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The thorns or Gymnocorymbus ternetzi are extremely original aquarium fish that are most suitable for those who have little experience in aquarium work. They are hardy, not finicky, not capricious, they are very easy to breed in home aquarium tanks. They look pretty bright and lively, they are distinguished by good activity and liveliness. However, it is undesirable to settle them in the same tank together with other representatives of the fish family with long fins.
These fish live in schools and it is preferable to keep them in groups in which there are about 7 individuals. The aquarium should be densely populated by plants, but there should be enough space in it so that the fish can move normally.
In addition to the familiar classic look, thorns with veil fins, as well as albinos and caramels, are especially popular. Caramel differs from classical thorns in its brighter color, which is assigned to them artificially. And although the conditions of her detention are the same, nevertheless, she is more capricious in this regard.
Living in nature
The thorns were first described in the 95th year of the 19th century. They are not an endangered species. Their natural habitats are considered South America, Paraguay, as well as Guapor. There they live in the upper layers of water bodies. Individuals of this species feed in their natural environment with larvae and insects that fall on the surface of the water. They like small-flowing bodies of water, rivers, streams, tributaries, on which shadows from trees growing on the shore fall. To date, those theories that are sold for living in aquariums are bred artificially.
Appearance
Their characteristic feature is the presence of two vertical black stripes, which are arranged vertically on the body. And also they have well developed anal and dorsal fins. The lower fin is similar to a skirt, which distinguishes this species from other representatives of the fish family. In adults, the color becomes paler and it is more gray than black.
Popular types of thorns
Despite the spectacular appearance of classical thorns, today species that are distinguished by their originality are more popular.
- Caramel Artificially colored aquarium fish of bright and unusual colors. Unfortunately, because of chemistry, they are weaker in terms of health, but they look very impressive.
- Albinos A rarer species than classical thornsia. But they have few differences with their relatives. The only difference in color.
- Veil. First appeared in Europe. They are very common in pet stores. The complexity of the content lies in the breeding of this species, since they are artificially bred by breeding.
Nutrition
Their feeding does not cause any trouble. Ternetia eats absolutely all available types of food, live, artificial or frozen. The basis of nutrition for them are good quality cereals. At the same time, their diet can be varied with the help of live food, ice cream, for example, bloodworms and brine shrimp.
Content Features
The thorns do not belong to the whimsical fish. They are great for those who do not yet have experience in keeping the aquarium. They adapt perfectly, eat any feed. Suitable for living in common tanks, but not with those individuals who have veil fins.
The thorns are extremely active fish that require enough space in tanks. Aquariums with a volume of 60 liters or more are most suitable. They like soft and sour water. Nevertheless, their long-term maintenance as aquarium fish led to the fact that they began to adapt well enough to any conditions.
In the aquarium, you should create conditions as close as possible to those in which the thorns live in nature. It is important to plant the tank with large algae floating on the surface, this will make a certain shadow, the same as in their natural environment.
By nature, thorns are “jumping” fish. They very often jump out of aquariums and therefore die. For this reason, care must be taken that the lid is always closed.
Particularly spectacular turnings look in aquariums, which are equipped according to a natural biotype with a sandy bottom, an abundance of snags, fallen leaves, which contribute to the acquisition of brownish tint and the required level of acidity by water.
There are no additional requirements for caring for the tank containing thorns. It is worth every week to change the 4th part of the water for fresh, and use the filter. With regard to water parameters, thorns are not picky. However, it is important that they are as follows: pH from 5.8 to 8.5, temperature from 22 to 36 degrees, acidity - about 20.
Cohabitation with other species of aquarium inhabitants
The thorns are quite active fish and sometimes show little aggressiveness to their own kind. For this reason, it is not advisable to keep them together with fish with large fins.
Their aggression is reduced if they are kept in large packs. Then they will be more engaged in communication with representatives of their kind. An absolute contraindication is their cohabitation with scalars and males. Small fish with the same activity, black neon, cardinal, zebrafish, are perfect for a neighborhood with thorns.
Also, for cohabitation with this species, large and predatory fish that can use thorns as food are categorically contraindicated.
Gender differences
Fins are the main difference between male and female fish of thorns. Representatives of the male sex of this species have longer and more pointed dorsal fins. In females, they are fuller, and the rear fin, which looks like a skirt, is wider.
Breeding Features
The thorns breed well in an aquarium. They reach puberty in 5-6 months, from this moment they can already spawn. After 2 years of age, the fish are not suitable for spawning, they are almost unable to breed.
For breeding, it is worth selecting the most active individuals from 1 year to 2 years old. As for the younger ones, they are also quite suitable for spawning, but their productivity is higher from a year.
Preferably, the flock for breeding should be relocated to another, small-sized tank, with a volume of about 25 liters, and create more comfortable conditions in it that facilitate reproduction. In spawning, the water should be softer and acidic, at least 4 dGH. It is preferable to use dark soil and small-leaved plants in it. Lighting should be more subdued, in no case not bright. If the tank has bright light, then you can cover it with a piece of paper.
The thorns spawn, as a rule, in the morning hours.Females lay several hundred sticky eggs on seaweed leaves and decor items. The number of offspring depends on the size of the manufacturers. At the end of spawning, adults need to be resettled in a familiar aquarium. This is necessary for the reason that they can simply feast on their own eggs or fry.
How to care for fry?
Caviar of thorns has a surprisingly large size. Its diameter is more than 1 mm. The color of the eggs is yellowish. After spawning, adults with great pleasure eat their eggs. For this reason, they need to be returned to their usual conditions as quickly as possible.
If the water temperature is about 28 degrees, then the fry begin to hatch after about 1.5 days. The process itself is delayed for several hours in time.
Within 4 days they are in the phase of larvae. After this time, fry about 7 mm long begin to move inside the tank. Small plankton is used as starter feed. At this time, it is desirable to settle the fry in a larger aquarium, but not in general. During the first week of life of fry, they should be accustomed to a lower water temperature, this should be done gradually.
The main rule when growing fry is good nutrition and a spacious aquarium. In such conditions, they quickly reach the size of adults.
The thorns are very common and easy to care for, small sized aquarium fish. A child of school age may well take care of them. They do not require increased attention from the owners and difficult living conditions. Their food is also quite simple and, as a rule, consists of the most affordable food, which the owner likes. However, they still require certain conditions that are comfortable for them, especially for breeding purposes.
In no case do you need to keep thorns in one tank with large predators and charming fish with large and long fins, otherwise such cohabitation can end in a tragic way.
In order to breed them, it is necessary to acquire a small separate tank and some patience.
Video: aquarium fish
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