experience and material costs associated with constant water softening (special preparations, for example: Tetra ToruMin, reverse osmosis installation, etc.)

Fish feel very well when the aquarist creates conditions for them that are close to natural. This happened to me when I changed the soil in the aquarium with discus fish in the form of granite chips, which increased the hardness aquarium water, on neutral ground. The coloring of these wonderful fish, which are rightly called the Kings of the aquarium, has become brighter, the fish have become more mobile and the most important indicator is the formation of pairs and regular spawning.

Therefore, if you have very hard water from your tap, consider purchasing hard-water fish, such as African cichlids, platies, guppies, mollies, swordtails, etc.

Compatibility of fish with living plants. If you want an aquarium with a large number of live plants, then I do not recommend buying goldfish, African cichlids, labeos, Metinnis, tetragonopterus, African eels, tilapias, etc. Some fish perceive plants as food, others like to dig and dig up the soil, thus , digging up plants, damaging the delicate roots.

This also applies to catfish, most of which like to dig in the ground. Ancistrus, in the absence of plant additives in the diet, can damage the delicate leaves of aquarium plants, making up for the lack of plant food with them.

Description and content of harcin fish

Fish size compatibility

There is an opinion that if a large fish is added to an aquarium as a young fish, then, as it grows up, it will not offend its smaller neighbors. Alas, for me personally, such experiments did not justify themselves. When a larger individual grew up, small fish went to feed it.

South American cichlids

Compatibility of fish by nature of nutrition

This is rarely paid attention to, but it would not hurt to take this indicator into account. There are herbivorous fish and predatory fish. The peculiarities of their nutrition come from the name.

Any herbivorous fish will not refuse animal food, for example, bloodworms.

The peculiarity of herbivorous fish is that they have a small stomach and a long intestine, adapted for digesting plant foods.

If such fish are often fed with bloodworms, then over time problems with digestion and liver will begin.

This indicator is especially important to take into account when considering the compatibility of cichlids: most African cichlids are animal-eaters, and it is not recommended to keep them together with Tanganyika cichlids - tropheus, whose diet is algae fouling and other plant foods.

It is better not to keep predatory fish, for example, the African black knife, in the same aquarium with small and peaceful fish. This predator leading night image life, will hunt any fish it can swallow.

From an aquarium with discus fish, I had to remove one ancistrus. It, the only one of the three ancistrus living in this aquarium, attached itself to the large body of the discus and injured it with its suction cup mouth. Such damage can be very dangerous for fish. What was missing from his diet? Fish scales? mystery. I think this is a feature of his character.

Compatibility of fish by behavior

This is a big and important topic. A number of fish are very aggressive, especially during the period of mating games, spawning and care of offspring. These fish include almost all cichlids. Most cichlids are large, aggressive (very aggressive during the spawning period) and predatory fish. Under no circumstances should they be combined with peaceful, small fish.

Cichlid fish - cichlids in an aquarium

Cichlazomas: types, content, compatibility, reproduction

Among the fish there are some, for example, barbs, which will not miss an opportunity to pinch another fish by the fins. Therefore, they are not recommended to be kept with veil fish, which have beautiful and long fins.

Therefore, the aquarium needs to contain fish of similar character.

For example, frisky and playful zebrafish do not look out of place next to the stately discus fish and angelfish. With their sudden movements, they can scare discus fish. Once, I witnessed how, with a sharp movement near the aquarium, discus darted in different directions, and one of them quite noticeably crashed into the glass of the aquarium, and the other darted upward, hitting the aquarium lid. By the way, this feature of discus fish should be taken into account when choosing the location of the aquarium. I would like to note that my discus aquarium is installed in a very busy area of ​​the apartment. After some time, the fish got used to it and do not react to sudden movements.

When selecting fish for the aquarium based on their behavior, do not forget to take into account the fact that many fish like to hide in shelters. It is necessary to ensure the presence of shelters in the form of grottoes and caves in the aquarium. Driftwood in an aquarium, for example, is important for catfish. In addition to shelter, driftwood is also part of the diet. For some fish that like to burrow into the soil, the fraction of this soil and its treatment are important. For such fish, sand with rounded edges is preferable.

There are a number of other parameters - requirements for lighting, the speed of water flow in the aquarium: there are fish that love standing water, and fish that live in rivers with fast water flow, the degree of salinity of the water, etc.

I would like to note that when choosing fish, you cannot adhere to only one of the compatibility parameters. We need to take them into account or try to take them into account as a whole. When choosing fish, do not forget to take into account the volume of your aquarium and the size of the fish as adults. It is important.

To facilitate the adaptation of fish to new conditions, you can use preparations that minimize the stress of fish from transportation and relocation: Tetra AquaSafe, Tetra Vital, Tetra EasyBalance, Tetra Nitrate Minus.

In any case, the choice is always yours, it is your experience.

The most important thing is that if you try to take into account as much as possible the peculiarities of the maintenance and behavior of the fish you have chosen, and create comfortable conditions for their existence, then they will delight you long years with their beauty and health, and many of them will delight you with numerous offspring!

(to view or download, click on the picture)

Video about aquarium fish compatibility

Fish compatibility table

An aquarium is a living and developing microcosm. And the compatibility of fish species with each other indicated in the table is still not an axiom. Please take this into account. Many aquarists tell how incompatible fish get along quite well with them.

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Aquarium fish compatibility

Fish compatibility parameters:

Experts carefully studied the behavior and habits of fish. The analysis revealed the reasons why certain type fish may not be suitable for a particular aquarium. This means that the fish is too large for this container or in comparison with the rest of the fish living in this aquatic "dwelling". Even if the large fish does not eat the small ones, the younger brothers will feel uncomfortable. Scientifically speaking, the compatibility of fish in an aquarium is a rather delicate area that does not tolerate trifles.

The fish should not be too small compared to other fish, as they may simply eat it. There are species of fish that require more territory, than usual. For example, a parrot loves space. Paying attention to the compatibility of aquarium fish, you need to know the behavior predatory fish. Some by nature eat other, smaller ones. In their native element, their usual habitat, such behavior is typical of that representative water world that feed on fish. Many omnivorous individuals also eat other fish, smaller than themselves.

It happens that fish bite other people's fins. Most often, this trend is observed if the aquarium contains fish with long, bright fins. Or, on the contrary, the fish itself has a “unique image,” which is a temptation for some fish that have the habit of biting other people’s fins. The compatibility table for aquarium fish helps to study these points. This data will give important information about the behavior and character of fish.

Aquarium fish compatibility table

There are individuals that eat aquatic plants, and some simply bury themselves in the ground, thereby the fish will constantly dig up the plants. When studying the compatibility of fish in an aquarium, you should know about the factors environment:

• chemical composition of water,
• lighting,
• its movement and temperature,
• shelter.

All the nuances of the living conditions of underwater pets are important and should be considered in general communication. Therefore, the compatibility table will help you choose ideal neighbors. Also, such generalized data will be provided Additional information about the life of fish.

Fish living in groups

Unpretentious gouramis are excellent neighbors

Character

Are they compatible with each other?

On compatibility with representatives of other species

Compatibility Criteria

To understand whether compatibility between species is possible, you need to familiarize yourself with the criteria for complete, partial compatibility and incompatibility. With full compatibility, you can calmly observe the life of the fish; with partial compatibility, there are threats of competition; if there is no compatibility as such, the fish do not need to be placed in the same aquarium at all.

Pairs of gourami and fish, compatibility:

• Angelfish and gouramis: fully compatible
• Barbs: partially compatible
• Bettas: not compatible
• African Cichlids: Incompatible
• South American Cichlids: Incompatible
• Corridors: fully compatible
• Danio: fully compatible
• Discus: Partially compatible
• Loaches: partially compatible
• Goldfish: incompatible
• Gourami: partially
• Guppy: partially
• Koi carp: incompatible
• Boots: completely
• Mollies: completely
• Astronotuses: incompatible
• Pecilia: completely
• Plecostomus: completely
• Rainbows: completely
• Rasbory: completely
• Labeo: completely
• Swordtails: completely
• Tetras: completely
• Acne: partially
• Piranhas: incompatible
• Shrimp: not compatible
• Floating aquarium plants: completely

See also: How to care for chocolate gouramis?

Choosing aquarium neighbors for angelfish

Compatibility table: angelfish and other species

What species do these pets live peacefully with? To avoid mistakes in stocking, you should consider their compatibility with other fish. As a rule, they get along with many people peaceful views, however, there are exceptions to the rules.

Look at a community aquarium with angelfish.

Barbs are small fish that strive to pinch the beautiful fins of any neighbors, be they angelfish or other beauties. Sometimes they live peacefully, but Sumatran barbs, cherry barbs, tiger barbs can constantly chatter beautiful angel cichlids. They demonstrate their superiority and play “catch up” or “hide and seek”, which leads to stress. It is impossible to do without shelters or relocation. Although barbs are cute creatures, they are too annoying. In addition to them, even gouramis, guppies or labeos can become very loose.

Cichlids from Africa and South America– although they are close relatives of angelfish, they can display territorial aggression and predatory behavior. Cichlids are solitary fish, or “family men”; not many breeders manage to keep them in peace and harmony with other aquatic inhabitants. Angelfish are uncomfortable with them, so settlement is possible only with individual compatibility, which is checked at a young age.

Cockerels are good neighbors for medium-sized cichlids. They can live on their own. Male bettas are more likely to conflict with each other than with other fish. One caveat - during spawning, the female and male angelfish are aggressive towards the cockerels; if there is nowhere to move them all, organize additional shelters in the tank.

Corydoras catfish live with almost everyone without conflicts or claims, and scalars are no exception. Catfish live in lower layers water, scalar - in the middle. They can ignore each other without interfering with their lives and food.

Danio – if the fish grew together, it’s very good. If zebrafish are introduced to them as new neighbors, they will be mistaken for food. It won’t be possible to eat everyone, they will give them unpleasant endurance tests, proving their superiority. Danios swim in upper layers water, and angelfish get them well. You can install a lot of thickets, shelters, a spacious tank so that everyone can hide. For small fish, constant stress is extremely harmful, so take a closer look at how the cichlids react.

Goldfish - you can keep such luxurious fish with comparable Karpovs. And with scalars the content is unlikely to be successful. Goldfish live in cool water, and cichlids live in warm water. In addition, goldfish and angelfish are incompatible in character - a more active cichlid will tear off the fins of such a neighbor. And one more important factor– goldfish quickly pollute the water, while cichlids love cleanliness.

Guppies are small ornamental fish. They get used to angelfish from a young age. But as cichlids mature, they can harm guppies. In adults, predatory instincts awaken, which is extremely unpleasant for the guppy - it is small, bright and beautiful. If the question arises - where did the guppies go? The answer is obvious - they were eaten by angelfish.

Look at the confrontation between gourami and angelfish.

Mollies are viviparous, colorful fish. Keeping cichlids of this species will be successful if they grow up together. Sometimes mollies nibble on the fins of angelfish. Over time, they get used to each other, but in case of prolonged conflicts it is better to keep them separately.

Ternetias are small omnivorous fish. Naturally, angelfish will be perceived ambiguously, or rather, as food. According to their living conditions, they are suitable for each other and eat almost the same food. But thorns can suffer physically from the harassment of cichlids. Compatibility can be called relative, because there certainly were cases when thorns and scalars got along together. However, thorns are small hydrobionts; large neighbors are dangerous for them.

Discus fish - these aquarium fish can become good companions for cichlids. Angelfish and discus have similar housing conditions and diets. Even their body shape is slightly identical - both discus and angelfish have difficulty collecting food from the bottom due to their disc-shaped symmetry. Therefore, both of them will be able to eat from a special feeder. The differences between them - discus are schooling fish, they feel comfortable in a school of 5-6 individuals, and angelfish swim in pairs and love wide space. Having a large tank for both species will be a big plus.

Compatibility with shellfish and crustaceans

Who do barbs get along with?

Fish behavior

Barbs growing 10-12 cm in length are classified as large species. Among them: Arulius, Everett, red-cheeked barb, African barbs. Compatibility in a community aquarium is possible with cichlids, freshwater sharks and catfish. Medium and small barbs reach a length of 5-6 cm in an aquarium. These include the Sumatran, five-striped, green, lined, and oligolepis barbus.

They are united by a cheerful disposition and a high level of activity in water, so they are recommended for breeding in glass tanks. They get along with other fish of similar sizes, but not with slow ones. The character is cocky - fish with long and veil-like fins will be plucked, depriving them of their beautiful appearance. For them, it is better to choose a spacious rectangular aquarium with enough space for swimming. Shelters are also important - stones, snags and plants, but in a certain quantity - for schooling fish you don’t need a lot of them. You should purchase 6-7 fish at once to avoid stress and conflict situations.

Look at an aquarium with Sumatran barbs in the company of rasbora and common angelfish.

Signal about unfavorable conditions in the aquarium may indicate a strange position of the fish - when they do not lie at an angle of 45 degrees, head down (as when resting), but at a large angle.

They swim quickly in a pond, are constantly on the move, play with each other, and catch up with each other. They do not live very peacefully; they will compete even with aggressive fish species. Therefore, you need to choose neighbors for them scrupulously and carefully.

Every aquarist wants to know which fish can be kept with each other, and which are absolutely incompatible, here I will try to tell you about it.

When selecting fish for your aquarium, it is important to remember that fish species are very numerous and diverse. Therefore, the main thing is not to make the most common mistake and try to keep predators (for example, angelfish) with completely harmless fish (for example, hippies) in the same aquarium. Moreover, some fish can be dangerous not only for other fish, but also for the owner himself, for example electric eel Electrophorus spp. or piranha Serrasalmus spp. And some fish, such as pacu Piaractus, Colossoma spp., red-tailed catfish Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, simply grow too large.

Your job is to learn as much as possible about the fish you plan to keep and make a thoughtful and informed decision about whether a particular fish is suitable for your aquarium and whether it can get along well with its neighbors. planned for future purchase.

Options fish compatibility:

Listed here are some reasons why a certain type of fish may not be suitable for a particular aquarium.

• The fish is too big (or this moment, or when it grows) for this aquarium or in comparison with other fish inhabiting the aquarium. Even if a large fish does not eat smaller ones, it is still more small fish, in all likelihood, will fear for their lives if there is a significantly larger fish in the same aquarium.
• A fish, even an adult one, is too small to live with other fish or may even be eaten by other fish already present in the aquarium.
• Fish are territorial and require more personal space than the size of the aquarium allows (example: parrot).
• The fish is predatory, that is, it eats other, smaller fish. This behavior is quite natural for fish, whose diet is wildlife consists of other fish. Many omnivorous fish also eat other fish much smaller than themselves. However, this does not mean that predatory and omnivorous fish cannot be kept together with other fish - these others simply should not be too small.
• The fish bites other people's fins. This is usually not a problem unless you keep other fish with long, sexy fins in the same tank. Or, on the contrary, the fish itself has long seductive fins, which the fish already in the aquarium, which have the habit of biting other people’s fins, cannot resist.
• The fish is too lively and will not be able to get along with calm or too nervous fish, and vice versa.
• Fish eat aquatic plants.
• The fish is buried in. There is nothing wrong with this, but the aquarist may not want to redo the interior again, since she will be constantly digging up plants.
• Fish require fundamentally different environmental factors - the chemical composition of water, its movement and temperature, lighting, shelter - compared to other fish already in the aquarium.

It is very important to consider all of the above in their overall relationship. Just because all the fish are about the same size doesn't mean they are... Even small fish may need their own territory and can cause a mess in the aquarium. Pisces two different types may require the same temperature, chemical composition and illumination, but at the same time they can be completely incompatible in such a parameter as water movement, if one of them lives naturally in lakes, and the other in stormy rivers.

A very common mistake is to assume that if these species of fish live together in nature, then they can be kept together in captivity. Most biotopes (an area of ​​habitat for animals and plants characterized by relatively uniform conditions) are inhabited by both large and small species - there are both predators and their prey.

Another common mistake is to assume that fish of the same species will necessarily get along well together. In many cases, especially when we're talking about about males, they see each other as rivals and can fight among themselves. The same applies to representatives of related species with similar shape and color.

Certainly compatible with each other are those representatives of fish species living in schools in natural conditions, definitely need a society of their own kind. When fish gather in schools, this is their way of protecting themselves from predators. Accordingly, these animals should not be kept alone in captivity; they will become nervous and experience stress.

Some species of bottom fish - such as Corydoras and some loaches - also live in groups. The reasons for this behavior are not yet fully understood, but such fish seem to do better if provided with the company of their own kind.

Below is a compatibility table for the main fish species.

When selecting inhabitants for a community aquarium, the owner first of all asks questions - will the representatives get along? different breeds in the same area? Will the motley group turn out to be too conflicting, will the larger individuals eat the smaller ones, and will the reservoir turn into a field for constant battles? It's really important point when designing and populating an artificial aquatic world, it is important to know the compatibility of aquarium fish so that the hobby does not lead to disappointment.

Experienced aquarists will confirm that the livability and compatibility of aquatic inhabitants are associated not only with the degree of their aggression and territoriality. In fact, other equally important factors are taken into account:

• optimal parameters aquatic environment – place lovers of warm and warm food in one tank cold water or – fresh and salted, not recommended;
• habitat layers– even non-peace-loving creatures can live in the same territory if they do not intersect with other inhabitants, for example, bottom-dwelling catfish get along well with fish that prefer to be near the surface.

If you take into account all the nuances, the aquarium will turn into comfortable place for habitat of fish and other living creatures and will delight the owner’s eye.

These original fish from the cichlid genus are very popular among aquarists, as they are beautiful (the name of the breed comes from the words “leaf” and “wing”), extraordinary, and relatively unpretentious. In addition, they get along with inhabitants of other breeds, if they are non-aggressive and have average dimensions. It refers to:

• barbs;
• shellfish;
• zebrafish;
• gourami;
• boots;
• mollies;
• platies;
• plecostomus catfish (pleco);
• rainbows;
• rasboram;
• tetras.

Angelfish coexist peacefully with their fellows if they live in a spacious aquarium. However, it is advisable to place a group of young animals of 4-8 individuals in one tank. Like other cichlids, these fish independently select a mate for themselves - once and for all.

Loaches and shrimp are not the best neighbors for angelfish, but there is still partial compatibility. But the following inhabitants should not be placed in one container with leaf fish:

• cockerels;
• African and South American cichlids;
• goldfish;
• discus;
• guppy;
• brocade carp (koi);
• astronotuses.

These representatives of the large carp family captivate with their bright colors, liveliness, variety of species and undemanding nature. But at the same time, barbs are extremely mobile and are predators, so it is not recommended to put them in the same tank with fish that are unable to fend for themselves.

The following inhabitants can fight back against overly assertive neighbors:

• angelfish;
• zebrafish;
• gourami;
• carapace;
• botia;
• mollies;
• pecilia;
• Plectomus catfish;
• melanothenia;
• analysis;
• labeo;
• swordtail;
• tetra.

If barbs begin to actively terrorize representatives of the above breeds, it is worth thinking about moving all the inhabitants into a larger container or providing the brawlers with separate “housing.”

It is difficult to predict the behavior of these cyprinids, so most often everything becomes obvious only in practice. But it is known for sure that the following fish are absolutely not suitable as neighbors for barbs:

• cockerels;
• South American and African cichlids;
• brocade carps;
• astronotuses.

Discus, loaches and guppies in some cases get along well with barbs, but, again, the individual characteristics of the latter matter.

Like most representatives of the labyrinthine suborder, cockerels have luxurious, fan-shaped fins, which often arouse the interest of other inhabitants, and they mercilessly tear them off. Such troubles will not happen if you place the cockerels with small, non-pugnacious fish - shellfish, zebrafish, gupeshkas, pleco catfish, Rasbor fish, etc.

The cockerel himself is no slouch, and has a very cocky disposition; it’s not for nothing that these fish are called fighting fish. To prevent the aquarium from becoming an arena for gladiators, you should not add them to barbs, angelfish, cichlids, discus fish, loaches, goldfish, gouramis, koi carps, astronotus, and labeo. Also, do not stock the tank with shrimp.

The situation will turn out to be terrible if two males of a given breed are placed in one dwelling - they will sort things out day and night. If in natural environment If the injured fish has the opportunity to retreat, then in a limited space there is only one way out - to fight until one of the fighters dies. Females can also suffer - both from each other and from gentlemen, who are quite angry outside the spawning period.

The large family of cichlids consists of many varieties, and representatives of each of them have both individual characteristics and similar features. For example, many species of South American and African cichlids practically do not get along with other representatives of freshwater breeds. In addition, they also conflict with their fellows if they live in a cramped tank.

An important breed feature of cichlids is the ability to form a stable pair - once and for life. These fish can live either with a partner or alone. And even if cichlids get along well with their neighbors, during and after spawning they can change their attitude towards them. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended that future parents be placed in a separate container.

They are also shellfish and are considered one of the most peaceful and friendly aquarium inhabitants. These catfish do not pester other inhabitants and tirelessly pick up scraps, clearing the tank of debris, which further increases their popularity among aquarists. Their habitat is the bottom, so they practically do not overlap with their neighbors living in the middle and upper layers.

You can place shellfish in:

• scalars;
• barbs;
• betta fish;
• zebrafish;
• discus;
• gupeshkas;
• boots;
• mollies;
• platies;
• catfish pleco;
• melanothenia;
• rasboram.

These bright little inhabitants literally bring the aquarium to life when they begin to scurry around in the upper layers of the tank in a cheerful flock. Danios are active, positive and friendly, and owners can consider the following candidates as neighbors:

• cockerels;
• angelfish;
• barbs;
• corridors;
• guppy;
• gourami;
• bots;
• mollies;
• poecilius;
• plecostomus;
• iris;
• Rasbora fish;
• labeo;
• swordtails;
• tetr.

You should not expose peaceful little ones to danger by placing them in an aquarium with cichlids, discus fish, goldfish, astronotus, and koi carps. Large predatory neighbors will view zebrafish solely as a treat.

These fish, originally from the Amazon River, have an unusual rounded and flattened body shape, reminiscent of a disk, for which they are called discus. They are non-aggressive, not prone to showdowns and can keep company with the following aquarium inhabitants:

• shellfish;
• zebrafish;
• mollies;
• platies;
• catfish pleco;
• iridescent melatenia;
• Rasbora fish;
• swordtails;
• Ramiresi's apistograms;
• red tetras.

Discus fish should not be housed with angelfish, barbs, cockerels, goldfish, guppies, koi carps, or astronotus.

Discus and neons get along well and look great in the same tank, but the latter live less in warm water, suitable for discus. In addition, they should be housed together when they are juveniles, otherwise larger disc fish will shamelessly eat small inhabitants.

Another nuance that is worth considering is that discus move slowly and imposingly, so they can starve due to more nimble and voracious neighbors. Many aquarium owners prefer to keep only discus fish, and indeed a flock of 6-8 individuals can fully decorate an aquarium without other inhabitants.

The loach family consists of three dozen genera and just under 200 species. Most representatives are nocturnal and hunt in the dark. During the day, they hide in the thickets or bury themselves in the sand.

Not all representatives of the species have been well studied, but it is known for sure that they get along well with pleco catfish. Otherwise, you should take into account the size of the aquarium and the individual character traits of each individual.

It is best if these representatives of the crucian genus live only with their fellows - they are comfortable, comfortable and safe. Actually, even alone gold fish won't be bored. But if the owner still wants to place the goldfish in a common tank, you should be careful:

• they do not get along well with cichlids, often due to the aggressiveness and high territoriality of the latter;
• in the company of labyrinthine fish, golden ones are unlikely to be calm - violent clashes, most likely, will not happen, but gourami or lalius will get at the phlegmatic crucian carp. It is possible to get along with ctenopomas - but only if the golden ones do not irritate them with their habit of rummaging in the ground;
• goldfish will consider small inhabitants only as food, so you should not introduce them to neons, rhodostomuses, and minors;
• if proximity is inevitable, then it is advisable to choose larger and less nasty fish, for example, diamond tetra or congo.

In the company of Sumatran barbs, goldfish will not look good - “Sumatrans” have a weakness for the luxurious fins of goldfish and do not miss the opportunity to give them a good pat. Ornamental crucians can get along with brocade carp, but the cute Koi are able to do without any roommates - they are completely self-sufficient and can decorate an aquarium alone.

These tropical labyrinth fish are loved by many aquarists; they are active, peaceful and do not require complex care. But males of this breed often start fights with their own kind, so keeping them in a common container is encouraged.

Gourami get along well with non-aggressive small, non-territorial fish. They get along well with angelfish and rainbow melatenia. But living with a cichlid, betta, goldfish, brocade carp or astronotus will not benefit friendly gourami.

Many aquarists begin their acquaintance with the aquarium business by breeding these small, viviparous fish. Guppies are tenacious, easily tolerate any changes and are prolific. They develop quite good neighborly relations with other livebearers from the poeciliaceae family - mollies, platypecilia, and girardinus.

Swordtails often chase guppies and eat their fry, so such a neighborhood is possible if the guppies live in a spacious tank with abundant vegetation. Angelfish usually do well with angelfish until they grow into adults. In this case, it is 50:50 that they will not consider small neighbors as food.

All large or medium-sized predatory fish perceive guppies as food, and nothing can be done against nature. Sooner or later, the owner will run out of fish, and soon won’t find any at all, if cichlids, loaches, carps, and macropods live in the aquarium with them.

More often, these spectacular breed representatives are kept in ponds and artificial outdoor reservoirs, less often in aquariums. There are 14 varieties, differing in color, but all the fish are undemanding and peaceful. Their neighbors can be goldfish, ancistrus, mollies, catfish, and they also get along well with their brothers.

Conflicts among brocade carp can arise with smaller representatives of the aquatic world; by driving them, the fish prove that they are the masters of the situation.

It is not so easy to create a mixed artificial underwater world in which all residents would feel comfortable and would not encounter difficulties. Owners encounter many of the peculiarities of fish in practice, but it is advisable to learn some nuances in advance in order to avoid tragic events.

Selecting fish for your aquarium is a very interesting, but not easy task. The choice is truly huge, and you have to take into account not only the appearance of the fish, but also many other factors. One of them is their compatibility, that is, the ability of different species to get along together and feel comfortable in a common aquarium. We will talk about the basic principles of this compatibility in this article.

The reasons for the impossibility of coexistence of some species of fish - or any other living beings - are intuitively clear: in nature they live in different climatic zones, V different conditions, and even in the case of close proximity can be in each other’s different relationships, for example, being both predator and prey. And if we are philosophical about the fact that in natural environmental conditions some fish eat others, few people will want to witness such a picture in their aquarium. In order to avoid a situation in which the fish in the aquarium suffer from their proximity, when selecting them you need to know and take into account several basic rules.

Compatibility Types

Fish species can be:

• fully compatible;
• completely incompatible;
• conditionally (limitedly) compatible.

Everything is clear with the first two categories, but the third includes species whose coexistence is possible under certain conditions (these could be the size of the aquarium, its correct zoning, the presence of shelters, or even the character traits and life experience of specific fish individuals). I must say that sometimes - very rarely! - in aquariums, completely incompatible species somehow manage to get along, but these are the exceptions.

To facilitate the task of selecting fish, there are species compatibility tables; they are available in specialized literature and on many aquarium websites. But we will still try to formulate the principles by which the compatibility of fish is determined.

Click to enlarge

Basic principles of compatibility of aquarium fish species

Similar conditions of detention

Obviously, fish that require different environmental parameters cannot be placed in the same aquarium: water temperature, hardness, acidity, light, presence and strength of current, and so on. Often related fish species or species that live naturally in the same biotopes have similar requirements for living conditions.

According to this principle of fish selection, species-specific aquariums are built: the now popular cichlids, aquariums with various short-bodied or viviparous species - guppies, platies, mollies. Geographic aquariums are also interesting (for example, the aquarium " Southeast Asia"), recreating the conditions of any area where fish of various families living in this area are placed.

Predators and prey

Here, too, everything is simple and clear: you cannot keep predatory fish and their potential prey together. That is, predators, of course, will be grateful to you for this - catching and eating a young neon is always more pleasant than choking on dry food (and it’s also healthier for your health). But future victims are unlikely to be happy with this situation. Therefore, before buying fish, you should definitely find out whether they are predators (yes, cute little fish from the pet store may well grow into ruthless killers), and select neighbors of the appropriate size and disposition.

Size matters

Large fish, even if they are not predators, are not recommended to be housed with small fish, since representatives of the latter will always feel threatened and be in stressful conditions. This will have an adverse effect on their health, longevity and decorative value: firstly, the color may fade from stress, and secondly, the fish will hide all the time, it will become uninteresting and almost impossible to watch them. In addition, there is a possibility that a completely peaceful, non-predatory fish big size will accidentally swallow a small one, because even such hulks as goldfish will grab the prey if it itself swims into their mouth. Conclusion: the fish in the aquarium should be of comparable size and at least not fit into each other’s mouths.

Opposites don't meet

Unlike people, whose temperaments often complement each other, fish feel more comfortable among individuals with similar behavior. Or rather, nimble, lively and active fish(such as zebrafish) usually pay little attention to phlegmatic and thoughtful gouramis or guppies, but the latter, surrounded by fast and agile neighbors, may experience stress and discomfort. In addition, they often simply do not get food, since energetic neighbors eat it faster than the mattress fish have time to get to this food.

Of course, not everyone wants the aquarium to be a complete bustle or, conversely, a sleepy kingdom. Therefore, you can select fish with different temperaments, but with the condition that they will occupy different layers of water, for example, calm bottom and playful schooling fish in the middle layers of the aquarium.

Territorial aggressors

There are species of fish that attack other inhabitants of the aquarium not because they see them as food items, but in defense of their territory. Territorial fish protect their family spawning grounds, such as cichlids, and in the case of fish (labeo, girinocheilus) - their pastures. In different species, aggression can be directed either only at individuals of their own species, or at the entire population of the aquarium. Therefore, when purchasing fish, you should definitely find out whether it is territorial and how this property manifests itself in it. The descriptions of the species indicate how best to house them: singly, in a flock, in a pair, whether other species can live in the aquarium with them and what kind of species they should be.

Tender beauties

Fish that, as a result of selection, have acquired hypertrophied characteristics unusual for their species (veil fins, growths on the skin, greatly enlarged eyes, albino coloration) are usually much more delicate than their wild-type relatives, and the selection of neighbors for them must be treated with special care . It is recommended to place goldfish of telescopes, stargazers, veiltails, pearls in species aquariums, where there should not even be long-bodied breeds of goldfish, not to mention various bullies, such as barbs. The same goes for other fish with long fins. You cannot place them with those who are ready to bite off these fins.

Albinos of some species, for example, labeo, cannot withstand competition with their relatives of normal color and lose in battles for territory, which gradually leads to their death.

What should you do if you really want to add incompatible species to your aquarium?

Species that are biologically poorly compatible (that is, those that require very different water parameters) cannot be housed together. Behavioral compatibility (when fish do not match in temperament or some of them are territorial) can be experimented with. General tips are:

1. The aquarium should be spacious and not overcrowded, it should be zoned with decorations and tall, long-stemmed or long-leaved plants (so that one part of the aquarium cannot be seen from another) and provided with a variety of different shelters. For fish that prefer the upper layers of water, these can be dense thickets of plants and tall snags intertwined with each other, for bottom fish - grottoes, shards, coconut shells.
2. Make sure everyone has enough food. Give food in such a way that it ends up in different parts of the aquarium, and the fish do not have to fight for it, and timid fish do not even need to swim far from their corner. Feed algae eaters with lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, which are also placed in different parts aquarium
3. Buy fish of different species young and raise them together so that they have the opportunity to get used to each other.

We must remember that introducing incompatible species into an aquarium is a big risk, and be prepared to change the design of the aquarium, equipping new areas and shelters, treat broken or sick fish, and periodically buy new ones to replace the dead ones. But aquarium farming is interesting because it provides us with a wide range of possibilities: we decide for ourselves whether we want to see a peaceful idyll in the aquarium or seething African passions. The main thing is that this decision is conscious.

A short video about the compatibility 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 such a rule - you should contain 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 These include “timid” small fish that live well 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 These are active fish that interact well 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”