Minors: description, content, breeding and compatibility

Tetra minor is an unpretentious aquarium fish in care, which often becomes the first pet of novice aquarists. This is due to the fact that a nimble creature is not demanding on content, and even an inexperienced owner can handle leaving.

The homeland of the minor is South America. In nature, this fish prefers to settle in forest reservoirs in stagnant water.

External characteristics have the following features:

• this is a small fish no more than 5 cm long;
• the body of the minor is high, slightly flattened from the sides;
• an interesting feature of this is the vertical dorsal fin with four corners;
• a dark stripe is observed across the body, the upper part of the fish is colored olive brown, the lower one is bright red;
• dark spots are possible on the fins, the fin behind the gills is black in color, the rest of the body is colored red.

When keeping a minor, keep in mind that each fish will require 10 liters of water. Be sure to equip your aquarium with a lid, since these pets have the peculiarity of jumping out of the aquarium. Fish like to hide in shelters, so it is important to plant enough green space on the bottom, but leave the center of the aquarium empty - this will be a space for the free movement of fish. The most favorable plants are considered Javanese moss, Echinodorus, Thai fern.

The optimum water temperature for a minor is 25 degrees above zero, but a decrease in indicators does not particularly affect the health of the fish. Recommended acidity 6.5-7, hardness 4-8. It is believed that minors do well in peat water. Choose medium power lamps for lighting. Choose sand or gravel of a dark color as a soil - against such a background, bright fish will look very harmonious. Do not forget to equip the aquarium with driftwood, grottoes, caves, even an old ceramic pot will serve as a good shelter.

Install a good filter in the tank, clean it in time. For large volumes, it is recommended to purchase external equipment - it does not need such frequent cleaning, while the internal filter must be cleaned 1-2 times a week... Get yourself aeration system, which will enrich the water with oxygen for the comfortable life of minors and aquarium plants.

These fish do not have special requirements for nutrition, but it is important for the owner to monitor their diet. In their natural environment, Minors prefer to eat small animals in the water or grab insects that have fallen to the surface. The same live food is also suitable for feeding in captivity: crustaceans, small insects. In aquarism it is customary to alternate live food with ready-made dry food. Buy as dry food small flakes and granules, since large fragments will not be able to be swallowed by the minors. Also, do not forget about plant foods - dandelions, spinach, pinnate.

Minors' neighbors can be most of the aquarium inhabitants, but these should be fish that are no smaller than them in size - very small fish will become an object of hunting for minors. Also, these creatures do not get along well with slow fish with large fins - the Minors are attracted by iridescent veil fins, and they do not mind trying them. Therefore, try to lodge minors with large and nimble fish. So, bettas or scalars will become unsuccessful neighbors for minors - creatures with such fragile fins will be prey for minors, and as a result, the gnawed fish will get sick or die.

The most suitable union is possible with the following types:

• zebrafish;
• black neons;
• barbs;
• ancistrus;
• other tetras.

Before starting breeding, it is important to determine which of the individuals is female and which is male. The easiest way to distinguish fish by sex is before spawning. Males are colorful, more graceful in body structure, their dorsal fin is completely black. The fin of the females is dimmer, and they are always more plump. Minors breed both in a group and in a pair. They become sexually mature at the age of 8-10 months.

For breeding, you need to prepare a spawning box, which can be used as a small aquarium. Maximum dim the lighting and plant small-leaved plants on the bottom... Usually, experts recommend planting Javanese moss.... Prepare water with hardness 6-8 dGH and acidity 6.0. The optimum water temperature for breeding is 27 degrees.

Choose healthy growers.Feed them well before spawning, especially do not skimp on live food. Spawning begins in the early morning, the fish lay 200-300 eggs on prepared plants. After spawning, the parents are planted, and the spawning box is moved to a shaded area, since the eggs are quite sensitive to light.

The fry will hatch in a couple of days. First, they will feed on the yolk sac, sticking to glass or leaves, and when they start swimming (after 4-5 days), feeding will fall on the shoulders of the owner. The first meal can be egg yolk and ciliates. Over time, babies are transferred to Artemia nauplii, rotifers, small nematodes. Once every two weeks, it is necessary to change the water in the spawning box, gradually increasing its hardness. Further, it is customary to care for the fry in the same way as for adults.

Next, see the video review with tips for keeping Tetra minor fish.