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Lalius or Colisalalia is one of the most famous and sought-after species of aquarium fish. They gained their popularity due to the peaceful nature, colorful coloring and their small size. These inhabitants of the aquariums grow up to 7 centimeters, and the females are somewhat smaller. These beautiful fish fit perfectly into aquariums of any type and become their decoration. Great for beginner aquarists.
They need a small tank, which has a volume of about 10 liters, but a larger one will be much more comfortable. These fish are very peaceful and able to get along with almost all kinds of their relatives. They can be called timid, especially if they are kept together with more active breeds. As a rule, they are in no hurry to eat and often just do not have time to eat, because the food is eaten by other fish.
They definitely need a secluded place, so it is important that the bottom in the aquarium is densely populated with plants. Representatives of this species are shy, they don’t like loud sounds, they don’t like vanity.
These are labyrinth fish, they need a certain amount of atmospheric oxygen. Laliuses rise to the surface of the water to breathe.
In vivo
The homeland of Lalius is considered South Asia - India, Pakistan, Singapore, Bangladesh. This fish was first described in the 33rd year of the 19th century by Hamilton. Earlier it was believed that laliuses are found in Myanmar and Nepal, but this is not true. However, to date they have been brought to Singapore, the United States and Colombia.
During the period of its fame, this breed of fish has been renamed more than once. Previously, they were known as Colisa lalia, and in recent years, Trichogaster lalius has been used more often.
Their natural habitats are streams, rice fields, irrigation canals, ponds, lakes. They prefer places where there are a lot of algae, the spouts of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, the Baram river on the island of Borneo.
In its natural environment, Lilyus rides everything. Their diet consists of insects, larvae, fry and other sources of animal protein. The fish of this breed have a characteristic feature, it lies in the fact that laliuses prey on insects that fly over water. The fish freeze in anticipation of prey when it is in an accessible place, they spit some water, so they get it.
Appearance
Lalius have a narrow body and large fins, rounded in shape. On the abdomen, they have thin tentacles that help them navigate the environment.
Male laliuses can reach sizes up to 7 and a half centimeters. Females have a shorter length, which is no more than 6. These fish live for about 4 years. But, if the conditions of detention and care are good, then they have a longer life expectancy.
Males have a bright and spectacular color. Their silvery body is decorated with blue and red stripes, and the belly is purple. Females look much more modest.
Content Features
As a rule, fish of this breed are completely unpretentious in care. They are ideal for those who do not yet have experience keeping fish in the aquarium. Naturally, some rules still need to be followed, but this is not difficult. Be sure to pay some attention to the aquarium and timely change the water to more fresh.
The tank itself should preferably be in a calm and cozy place where the fish will not be very disturbed. After all, they are rather shy, they do not like loud sounds and constant fuss.
Nutrition
Lyalius is an omnivorous fish. Under natural conditions, their diet consists of insects and larvae. They also like to eat algae and zooplankton. In an aquarium, they eat any available feed that is offered by the owner. They can be fed live, artificial and frozen. The basis of their diet is preferably flakes that remain on the water. You can additionally diversify the diet of Lalius with coronet, artemia, and tubule.
As for bloodworms, many aquarists with experience are inclined to believe that it has a negative effect on the digestive system of fish and should not be given. It is worth noting that laliuses are prone to overeating and can acquire excess weight. For this reason, it is necessary to control their food intake.
Living in an aquarium
Lalius can live at all levels of depth, but prefer to stay closer to the surface. For one or two representatives of this breed of fish, a small tank of 10-15 liters is quite enough. It is better to keep them in larger quantities, respectively, in a larger aquarium.
An important condition is the proximity of the temperature in the room to the temperature of the water in the tank. For the reason that often they rise to the surface for oxygen. A large difference in temperature indicators can adversely affect the respiratory system of Laliuses.
Filtration is not desirable. But the main thing is that there should not be a strong current. Lyalius does not belong to good swimmers and feels much more comfortable in stagnant water.
These colorful fish look beautiful against a dark background. Therefore, it is preferable to use soils of a dark color. They like to hide in the thickets of algae, for this reason it is better to plant an aquarium with plants, preferably floating. The tank should be located in a quiet place.
For breeding, one male and several females will be required. If females are not enough, then males can begin to sort things out. When keeping several males, the tank should be quite spacious and have a lot of vegetation.
Lalius can adapt to any conditions, but the most optimal are t23 - 28C, pH 6 -8, acidity - from 5 to 18.
Neighborhood
Lialius should be settled with small and peaceful fish, the same as themselves. Larger sizes with high activity will annoy the neighbors and scare the shy lilies. They can spend the first time in shelter from prying eyes, gradually getting used to their new home.
Lalius themselves are wonderful neighbors, but they can suffer from other inhabitants of the aquarium.
They can be kept in pairs within their species. However, it should be borne in mind that males tend to be aggressive towards females. Therefore, the lady should always have a place for shelter.
Gender differences
Male Lliusa larger and brighter color. The dorsal fins in them have a pointed shape. The females are not so brightly colored, in the abdomen they are much rounder and more shy.
Breeding
When a decision is made to breed these fish, they should be deposited in a separate tank. The volume of spawning should be about 50 liters. It is filled with water at the level of 15 centimeters. Such a shallow depth allows fry to breathe oxygen from the surface of the water. Thanks to the long-term breeding of laliuses at home, they adapted to any water parameters. However, it should not be too alkaline.
Spawning must be planted with living plants. They are required for lilyus to equip the nest. A pair of fish equips itself with a nest, which consists of bubbles, and fasten it with pieces of plants.
The temperature of the water in the tank should correspond to indicators from 26 to 28 degrees. Filtration and aeration must be excluded. It is necessary to provide the female with shelter, where she can hide from the aggressive male.
After courtship, the female lays eggs, and the male is engaged in their insemination. At the end of this process, the female is immediately sent back to the familiar tank. A male fish is left to care for eggs.
The fry appear in about 12 hours. Larvae are very small and for several days they do not leave the nest. After 5 days, the fry begin to swim. At this time, the male must be resettled. The diet of fry should consist of very fine feed, suitable ciliates. Food should be given several times a day. It is very important. They may simply die from a lack of food.
After a week and a half, you can begin to enter larger feeds, microworms and nauplii, brine shrimp. Fry should be sorted by size. Often there are times when larger babies eat smaller ones.
Video: aquarium fish lalius
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