The aquarium fish cockerel has a fighting character. It is important to know what maintenance conditions, what kind of care these charming creatures of nature need. You also need to know about the compatibility of these fish with representatives of your own and other breeds.
The fish aquarium cockerel has several names. She is called a lively cockerel, a Siamese cockerel. And that's why. After all, it is a predatory fighting fish that will be able to stand up for itself. The beauty and variety of colors of various subspecies are amazing, and it is quite simple to keep such specimens. Therefore, more and more aquarists want to have this aquatic inhabitant.
Homeland of the aquarium cockerel
This representative of the fauna lives in fresh water bodies of Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam. He loves standing warm water.
The locals fell in love with these cute fish not only because of their beauty. People have noticed that the males of this breed are very lively. Therefore, the Thais began to arrange fights with the participation of Siamese cockerels. For some, this business became a source of income, since the rates were monetary.
Gradually, other countries learned about the wonderful inhabitants of the depths of the sea. They began to be exported to France, Germany, then they appeared in other states.
Description of the breed
Cockerels can be of one, two or even three colors. Some specimens are mother-of-pearl, and their scales shimmer beautifully.
Aquarium bettas are classified according to the type of their fins. Therefore, there are the following names for these inhabitants of the deep sea:
- lunar;
- crown tail;
- veil tail;
- short-tailed;
- double tail.
- Crescent - tricolor. Its body is blue in color, and its fins and tail are blue-red-white.
- The crown of the tail has fins and a tail that are similar to the headdress of the emperor. The color of the fish is appropriate - red, because the royal person should be bright and memorable.
- The veil tail looks like a goldfish, it has this color. And her delicate fins and tail are like a veil - they are just as beautiful, light and transparent.
- It is not for nothing that the short-tailed is named that way. If we compare it with other representatives of aquarium cockerels, then this subspecies has the shortest tail. This part of the fish, like the others, is quite attractive. The tail looks like an open fan of a crimson shade with a white edging.
- The double tail has a very rich body part, as well as lush long fins. The fish has a bright blue-red color.
Interestingly, some of these fish have chameleon abilities. Depending on the mood and conditions, these swimming animals can change color. So, when the female is "on the drift", her color becomes brighter. The same applies to fish that are aggressive or scared.
When the bettas are in their familiar environment in their normal state, their color will be the same. Therefore, if, during home keeping, your aquarium males have changed the brightness of the color, it means that they are not satisfied with something. And if this is a female, perhaps soon she will begin to spawn.
The male is larger than the female and has a brighter color. To distinguish between different sexes, you need to look at their fins. They are longer in the male.
Keeping aquarium cockerels
The average lifespan of this fighting fish is 3 years. But with good care, they can live longer.
- One of the important factors in their content is the temperature of the water. It should be at 26-29 degrees with a plus sign. If the water is cooler, pets can get sick. To prevent this, be sure to install a special thermometer in the aquarium, periodically observe the temperature of the water.
- As for the water, these unpretentious inhabitants of the deep sea will feel normal in ordinary water poured from a tap. But first it must be defended. Do not take distilled water. This contains bacteria that can harm males.
- These fish love soft water with neutral acidity levels. If you have it hard, then first change it with a special conditioner, which is designed to soften the water.
- From time to time they need to change it. In an aquarium with a capacity of more than 100 liters, a fifth of the water is poured once a week and a new one is poured. If the fish house is smaller, then every 3 days a third of the liquid contents of the aquarium is replaced. If suddenly your males have changed color, began to show aggression, then this may be a reaction to a water change. Don't worry, it will pass over time.
- Keep the fish house clean, periodically remove food debris and other contaminants.
After you bring the fish home, you need to relieve them of the effects of the stress they have endured and soften their adaptation. To do this, use medicinal granules designed specifically for such situations.
Set up a fish house where it is warm and not very bright in natural light. Moreover, the direct rays of the sun should not enter the aquarium. Males like short daylight hours - no more than 8 hours, while artificial lighting will be the most optimal for them.
Although some sellers in pet stores claim that these unpretentious fish can even live in a glass of water, this is not the case. The minimum aquarium volume should be 3 liters. But if you want your new pets to feel great, then use an aquarium with a capacity of 5 to 10 liters for one individual.
Here the cockerel will be able to swim comfortably, as you can turn around in such open spaces. A filter, various aquarium plants will fit here. You can decorate the space with snags, stones, arrange beautiful grottoes here.
Do not fill the fish house to the brim with water. Leave a space of at least 8-10 cm on top.
This individual breathes not only in water, it also swallows air from the surface of the water surface. The fish will simply suffocate if it does not have access to this oxygen. But since the cockerel is very thermophilic, the air should be warm. Therefore, usually the aquarium is covered with a lid, and the surface space of 10 cm allows these beautiful representatives of wildlife to receive enough oxygen.
Plants will also emit it. You can breed unpretentious specimens in the aquarium, such as:
- hornwort;
- cryptocorynes;
- Vallisneria.
Cockerels are unpretentious in food. They can eat dry and live food. The latter include: dry bloodworms, brine shrimp.
The aquarist should develop a pet diet. After all, each representative of the aquatic nature has its own gastronomic preferences. Some cockerels will eat foods with a lot of plant ingredients with a great appetite, while others will prefer foods with a good protein content.
But the diet of these marine life should not be monotonous. This should include both live and dry food. When buying dry, you need to pay attention to the date of manufacture, shelf life. It is better to buy food for cockerels in closed containers, since pathogenic flora can be found in bulk food.
Aquarium cock compatibility
These fish have intraspecific aggression. Each representative of this breed vigilantly guards its territory. Therefore, keeping two males in one aquarium is impossible. The dominant male will try to kill the weaker one. Sometimes these fish can show aggression even to spawning females, if they do not like them. Therefore, it is better to keep one cock in one aquarium. If you have a spacious house for fish, then it is possible to settle 2 individuals here, but delimit their territories.
In addition to such intraspecific aggression, Siamese bettas can spread it to other smaller hulking fish. You can add nimble representatives of the underwater world to them in the aquarium, such as:
- corridors (speckled catfish);
- molinesia;
- swordsmen;
- platies.
But with whom this fighting fish will not get along, with:
- goldfish;
- cichlids;
- others to labyrinth fish.
Also, snails cannot be introduced into the aquarium with your new wards. They will tear off the large mustache, and they will simply eat the small ones.
Also, when thinking about who to put in an aquarium with cockerels, consider whether the conditions of detention are similar, other parameters of various representatives of the water depths.
These are the aquarium fish of the cockerel. As you understand, the content of these individuals is quite simple. The main thing is to provide them with good water with a comfortable temperature, take into account what kind of neighborhood they do not like or do not like, and feed them correctly.
In response to minimal care, you will make wonderful friends who will delight you with their appearance and perky character.
