Green gold catfish
Corydoras melanotaenia
The Corydoras melanotaenia is a freshwater ornamental fish of the genus Corydoras. It can reach a length of about 6 centimeters. Its German name is usually Green, Gold or Bronze Corydoras.
Features
Like all armored catfish Corydoras is the melanotaenia a Darmatmer, that is, he must take a breath from time to time on the water surface. In the aquarium, it should not be kept in a closed basin with floating vegetation. His body is protected as with all cory catfish, with an armor of bony plates and is thus inedible for almost all predators. In addition, he has an eye-catching glossy yellow coloration on the belly, fins and back. In contrast, the area around the lateral line around the head and is colored dark gray.
Distribution and habitat
The Corydoras melanotaenia is located in the Río Meta ( Colombia) of tropical South America. This water has the following water parameters:
- A GH- value of 2 to 25 ° D
- A KH value of 2 ° to 15 °
- And a temperature of 20 to 25 ° C.
Way of life
Nutrition
The Corydoras melanotaenia is omnivorous ( omnivorous ) and feeds by searching on the ground and close to the ground by algae, detritus, small animals and plant parts.
Reproduction
In the wild, the armored catfish perform after the rainy season when the water has warmed up again, their species-typical mating behavior. After the rainy season, a lot of suspended solids and thus prey animals in the water. The animals make a special mating behavior, in which the males circle gravid females and thus operate courtship. The females form the pelvic fins bags, are placed in the two to three eggs. Then the females spawn on a suitable substrate, the eggs are then fertilized by the males. A female repeat this cycle about ten times until it has spawned all of the eggs. In the aquarium, a female lays one after about 30 transparent - white eggs, which are glued to large leaves, rocks or other surfaces. The eggs are left unguarded.
The young fish need about 3-5 days to hatch. The larvae are very small and partially transparent. Two to three days after hatching, when the yolk sac is depleted, the larvae can take food to him ( in the aquarium bsp. Artemia nauplii ).
Hunting and
The animals are schooling fish and should be kept in aquarium maintenance in groups of at least ten animals. The Corydoras melanotaenia is very peaceful and can be easily socialized with smaller fish or shrimp. The animals are always looking at the ground for food and rummaging through it with his barbels. It is important according to a soft, not sharp-edged gravel (sand is ideal ), since the animals may otherwise violate the barbels. It can be kept in tanks from 56 liters. The offspring is possible and requires a simulation of a rainy season by strong, abrupt partial water change with temperature fluctuations.