Of the 30,000 species of fish that live on our planet, aquarists breed only a few hundred.
And most lovers of ichthyofauna prefer warm-water tropical fish, such as a cockerel (a real small gladiator), because they are beautiful, resilient, fertile and unusually interesting in their behavior: compatibility of males with other fish in the aquarium is not an easy task!
At first glance, this fish is quite suitable for those who are not very well versed in the intricacies of aquariums, because it is known that with temperature fluctuations and in the case of oxygen starvation, the macro-species (Macropodusinae lat.) Most often survive, to whose family the fighting fish belongs - Siamese cockerel or Betta (Betta splendens lat.).
According to a widespread legend of aquarium fish connoisseurs, the name Betta, whose homeland is Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand (the kingdom of Siam) and all of Southeast Asia, was received from the British, who had to face a very belligerent Bettah tribe on the east coast of Africa, practicing cannibalism.
The second part of the name - Splendid - appeared a little later, when breeders removed a militant baby (5-6 cm) from the still waters of ditches and rice fields, and gave it originally a small rounded fins luxury and amazing splendor of the majestic crowns, “feathers”. By the way, the word "Splendid" in English has all these meanings in translation.
Chic - chic, and character - character! Even in the new amazing outfit, the Siamese cock did not lose its aggressive qualities inherent in the cannibal tribe, therefore compatibility with other fish in the aquarium for the Cock fish is very problematic.
What are the difficulties of cockerel compatibility with other aquarium inhabitants?
The daring cockerel (aka Chicken and Fighting Fish) does not tolerate anyone next to him who is not able to avoid his lightning attack.
With "trifle" he understands simply - eats. And he eats not only juveniles and eggs of other fish, he does not disdain with a small snail, and in large ampoules he simply bites off his mustache.
In spite of the fact that the brilliant beast-necked aggressor itself has an accessory labyrinth apparatus that allows it to breathe atmospheric air, capturing it directly from the surface of the aquarium, it is very hostile to relatives from the suborder of ancestral anabasic (Anabantoidei lat.) Or labyrinth fish.
They will not make friends with him:
· Peaceful Brown gourami, despite their sufficient superiority in size;
· Calm herbal eaters Lunar gourami, especially the "fighter" will irritate the orange-red ventral fins of males;
· Slow handsome pearl gourami;
· Spotted gourami themselves do not mind giving someone cuffs, so that frequent skirmishes between "relatives" will be provided.
· Less diverse than gourami, a group of Macropods, whose males become very aggressive during the protection of the bubble nest and fry;
· Timid and timid Lyalius, who, of course, will attract fighters of the "Siamese" with their blue-red stripes and spots, but will not be able to fight off the aggressor.
Not suitable as compatible neighbors for rooster fish and the Tsikhlov family or Cichlidae (Cichlidae lat.):
Large cichlids themselves would not mind having a snack of the small and annoying Betta fish curling around them, and even during the protection of fry and caviar, it is better not to approach them at all, regardless of their size.
There are more than 1000 species of Cichlidae, but aquarists prefer not to settle with males:
· All types of Acre;
· Astronotus, especially Astronotus ocellatus, up to 35 cm in size;
· Scalar
Discus
Astronotus
· Lamprologus (Lamprologus similis) living in packs will not allow their fish to approach their shelter shelters, even 2-3 times larger than them. What can I say about the Cockerel!
· Chromisov
· Tsikhlazomov
Zinotilapia
Pseudotrophaeus
Haplochromis
· Geophagus
Tilapia
· Butterflies, Parrots and Dolphins.
However, one should not think that all types of cichlids are not capable of being good neighbors for Chickens because of their increased territorial aggressiveness! Many just do not fit the conditions of detention (volume and hardness of water, temperature, filtration, etc.), under which the Siamese fighting will feel excellent, and the cichlid will die slowly.
Are compatibility crucians suitable for sharing, like Goldfish?
It would seem, why not? - Goldfinch large, calm, not subject to a flash of rage, covered with sufficiently dense and tough scales, allowing you to easily survive the blows of small and arrogant males.
It is precisely because of its slowness (a shortened "oily" little body + long fins, often exceeding the length of the fish itself, do not allow it to develop express speed), which fell under the fierce attack of the chicken,
· Veils,
· Telescopes
· Orands,
Lion heads
· Almost long-body comets are less common,
Shubunkins,
Ordinary goldfish
will remain without their luxurious fins, numbering from 2 to 5 veils.
"Annoying!" - that’s the whole answer.
Is the compatibility of the rooster fish with other fish in the aquarium already equal to zero ?!
Not really.
A cockerel may very well tolerate a fellow, if it is a female or another male at a sufficient distance. One badass fish should have at least 5 liters of water!
Water volumes, unfortunately, are not always a panacea for trying to attack not only another male, but also females, if they did not please the "owner of the water".
Betta can not be called a cannibal predator - they do not eat defeated opponents, but the dominant male will certainly strive to kill the second, and removing the excessively “offensive” from the aquarium will automatically give another male a chance to feel dominant.
There is advice to divide the aquarium into zones with glass, preventing two hungry for battle to meet on the way, but this does not solve the problem - someone who feels the strength to defeat an opponent will fight against this obstacle until he pops up with his belly up.
It is best to keep the male in the same aquarium in the amount of 1 pc!
To share active and nimble fish as neighbors of Betta splendens in a wide and voluminous aquarium, such as:
· Swordsmen;
Mollies
Pecilia
Guppies;
· Corridors and other callichthyids (Siluriformes) - catfish;
Tetra (characin group)
· Perky and frisky "Lady's stockings" - a zebrafish.
These fish, although at risk of suffering from a sudden attack by a brilliant war, but the losses will be minimal.
So it turns out that only these representatives of the ichthyofauna are suitable for living together in the same aquarium with such a cocky fish, like a brilliant cockerel!
