Epiplatis Torch, Or Pike Clown (Epiplatys Annulatus)

Epiplatis Torch, Or Pike Clown (Epiplatys Annulatus)
Epiplatis Torch, Or Pike Clown (Epiplatys Annulatus)

Video: Epiplatis Torch, Or Pike Clown (Epiplatys Annulatus)

Video: Epiplatis Torch, Or Pike Clown (Epiplatys Annulatus)
Video: Эпиплатис факельный (Epiplatys annulatus)или щучка клоун 2024, March
Anonim

Clown pike, or torch epiplatis, or clown keels (Rocket killi, Clown killi, Rocket panchax) is a bright original fish with an elongated body that lives in the waters of West Africa. Due to their small size, epiplats are excellent for nano aquariums. Undemanding to feed and care. Suitable for beginner aquarists. Schooling fish.

Epiplatis torch (Epiplatys annulatus), photo photography aquarium fish
Epiplatis torch (Epiplatys annulatus), photo photography aquarium fish

Habitat: West Africa (Guinea, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone).

Habitat: reservoirs with stagnant or slow-flowing water, where it keeps among coastal vegetation or aquatic plants.

Description: the body of the pike-clown is elongated (somewhat resembles the physique of a pike), the head is smoothed with a straight profile (upper mouth), the back is flat. The pectoral fins in males are long and pointed. On the tail fin, the middle rays are elongated, making the tail look like a torch in its shape. The pectoral and anal fins are shifted towards the tail.

Color: straw yellow or pale orange with four wide dark stripes. The eyes are bright blue. The pectoral fins are blue, the tail fin has three stripes, the middle one is purple, the outer ones are blue.

The size: male - 3-4 cm, female - 1.5-2 cm.

Life expectancy: 2-4 years.

Haplohilus chaperi, or Epiplatys chaperi
Haplohilus chaperi, or Epiplatys chaperi

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Aquarium: top closed with a lid. The bottom area is more important than the height of the aquarium, the water level is low.

Sizes: from 45 l for 5-6 fish.

Water: dH 3-6 °, pH 6-7.5. Water changes are made in small volumes (up to 20% once a week). When changing, make sure that the added water is at the same temperature as in the aquarium.

Torch epiplatis does not like strong currents. Artificial aeration is not required, fish can live in water with low oxygen content.

Temperature: 21-24 ° C.

Pike-clown, clown-keely (Epiplatys annulatus), photo photograph aquarium fish
Pike-clown, clown-keely (Epiplatys annulatus), photo photograph aquarium fish

Plants: dense thickets of living plants, incl. floating (hornleaf, Javanese moss).

It is advisable to add a few dry leaves, which should be replaced with new ones once a week.

Lighting: natural lighting for several hours.

Decoration: driftwood, any shelter and stones.

Substrate: dark coarse sand or fine gravel.

Feeding: live food (Artemia, Cyclops, Drosophila, Daphnia, bloodworms, small core: live and frozen, aphids, larvae of crickets and cockroaches, enchitreus), flakes and granulated food.

Due to the structure of the mouth, the clown pike takes food only from the surface of the water. Fish are fed often (2-3 times a day), but in small portions.

In nature, fish hunt flying insects, jumping out of the water after them.

Behavior: torch epiplatis - schooling fish, it is advisable to buy 5-7 fish.

Personality: peaceful.

Water zone: upper layer of water.

Can be kept with: small tetras, rasbora and corridors, dwarf cichlids, live bearers.

Cannot be kept with: active predatory fish, as in this case the epiplatis hide in plants and refuse to feed.

Breeding fish: torch epiplatis - spawning fish, lays eggs on floating plants.

There are two breeding methods: in pairs or in groups.

When breeding in pairs - after spawning, the producers are transplanted into a common aquarium and the fry are raised.

With extended reproduction, fish spawn for a long time (up to 15 days). In this case, a long aquarium is required. Every day the eggs are transferred to another aquarium, but if this is not possible, then the eggs can be left in the aquarium, but in this case there will be fewer surviving fry. Producers are fed abundantly and varied.

The number of eggs laid every day is different.

Epiplatis torch, or pike-clown (Epiplatys annulatus), photo picture of a fish
Epiplatis torch, or pike-clown (Epiplatys annulatus), photo picture of a fish

Sexual differences: the male is larger than the female, it is colored more brightly (they have bright large tails).

Puberty: occurs at 4-6 months.

Spawning aquarium: from 50 liters, bottom area 20x20 cm, water level 5-8 cm, soil - fine sand, small-leaved floating plants (Javanese moss, Riccia, Thai fern), the temperature is 1-2 degrees higher than in the general aquarium.

The ratio of males and females: 1: 2-4 or 1: 1.

After spawning (in pair breeding), the female is removed, since the male can kill her.

Number of eggs: the female lays several transparent eggs at a time, about 1 mm in size. Caviar is prone to fungal and bacterial infections.

Incubation: 8-12 days at T 24-25 ° C.

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Aploheilikhtis Norman (Poropanchax normani)

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Offspring: after hatching, fry can take large food from the eggs.

Growth rate: fast, constant sorting is necessary as cannibalism is common among fry.

Feeding juveniles: starter feed - nauplii of brine shrimp, ciliates, microworm, rotifers.

Comments

: the clown pike is not very susceptible to disease, but sometimes they get oodiniosis, which is treated with bicillin.

To prevent disease, some aquarists add table salt to the water, 0.5-1 g per 1 liter of water.

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