ornamental aquarium fish: ornamental fishes

Ornamental fishes species → Freshwater aquarium types → Livebearers → Anabantoids → Carp family → Cichlids (Cichlidae) → Characins (Characidae) → Corydoras → Arowanas → Catfish

Loaches - Cobitidae - Loach fish

Loach or loach fish (Cobitidae) comprise many brightly coloured species and are popular Ornamental fishes.

Taxonomic position of ornamental Loach fish

Loach belong to the family Cobitidae under the order Cypriniformes. The family Cobitidae is further classified into two subfamilies, Cobitinae and Botiinae. The species belonging to subfamily Botiinae are brightly coloured and are popular with aquarists. These ornamental pet are very important in the aquarium trade.

These ornamental fish are varied in colours and shapes. Some Cobitidae are vermiform, having an elongated and thin body, whereas others are fusiform, having a spindle shaped body.

Some of the salient features and characteristics of the these ornamental fish are described below.

Most of the true ornamental loach lack true scales.

Like many Cypriniformes and most of catfish family, Cobitidae have barbels (2-6 pairs) at their mouth.

Their mouth is small and ventral (bottom facing).

They exhibit below their eye an erectile spine.

They have a single row of pharyngeal teeth.

They have benthic life style and are bottom living.

They have the ability to gulp air from the atmosphere for breathing and can live and survive in waters with low oxygen content.

Most of them are omnivorous and are scavengers eating on the bottom detritus and invertebrates.

Some species, especially those of genus Misgurnus, show peculiar activities with change in air pressure.

Distribution of Cobitidae

The cobitidae are distributed widely in the European and Asian regions. In Africa they are present in Morocco.

They are mostly freshwater fish living in riverine ecosystems.

The tropical ornamental Botiinae belonging to South Asia and Southeast Asia are very colourful and popular. Some of the popular Cobitidae are:

Bengal Loach, Botia dario

Clown fish, Chromobotia macracanthus

Burmese Border loach, Botia kubotai

Zebra Loach, Botia striata

Dojo Loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

Yoyo Loach, Botia almorhae

Horseface Loaches, Acantopsis choirorhynchus

Kuhli Loaches, Pangio kuhlii

Skunk Loaches, Yasuhikotakia morleti

Keeping ornamental loach fish in an aquarium

These are very hardy and peaceful and are easy to maintain. They prefer warmer waters and can stand acidity variation.

These ornamental fish are shy and nocturnal and are active in low light. They tend to rest on their side for considerable time.

These pets are preferably kept in groups of three or more.

These ornamental fish require plenty of hiding spots. They can be kept in a community tank.

They have the habit of burrowing and any hard substrate may injure their barbels.

Feeding ornamental Cobitidae in aquarium

These ornamental fish are omnivorous and bottom feeders. The fish of Cobitidae family scavenge and eat the bottom detritus.

These fish also eat the bottom living insects, shrimp and worms. In freshwater aquariums they are fed with formulated feed like flakes and pellets.

They will also accept freeze dried worms. Live feeds like worms, insect larvae, brine shrimp larvae and small snails can be given.

Breeding in ornamental cobitidae

These Cobitidae ornamental fish are hard to breed in artificial conditions.

Both sexes of these fish of Cobitidae family are similar in appearance; males tend to be a bit slender.

Female when mature is easily distinguishable due to its rounded stomach with eggs.

Commercial breeding of these ornamental Cobitidae is yet to be achieved.

Pangio kuhlii

Botia macracanthus

Botia almorhae

Ornamental fishes species → Freshwater aquarium types → Livebearers → Anabantoids → Carp family → Cichlids (Cichlidae) →Characins (Characidae) → Arowanas → Loaches → Catfish

Corydoras - cory catfish - armored catfish

Corydoras or Cory fish are small armored catfish native to South America living mostly in freshwater environment.

Taxonomic position of ornamental corydoras catfish

Genus Corydoras is one of the eight genera under the family Callichthyidae (Callichthyids or armored catfish) coming under the order Siluriformes (catfishes). More than 170 species have been identified and given an appropriate scientific name. There are many more ornamental cory catfish species being kept by aquarists which are yet to be classified. These are given C numbers and are under the process of classification.

Armored Corydoras show great diversity in body shape and colors. They are usually small and range from 1-4.5 inches in length.

Some of the salient features of ornamental cory catfish are described below.

These armored catfish have two rows of bony dermal plates for protection, which run along the length of their body: the bony plates overlap.

The swim bladder is contained in a bony case.

Mouth of these ornamental cory catfish is usually small and ventral in position.

These armored cory catfish perform air breathing (rather air swallowing) and expel the air by the anal opening.

More than breathing, the swallowed air functions as ballast for their buoyancy.

Strong spine present in the dorsal and pectoral fins.

One to two pairs of barbels are present; barbels are well developed.

Adipose fin is present and has a spine at its anterior margin.

The sensory canal present in the lateral line organ is limited to 1-6 dermal plates.

Distribution of ornamental corydoras catfish

Ornamental Corydoras catfish are endemic to South America. They are distributed east of Andes mountains up to Atlantic ocean.

They are mostly present in plains. A few armored cory species are present in higher altitudes.

Corydoras are present in slow flowing streams, rivers, marshes and ponds, usually foraging the shallow bottom.

Though they are generally tropical and sub tropical some species thrive well in temperate zones.

Corydoras are usually found in shoals of a few hundreds to thousands.

Keeping ornamental Corydoras in aquariums

These armored cory catfish are docile and peaceful and can be kept in groups of three and above depending upon the size of the tank.

They can be kept in community tanks along with other ornamental fishes.

These ornamental corydoras prefer neutral to slightly acidic waters. However they can be adapted to higher pH.

They are sensitive to high nitrate levels in the tank.

Fine sand is recommended as the bottom substrate; hard objects in the bottom may injure the barbels of armored corydoras.

Regular exchange of water is necessary to keep the environment of the armored catfish healthy.

Many cory catfish live up to 5 years and life span of even 20 years is not unusual.

Feeding ornamental armored corydoras in aquariums

These ornamental armored fish are bottom dwellers feeding on the detritus and bottom invertebrates.

Ornamental cory easily accept pellet and flake feed. It will be ideal if the pellet feed sinks to the bottom as they are shy of remaining at the surface of water.

If ornamental armored cory are kept in community tank, care must be taken to see that some feed reaches the bottom.

Ornamental cory can also be fed with live food like mosquito larvae, blood worms, brine shrimp larvae etc.

Breeding in ornamental armored corydoras

With good diet and water quality armored cory catfish breed in the tanks and usually release the eggs on the substratum. The eggs of armored cory catfish must be collected and hatched separately in a container. The young cory fry must be fed with micro worms or small bottom settling live feed.

Ornamental armored corydoras have peculiar breeding method in which the female cory drinks the sperms of the male and releases them along with her eggs through the anal opening, fertilizing them.