(Paracheirodon innesi)
Origin
Fish can not be caressed like cats, they do not run around the house like small rodents and can not organize hikes with them, so in the case of dogs. However, they are very much appreciated and loved as pets.
There are many reasons for fish owners to be very excited about them and look at them with enthusiasm. People have always been fascinated by water, the sea and the underwater "Empire". It is no coincidence that documentaries about marine life amaze so many people.
In addition, with the help of an aquarium, various psychological effects can be achieved. The clutter and daily stress make us want a place where we can relax and what can be more soothing than the smooth movements of colorful fish.
Fish are relatively easy to care for. They should not be taken out, brushed, do not scratch and do not make fads. For them it is enough if the water is always clean and oxygenated, and if the food they receive it regularly.
Red neon fish live in the natural aquatic environment from Venezuela, Brazil and to western Colombia, and neon fish only in eastern Peru.
Neon Feed
Neons feed from the water table and in the adult phase are not picky. They prefer live food, which should not be missing, but eat with the same appetite food in the form of flakes or granules.
Neon Appearance
It is one of the most beautiful and widespread aquarium fish. Neon is a robust fish, very sociable, small size and is recommended to be kept preferably with other caracidae. The body is thin, fusiform and slightly compressed laterally. The snout is short with a small mouth set obliquely. The anal fin is elongated with a slightly hollowed edge. The dorsal fin has a short base.
Behind the dorsal fin is the adipose fin, but it is slightly developed. The base of the cod fin is devoid of scales. The dorsal side is light olive green. On the sides of the body there is a horizontal blue-green phosphorescence line that extends from the upper part of the iris to the adipose fin area.
Below it, in the lower part of the body there is a cyclamen red stripe that extends on the codal peduncle to the root of the codal swimmer. Ventrally the color is whitish or slightly yellowish. The fins are translucent, colorless or slightly with smoky tints. The dorsal and anal fins have the first milky white radiate. Unfortunately, the life expectancy of this fish is only 2 years.
Neon Features
Wrongly this fish has gone to fame as picky. In reality, it is no more picky than other fish. This fish is good to be kept in groups of at least 6 specimens but it feels much better when more shoots. He is completely indifferent to the rest of the pool.
The aquarium should be well planted, with very clean water and a darker bottom. Shaded areas should not be missing. The plants will be planted in such a way that they allow the fish that gather in the cirri to have a sufficient space for swimming. It is preferable to keep in the pool with fish of his size that accept the water and temperature conditions.
For example Hemigrammus erythrozonus. Aquarium water should not exceed a hardness of 4 dH with a neutral or slightly acidic pH. If we are considering breeding this fish is preferable to be kept in a soft water and at a temperature that does not exceed 22-23 degrees C. The Water will be filtered through peat and the filtration flow will be minimum aquarium volume per hour.
Neon Reproduction
It is a difficult fish to reproduce. If you are tempted to reproduce neons, I advise you to try first breeding hemigrammus erythrozonus (pink neon) fish which is much easier. In case of success you can attack and breeding fish "neon tetra". The main problem that occurs when breeding is that the genitors were kept in water with too much hardness.
In this case the females have sclerosed ovaries and are incapable of deposition. It was found that tinnuti in a water of 8 dH the females will no longer be good to reproduce 100%. So one of the necessary conditions is to procure fish in the brood phase and grow them in a water with a hardness of 4-5 dH with a pH of 5.5-6 and a temperature of 22 degrees C.
After a period of approx. 10 months (according to some authors 6-7 months) fish are fit for reproduction. Usually, an immature pair will lay few eggs, 20-30, but by accustoming them to a regular cycle, at 30 days, they will get between 100 and 200 eggs. Another problem is the feeding of the genitors, which must be done with live food: washed and sterilized tubifex, cladocere, copepods, etc., at least one month before the start of laying.
Setting up a breeding pool: a pool of approx. 10 liters with a water column height of 12-15 cm is enough. Bottom mesh, made on a glued glass frame, at a height of approx. 2 cm from the bottom of the pool is indispensable to keep the eggs from the voracity of the depositors. The frame must enter as far as possible inside the pool to be reproduced so that there is no risk that the fish will get between the frame and the glass walls of the pool and will not be able to get out.
Above the net we will put a" ball " not too often made of synthetic fibers of green color where practically the deposition will be carried out. Some authors recommend using Vesicularia dubyana bushes as a support for spawning and to stimulate spawning, but natural plants are much harder to sterilize. The pool water will have the following characteristics: 1.5-2 dH, pH=5.8-6.5, and the temperature between 20 and 22 degrees C.
The water will have to have a slight brownish tinge which is achieved by a gentle filtration through peat and be very clear. To avoid the fry entering the filter, wrap the filter in a fine mesh of perlon. The breeding pool will be illuminated with an incandescent light bulb of Low Power, max. 15W. The Basin as well as all the materials used will be rigorously cleaned and disinfected, this being one of the basic conditions for the success of the deposit.
Reproduction: the basin I was talking about above is prepared 7-8 days before the release of the genitors. The optimal filing period is September-March. All the faces of the pool will be covered with black paper except for the face of the aquarium which we will cover a little later. The genitors will launch into the pool in the evening and will be watched at all times. Normally the deposition should occur within 1-3 days. If it does not occur we will replace the pair.
In general, spawning takes place in the evening, and when the fish begin to spawn, the light is cut off. Immediately after laying the pair will be removed cover with black paper the front and top of the aquarium, to obtain an almost total darkness. The basin will stay covered for 5 days after which we begin to gradually reveal it. Roe and fry are very sensitive to light.
However, to satisfy our curiosity about the appearance of fry, we can light with a small flashlight and briefly the basin, but it is not recommended. The eggs hatch after 24 hours and another 4 days fry feed exclusively from the yolk sac. Starting from the 5th day, feeding will begin. In the first 4 days they will feed with infusors that must be cultivated in time. INFUSORS SHOULD NOT BE DISTRIBUTED WITH CULTURE WATER.
The next few days will be distributed micro and just starting with the 9th day naupli de artemia. Now you can completely remove the paper that covered the basin. During this period the food will have to be given in very small portions and the cleaning of the basin will have to be rigorous. After 15 days can be given powder feed or other type of live feed suitable in size.
After about 3 weeks they begin to color, but the hard period passes only after 3 months when the gradual adaptation to the transition to another pool begins. Adaptation will be done slowly, by small water exchanges between the breeding Basin and the growing basin, until the water parameters of the two basins are balanced.
