Predatory fish. Names, descriptions and features of predatory fish. Predatory fish Non-predatory fish

Aquarium fish are the best fit for modern people who can only spend minimal time caring for and maintaining their pets. Decorative fish in a beautiful aquarium, according to Feng Shui, have a positive effect on the nervous system, relieve stress and attract good luck. In this article, we will learn how to properly maintain and care for aquarium fish, which marine life is better to have, and which peaceful fish should not be placed with predatory ones.

peaceful

Peaceful inhabitants of aquariums are the most common and popular fish and - they do not require specific feeding on forage fish, but are quite content with dry food. It is believed that peace-loving fish are the best way to contribute to the state of harmony and peace of mind of the owner, and have a positive effect on children. This type of aquarium fish is unpretentious in content and is suitable for beginner aquarists.

Tetra

This aquatic animal belongs to the haracin family, whose representatives love to live in the clear waters of forest streams and lakes, which are well saturated with oxygen. Under natural habitat conditions (by the way, this species is most common in Central and South America), these fish live in small families - therefore, at least a few individuals of this species should be settled in a home aquarium. Otherwise, a lonely tetra will begin to show aggressiveness towards other fish - not to let them in, and even attack.

Tetra has the following main varieties:

• Golden (golden)- a characteristic color with a golden tint and a lateral green line on the abdomen. In the natural environment, the fish has a bright golden color, but at home, its color fades somewhat and becomes greenish. The length of an adult individual reaches 3-5 cm.
• Copper (Hasemania)- males of this breed have a beautiful copper color of scales (their lateral line is silver-gray). The tips of the fins and the underbelly are usually white or milky in color.
• Background Rio- the smallest fish of the tetra species (up to 4 cm). The head and chest are painted in a silvery iridescent color, which, closer to the end of the body, acquires a red tint. There are 3 vertical stripes on the side.
• Royal- the fish has rightfully received such a noble name - this is the largest type of tetra (up to 6-7 cm). The abdomen is yellow, with an olive tint, the horizontal strip is saturated, dark, as if dividing the body in half. The fins are translucent, slightly pointed.

For feeding tetras use special dry food, which is sold in pet stores. Also, these fish are very fond of plants such as (tropical herbaceous plant) and ludwigia - these plants grow well in aquariums. It is noteworthy that it is impossible to overfeed such fish - thanks to natural activity and incessant movement, they do not gain excess weight.

Did you know? As a preventive measure for beriberi, fish such as tetra, guppies and barbs are fed grated boiled egg yolk - from it the fish get vitamins of groups A, B, as well as iron and manganese.

Danio

Danio- one of the most frisky and agile aquarium fish. This inhabitant of reservoirs comes from South Asia - in its natural environment, this fish prefers shallow rivers with rather dense vegetation. Its appearance resembles a spindle - the body is elongated and painted with horizontal stripes. Because of this, the zebrafish got the nickname - "ladies' stockings." Bright sunlight reflects the magnificent color of the scales, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow.

Upturned lips with thin antennae allow the fish to absorb food located on the very surface of the water. Danio has a strong body, it is unpretentious and easily adapts to the environment. For a comfortable existence, this species needs dense vegetation in the aquarium - there they can find shelter and a comfortable place for future offspring.

Rerio- one of the varieties of zebrafish. Such a silver fish with bright blue stripes, it can grow up to 7 cm in length. The pearl zebrafish has a very beautiful scale color - mother-of-pearl with a bluish tint, and the stripes on the body are orange.

Danio dangila - the largest representative of this species - a mature individual can grow up to 9 cm. The optimum temperature for keeping Danio should not be lower than 22-25 ° C in the summer months, and 18-22 ° C in the winter.

Important! Due to the fact that the zebrafish is a very frisky fish, constantly on the move, it is necessary for it to choose an aquarium of the right dimensions - it should be slightly elongated and have a volume of at least 70 liters.

Ternetia

This inhabitant of freshwater reservoirs comes from America. It has a characteristic appearance that allows you not to confuse it with other fish - a flattened body resembling a rhombus. The fins are also unusual - the dorsal is narrow, located clearly in the center of the back, the anal is wide, it starts from the abdomen and resembles a fan in shape. The tail fin, in turn, is a small fatty process.

These fish have interesting colors. The main color is dark, can vary from dark brown to gray, and there are dark stripes on the sides (usually 3 of them). It is noteworthy that all varieties of thorns have a dark color, but 3 bright types are artificially bred: Golden, Pink and Caramel. Such fish were created by introducing certain coloring injections into their bodies.

Such colorful species are very popular among aquarists - bright thorns look spectacular against the background of clear water. Ternetias have a peaceful character, therefore they get along with almost all peaceful fish - the exception is too small breeds.

With its wide fins, it will constantly touch small fish, which can lead to conflict. The best neighbors for thorns will be guppies, barbs - such fish can get along well in the same aquarium.

Barbus

Originally from Africa, in natural nature they have about 15 varieties. They belong to the carp family. These representatives are always mobile, moving in flocks, but sometimes they can show aggression when they feel threatened. Adult individuals reach 5-6 cm in length, their body is slightly elongated (in the form of an oval). It is noteworthy that the females of this breed have a fuller abdomen - so they can always be distinguished from males.

The color of the barbs has a wide gradation - red-pearl (Olegolepis), red-ruby (Ruby barbs), green (Green barbs). The latter are the largest representatives of this species - their length under good conditions can reach 10 cm in length.

Important conditions for the comfortable maintenance of barbs are:

• the volume of the aquarium - at least 70 liters;
• the maintenance of a flock of barbs - at least 7 individuals;
• temperature - 20-25°C, also good saturation of water with oxygen;
• plants - algae, plants with hard leaves.

Gourami

These individuals belong to the labyrinth species, live in East Asia. These mobile and nimble fish can be both small in size, up to 4 cm, and large, up to 13 cm. The body is flat, oval in shape. A characteristic feature is the ventral fins in the form of antennae, which have a length equal to the size of the body. With these antennae, gourami feel everything around - therefore, they can harm very small fish, and too large fish can injure these thin gourami fins.

It has 4 main types that differ in their color: Silver, Spotted, Marble and Blue. All breeds have a bright iridescent color.

Conditions for the proper maintenance of gourami:

• aquarium volume - up to 25 liters;
• water level - medium (no more than 30 cm);
• temperature - 24-27°C;
• bright lighting for at least 12 hours;
• clean, constantly changing water.

Did you know? Sometimes you can notice that the bright color of the aquarium fish has turned pale - often this is the cause of a poor physical and emotional state, a feeling of discomfort in the fish.

Neon

This small, fast and nimble fish (its length does not exceed 4-5 cm) comes from Brazil. This species lives exclusively in soft clean water, not polluted by the remains of plants and food. The name of the fish was due to the characteristic bright stripe along the entire length of the back, usually it is blue or blue. The background color of the body itself can be different: red, blue, gray, mother-of-pearl.

Neon- the most unpretentious fish. For a comfortable keeping of fish, it is enough to use soft water filtered with peat. The optimum temperature for neon is 20-25°C. The presence of aquarium algae is mandatory - in them these small fish take refuge from a potential threat. The size of the aquarium can be small - neon will get along well in a small space.

In feeding, the fish are also very unpretentious - they eat both combined food and bread crumbs. However, do not forget that this fish is small - therefore, it is impossible to feed it with a large amount of food, and even more so with large pieces.

cichlid

One of the most common fish that are found on almost all continents. They are used not only as a decorative home content, but also as a craft. They are representatives of the perch order.

cichlids- very beautiful fish, they have a fairly large, massive size. In aquarium individuals, the body is high, slightly flattened on the sides, and a large fin is located in the center of the back. The color is always bright - yellow, greenish, blue. The eyes are large, bulging, the mouth is large, with slightly swollen lips. Cichlids are very popular among aquarists - due to their external attractiveness, majesty, unpretentiousness and longevity - in captivity, these fish can live up to 25 years.

Among all subspecies of cichlids, there are both peaceful fish and predators - for example, the temensis cichla is one of the largest predators of cichlids. Its length can reach 1 meter. All aquarium cichlids are divided into 2 large categories- large fish (angelfish, akara) and small species. It is noteworthy that keeping small individuals is more troublesome than large ones.

Due to its large size, the volume of the container for keeping cichlids should be at least 25 liters. The optimum temperature for them is 20-25°C. Such fish can live for a long time in stale, food-contaminated water - they do not need frequent cleaning or water changes. In food preferences, fish are also omnivores - they eat dry food, frozen, canned.

Cichlids are fish with a unique memory: for example, they are able to recognize the owner and can even learn to take food from his hands. However, these fish are wary of the new inhabitants of the aquarium: if you add too fast, aggressive fish to them, a conflict is inevitable.

Predators

Predatory aquarium fish differ from their peaceful counterparts in that they eat raw meat. However, their name - predators - does not mean that such fish disdain vegetation. Pure predatory fish, as such, do not exist in the aquarium environment. However, all predatory fish are quite aggressive, and far from getting along with all fish - therefore, it is important to know which predators can be settled with each other, and which are absolutely not allowed.

Tropheus

Tropheus- very beautiful fish that were taken out of Africa and populated in aquariums around the world. However, not every aquarist can boast of such a fish in his collection. Firstly, the cost of 1 tropheus specimen can reach $200. Also, this fish is very demanding on the conditions of keeping and feeding. So, the optimal volume of the aquarium for this fish should be at least 170 liters - not everyone can buy such a large house for fish. In addition, this fish is schooling, so you need to keep at least 2-3 individuals - accordingly, the volume of the aquarium should increase. Tropheus are comfortable in water that is heated to 26°C.

The appearance of tropheus is quite characteristic. All subspecies of tropheus are quite large - up to 15 cm in length. The color gradation is very wide - there are both fish of light iridescent shades, and deep dark colors. It has a large body, large fins, a convex mouth.

Tropheus nutrition should be quite varied - in addition to dry combined food, spinach, cyclops, algae, artemia meat must be present in the diet. It is important to clean the aquarium from food debris in time - dirty water is unacceptable for tropheus.

Tropheus are best kept separate from other fish - however, Tropheus are very good friends with individuals of Tanganyika cichlids and bull cichlids - all these fish have a similar behavior and eating habits.

Important! You can not overfeed tropheus - an excessive amount of food can stagnate in the stomach and contribute to the disease of the fish.

Pseudotropheus

This is a bright African fish that has an aggressive character. In aquarium conditions, it can grow up to 15 cm. The color of females and males is very different - the male is bright orange, but the female has blue scales. These fish are very warlike and often attack small fish (especially in conflict with guppies) - therefore they cannot be settled in a common aquarium. Pseudotropheus can only get along with cichlids.

For Pseudotropheus, water quality is very important, in which she lives: the composition of the water should not contain ammonia and other harmful substances, and the temperature should reach 25 ° C. The volume of the aquarium must be at least 200 liters.

This fish is omnivorous: it eats algae, dry food, and brine shrimp meat well. It is better not to plant plants in an aquarium with pseudotropheus: they quickly gnaw at plants, or even tear them out with roots.

Astronotus

One of the cichlid species is a fairly large fish that lives in the Amazon. Its dimensions can reach 35 cm in length, so this fish is unsuitable for small aquariums. very aggressive - they can only be kept separately, one pair, in an aquarium of at least 200 liters in volume. Also, these predators have a habit of rebuilding their home for themselves - therefore, everything that is planted, built and placed in an aquarium will be dug, bitten or broken.

Despite such an aggressive type of behavior, outwardly these fish look attractive - they have a wide range of colors: blue, white, orange, green, etc.

Astronotus is a rather voracious fish. And although you only need to feed it once a day, the amount of food should be considerable. Astronotus willingly eat both combined dry or frozen food, and moths, earthworms, small fish, tadpoles. Under comfortable conditions of detention, Astronotus can live up to 10 years.

Piranha

This fish does not need a detailed introduction - almost everyone knows about the aggressiveness of this predator. Her razor-sharp teeth are capable of severe injury, and strong jaws easily bite through human bone. Despite such ominous indicators, recently there are more and more people who want to have such a fish as a pet. It is noteworthy that in the aquarium environment piranhas lose their carnivorous and predatory nature - but they do not lose their aggressiveness.

It is best to keep them in a flock of 4-5 individuals, separately from all other fish.- however, this does not mean that piranhas will live peacefully next to each other. Not at all - it is quite common for them to attack each other.

Large individuals can grow up to 30-40 cm - so you need to take care of a large aquarium for them, at least 200 liters. The basis of piranha nutrition is small and medium fish (to maintain the instinct, it is necessary to launch live fish), mollusks, worms, tadpoles. When keeping such fish at home, one should not lose vigilance, especially during feeding: in a fit of aggression, the fish can attack the owner.

Did you know? The name piranha fish was given by the ancient Indians: in translation from the Indian "feast" means "fish", and "ranha" - "saw".

squirrel

This unique fish from the ray-finned order lives in India, Australia, and the Philippines. These predatory aquarium fish got their name for the ability to shoot a jet of water from their mouths, knocking down insects, which they subsequently eat. The length of such a shot can reach 2-3 meters, despite the small size of the body - only 5-7 cm in length. The body is slightly flattened and elongated, the color is cold shades with dark spots: gray, blue, steel.

For comfortable conditions for the existence of the archer, the water level in the aquarium should be a few centimeters below the rim of the aquarium (this will allow them not to lose their shooting skill). Archers are omnivorous - they can be fed both food and live spiders, moths, worms, small fish.

It is best to settle the archers separately from the rest - these predators will simply eat small fish. It is most comfortable for archers to live in flocks of 5-6 individuals.

Auratus

This fish of the Cichlid family is found in African lakes. It is distinguished by its particular aggressiveness and anger towards all fish that are similar in appearance, size and type of behavior to it. She is not suitable for keeping in common aquariums: she pursues small fish, attacks slow catfish and eats the eggs of females.

This fish reaches 10 cm in length - its body is flat, elongated. The color of males is darker, brown, while females are golden yellow. Auratus are distinguished by longevity - under good conditions, they can live up to 25 years. Water must be saturated with oxygen, have a sufficiently rigid composition, reach at least 28 ° C, change weekly. Live food is preferred - be it worms, small fish or shellfish.

Important! You cannot put several males and females of auratus in one aquarium - the males will fight, and only one, the strongest, will survive. Therefore, it is permissible to plant only one male on several females.

Arowana

Such a fish is very popular in Asia - it is believed that it brings good luck, and therefore many keep it as a talisman. Arowana is sometimes called the "dragon fish" - due to the characteristic structure of the tail, resembling a crown. The body is elongated, can reach 100 cm in length. The color has noble shades: gold, purple, red. It is noteworthy that the arowana has no teeth - it swallows food.

In its diet, this predator prefers small fish, insects, small crayfish, mollusks. This fish is aggressive towards any kind of fish, so it is always kept apart from the rest (it is able to attack even its relatives, like piranhas).

It is believed that the intellect is well developed - it can remember and recognize the owner even after a long time.

Did you know? The red arowana is an endangered species, therefore their population is controlled, and trapping is allowed in minimal quantities. In this regard, in Asia, everyone who keeps such fish in their home collection has a special certificate with permission.

Due to their size, such fish need an aquarium with a volume of at least 220 liters. The water temperature should reach 26°C and be updated every 2 weeks.

Thus, we examined what fish are, how predatory fish differ from peaceful ones, what determines their names, what are the optimal conditions for keeping each species. Following the given recommendations for proper care and maintenance will help you to grow any kind of fish at home without difficulty.

Features of nutrition of predators

Predators have periods when they consume little food and hunt little. This usually occurs during spawning or during periods of the so-called deaf winter. Before spawning, they hunted productively, having accumulated a lot of energy, which is enough for several tens of days. In winter, predators gather in deep pits and hibernate there, behaving very passively. Most active at this time. This fish is well caught in winter and in cold autumn. Y and spawning occurs in December.

Predatory fish can endure hunger for a long time. The reasons for starvation can be different. These are diseases, environmental disasters associated with human activities. During this period, fish can lose up to 30% of the total mass, but nevertheless remain alive.

After starvation, predators try to catch up. The most aggressive in this regard. When they are hungry, they can eat everything, as long as they have more. They say that the largest individuals eat large muskrats, foxes and even people. But these are more stories than facts.

Smell of predatory fish

Predators are divided into those in which the sense of smell is developed very well and those in which it is imprisoned for a certain range of smells. Fish that distinguish a lot of odors are called macrosmatics, and the second category with a small range of distinguishable odors is called microsmatics.

Microsmatics are,. These predators distinguish fish well by smells. When hunting, they are guided by sight and smell. Other smells they poorly distinguish. These fish are most active during the day. At night, they practically do not hunt.

For example, it distinguishes very well where the fish is, and where the frog or the bird or the mouse is. Such a developed sense of smell allows him to successfully hunt many representatives of flora and fauna. The same one, which is omnivorous, easily eats mulberries and cherries from trees, beetles and fry in the water. You can safely talk about him as a river gourmet.

Ichthyologists have found that macrosmatic fish capture many odors very well, even if they are weak. That is, they, being at the bottom, feel the fry that swims in the middle or upper horizon. , for example, it will easily smell the meat if it is 4-5 meters away from it.

Good example with . Many spinners purposefully catch it at night. At this time, it approaches the coastal zone closer and “turns on” its sense of smell to the fullest in order to hunt fry. Due to his developed sense of smell, he spends a minimum of time looking for fry, because he knows exactly where his parking lot is. If they spend a lot of energy in search of food, then pike perch spends it more rationally and productively. This, probably, can explain the fact that they peck for periods with long pauses.

Catching predatory fish

They catch predators mainly with spinning rods with spinning reels for special baits. Among the most effective baits, we highlight artificial flies. They imitate the behavior of fry and other inhabitants of water bodies. The meaning of spinning fishing is that after casting the bait, they begin to wind up the tackle. A predatory fish reacts to a moving object and attacks it. There are many posting methods: stepped, uniform, jerky, with pauses, and a change in winding speed. The task of the angler is to choose such a wiring and type of bait so that the fish notices an object moving in the water and attacks it.

A more passive method of fishing for predatory fish is with live bait. They take a fry: minnow, crucian carp, dace, roach or other fish, and through the back they pass the sting of a tee or single, tied either to or to a float fishing rod or. So they catch

How diverse is the world of aquatic animals, among which the superclass Pisces stands out! Its representatives are characterized by gill breathing throughout life in postembryonic development. He studies their special section of zoology - ichthyology. Fish live both in the salty waters of the oceans and seas, and in freshwater areas. Among them are peaceful species and predators. The first feed on plant food. Predatory fish are usually omnivores. Their diet includes other animals. Among them are fish, mammals, birds. Among freshwater predators of this class, the following can be distinguished: catfish, burbot, pike, pike perch, perch, grayling, asp, eel, etc. other.

How are predatory fish different?

What is the difference between peaceful fish species and predatory ones? First of all, in the diet. This was discussed above. And it is also known that predatory fish are distinguished by extraordinary greed and gluttony. Often they take so much food that they are not even able to digest it. Most predatory fish live in subtropical and tropical regions. This is due to the fact that much more mammals and herbivorous fish live in warm waters, which make up the main diet of carnivorous inhabitants of the deep sea. It is also worth noting the fact that predators are more intelligent than their victims. They are very resourceful. Here we can recall the white shark - the most dangerous for humans among sharks. Scientists are sure that she is much smarter than a domestic cat. This was proven by experiments in the Bahamas, where these predators were fed with automata. They quickly figured out which keys to press to make food appear.

Catfish - the largest freshwater predator among fish

Our reservoirs are home to many smart and fast carnivorous representatives of the class we are considering. These are pike, and burbot, and asp, and perch and many others. The common catfish is a scaleless predatory freshwater fish. The length of his body often reaches 5 meters, and weight - 400 kg. It lives, as a rule, in rivers and lakes of the European part of our country. Some incorrectly believe that this large predatory fish feeds only on spoiled food and carrion. However, the catfish enjoys eating shellfish, freshwater animals and even birds. But its main prey is fish. Predator hunts at night. During the day it rests in deep pits and snags. Cases are described when a catfish attacked a person.

Evolution of underwater predators

The oceans are inhabited by a variety of creatures. Here, as on land, there is a constant struggle for survival. You need to get food, protect yourself and your children, and kill the enemy. In the course of evolution, predators have acquired powerful tools for hunting their prey. So, an animal called anglerfish from the Angler-like order has a kind of “antenna” with a growth imitating a worm in front of a huge mouth. During the hunt, this predatory sea fish shakes it, luring potential prey. As soon as an unsuspecting fish is nearby, the angler swiftly swallows it whole. Its habitual diet consists of red mullet, small sharks and even birds.

Moray eels, barracudas, stingrays. Dangerous inhabitants of the deep sea

The championship in terms of potential danger to humans in the ocean remains, of course, with sharks. They are able to inflict fatal wounds on swimmers with their powerful jaws. Bites of barracudas and moray eels can be no less dangerous for humans. These are large predatory fish found in many seas of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The largest species among moray eels can reach 3 meters. The powerful jaws of these fish are equipped with sharp awl-shaped teeth. When attacked, this animal hangs on its prey like a bulldog. Moray eel stings are not poisonous. There are bacteria on her teeth that can cause infection. In many species of these fish, the body is covered with poisonous mucus that negatively affects human skin.

Barracudas live in warm seas. Outwardly, they resemble large pikes. Rarely they reach 2 meters in length. Their jaws are equipped with large fangs. In the event of an attack, the victim receives lacerated wounds, which then become inflamed. These predators are dangerous to humans. There are known cases of barracuda attacks on humans. A flock of these large hunting predatory fish is especially dangerous.

Stingrays are extremely dangerous to humans. These are bottom animals. Just like that, they never attack, only in case of protection. If a diver inadvertently steps on such a slope, he will immediately receive a blow with his tail, on the basis of which there is a sharp spike. This can seriously injure a person and even kill.

The white shark is the most dangerous aquatic predator for humans.

Carcharodon is the second name of this dangerous inhabitant of the deep sea. The white shark is the largest predatory fish. Its length is often more than 6 meters, and its weight is 1900 kg. Its usual diet is other fish, including squid and dolphins, as well as marine mammals and birds. Very dangerous for humans. It is she who is credited with most cases. These predatory fish are on the verge of extinction.

• The shark jaw compression force is 500 kg / cm 2. It only takes a few bites to dismember a human body. She can easily bite steel bars.
• These predators do not feel pain. The body of the shark produces a substance similar in its action to opium.
• The pregnancy of this fish lasts longer than that of a human or other animals, such as an elephant. So, she bears her cub for 3.5 years.
• The predator can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. Even bottom sharks are capable of moving at speeds up to 8 km/h. However, this fish does not know how to slow down.
• reaches 12 meters, the smallest species is 15 cm.
• The problem of desalination of the oceans is not terrible for these aquatic predators. The body of the shark produces a special substance that regulates the salinity of the water.
• On the water, these fish keep at the expense of their large liver.
• Sharks must constantly move in order to help their heart apparatus pump blood through the body. She cannot even sleep, otherwise she will suffocate or drown.
• The sense of smell of a shark is one of the best on our planet.

Sailboat is the fastest fish in the world

Which of the marine predators moves the fastest? Of course, the sailfish. It belongs to the order Perciformes. As a rule, lives in warm seas. But some species can live in temperate latitudes. Its main distinguishing feature is the presence of a high and long fin on its back, resembling a sail. It is a very active predator. In pursuit of prey, he is able to reach speeds of up to 100 km / h. These fish feed mainly on sardines, mackerel, mackerel, anchovies and so on. Catching predatory fish is a very interesting activity for anglers. Often bait is used for this. Many anglers prefer to fish with a sailboat on a spinning rod.

Piranha is one of the most dangerous predatory fish.

Omnivorous, ready to tear to shreds in a matter of minutes everything that falls into its habitat. This is how we imagine piranha.

And what it really is, this predatory Piranha lives in the turbulent waters of the Amazon River. This is a small fish, only 20 cm long. The piranha has a keen sense of smell, as well as a large mouth dotted with a row of terrible flat teeth. Individuals keep in a flock, very voracious. They prefer to hunt in large groups. They often hide in hiding, waiting for unsuspecting prey. Attack quickly, lightning fast. Prey is eaten in a matter of seconds. The usual diet of a predator is fish, birds and mammals that come close to the water. This extremely aggressive river inhabitant has long attracted the attention of people. Several types of aquarium piranhas have now been bred. The most popular of them are: slender piranha, red pacu, common and moon metinnis and others.

deep sea predatory fish

It is difficult to imagine that there is also life at the great depths of the world's oceans. Here, in total darkness and under high water pressure, there are predators. As a rule, they are small in size. Their body is devoid of scales and covered only with thin skin. Deep-sea fish have a very bizarre body shape. And almost all of them are predators. This is evidenced by their terrible toothy mouths. Some species look like a huge head with a large mouth studded with rows of scary sharp teeth. Even the names of these outlandish inhabitants are very bizarre. The names of predatory fish that live at great depths: sack-throat fish, grammatostomy, galateatauma, bigmouth, hatchet, linophrine and others. These predators have adapted to live in unbearable conditions for other animals. With their huge mouths, they grab prey, even if it is larger than themselves, and swallow it whole.

Predators in the aquarium

Carnivorous representatives of the water depths have always attracted the attention of man. Many species of predatory fish have been domesticated. Now their dwarf types are bred in aquariums. The most popular among them are piranhas, girinocheilus, cichlids and others. And in captivity they manifest their natural instincts. This should be taken into account when breeding peaceful fish and predators in the same aquarium.

You can not settle together species that are similar in habits and conditions of detention. You can't let them starve. From a lack of food, predatory aquarium fish can eat each other. It is very interesting to observe the behavior of cichlids. They have quite a lot of intelligence. These little fish love to watch everything that happens outside the aquarium. They are even able to recognize their owner, respond to some of his movements. The snakehead is another domesticated predator. His appearance is very colorful. He is able to do without water for a long time. Piranhas in captivity are more shy than aggressive. With every loud knock or blow on the glass of the aquarium, they sink to the bottom and convulse. In order for these fish to coexist with peaceful species, they must be provided with complete food.

We were convinced of how diverse the world of predatory fish is both in freshwater reservoirs and in the depths of the sea.

There are over 20 thousand species of fish in the world. They differ in different ways and, accordingly, the food they eat is also different.

All fish are divided according to the nature of nutrition:

1. predatory;
2. carnivorous;
3. herbivorous.

But it should be noted that this division is not always correct, since most of the fish can eat mixed food or periodically change preferences - from carnivores they become carnivores and vice versa. Changes in the nature of nutrition are also explained by their development, as a result of which the structure of fish changes.

So the fish find food for themselves with the sense organs, and if they have undergone changes in their structure, then a change in the nature of the diet is also possible.

Eating your own kind

Predatory fish or ichthyophages, which in Greek means "eating fish." Predatory fish eat their own kind, and some types of fish (shark, pike, beluga, etc.) can eat some animal or game. Therefore, this type of fish can be called omnivorous - in the absence of prey, they can also eat plant foods.

The nature of the food of predatory fish is determined by their structure: they have a large mouth with a strong jaw and sharp teeth and a large stomach. So often, a whole seal carcass is found in the stomach of a beluga.

Predatory fish are divided into:

• ambush predators;
• active predators.

Ambush predators include such fish as catfish, pike. They basically always "sit in ambush". The fish lie at the bottom and wait for prey. When prey appears, it grabs the object of hunting with a sharp jerk and swallows it.

Active predators never stand still, they are on the move. They chase their prey until they are caught. Active predators include such fish as salmon, perch, asp, etc.

Plant and animal organisms as food for fish

Most fish eat both plant foods and animal organisms. There are very few fish that eat only plant foods. These include silver carp, grass carp, rudd, etc. These fish feed on aquatic plants and phytoplankton (algae).

Fish that feed only on food of plant origin are also called underwater ameliorators, because. they eat algae in large quantities and thereby purify the reservoir.

Food for animal-eating fish are:

• small fishes,
• planktonic crustaceans,
• insects and their larvae,
• fry,
• tadpoles,
• snails,
• worms,
• daphnia, etc.

And this is not a complete list of animal species that fish feed on.

Fish, which are characterized by nutrition of animal origin, can be divided into two groups:

1. Plankton feeders. Or plankton-eating fish feeding on plankton, as well as fry, and in the period of full development. They also eat airy food that falls into the water.
2. Benthophages. Fish in the adult period passing to benthos. Benthos are bottom animals (worms, larvae insects, molluscs).

Stern

There is a wide variety of foods for feeding aquarium fish and fish raised in artificial ponds.

Here are the main types of food:

• living and animal origin,
• dry,
• frozen,
• vegetable,
• artificial feed.

In feeds of live and animal origin, dry and frozen, most often these are daphnia, ciliates, rotifers, moina, brine shrimp and oligochaetes. All these organisms are widely used for industrial breeding as fish food. They are bred at specialized plants in pools.

Breeding ciliates and rotifers

The ciliate shoe is a single-celled organism, with many hairs that serve as a means of transportation. In diameter reaches 0.2 mm.

Infusoria is found in any fresh water body, even in puddles. For breeding, it is better to take all the same from a cleaner reservoir. To do this, you need to draw water into any container, the ciliates will definitely get there. You can remove the infusoria yourself.

To do this, you need to collect settled water and throw some old dry leaves there and in a week you can be sure that there are ciliates there.

Further, for reproduction, water with a ciliate shoe must be poured into a glass container, closed and placed in the sun. A prerequisite is temperature and nutrition. The temperature should be maintained between 22C and 24C.

To feed the ciliates, peels of fruits, vegetables, leaves are periodically thrown into the container, several times a week, 3-4 drops of milk. In a week it will be possible to see ciliates even with the naked eye, white bodies will move in the water.

Now they can be caught and fed to fish. It is better to catch them with a hose or with a filter.

Rotifer is a multicellular animal, sexual reproduction. Size 0.1-0.3mm.

Rotifers have great nutritional value because, despite their small size, they are often grown for food. They are unpretentious and do not require special conditions. In water with rotifers it is necessary to add apothecary sea salt.

Nutrition - hydrolytic or baker's yeast. When yeast is introduced into the water, it becomes cloudy, if the water becomes clear, then it is necessary to add the next portion of food.

The female rotifer begins to lay eggs in a day, every twelve hours. Life expectancy is about 3 weeks.

Rotifers should be washed in fresh water before being placed in an aquarium. And do not forget that their life expectancy in fresh water is several hours, so pour only the necessary portion into the aquarium (at a time)

Daphnia breeding

Daphnia are planktonic crustaceans, they are also called water fleas. There are more than 50 species of daphnia. The size of an adult individual reaches 6 mm. Breeding of daphnia is possible both industrial and domestic.

Daphnia are bred in water at room temperature - from 22C to 24C. The main food is unicellular and algae. In industrial breeding, fertilizers are added to pools with daphnia - ammonium nitrate. Fertilizers are essential for the cultivation of algae.

At home, the diet consists of baker's yeast diluted in water.

It is necessary to monitor the color of the water in the container with daphnia. The color of the water should be slightly greenish. If it turns brown, then it is necessary to temporarily stop giving food (until enlightenment).

When breeding daphnia, it is necessary to ensure that the cyclops does not get to them, he eats them. Co-propagation with moina is possible.

Moin breeding

Moina - lower planktonic crustaceans, red crustacean. Size - 0.6-1.35mm. They reproduce sexually and asexually. The reproduction rate is three times higher than that of Daphnia. The average duration is 22 days, in rare cases up to 2 months.

Moina withstands temperatures of 5-31C, but the best option is a temperature of 22-28C. Moina feeds on unicellular algae, ciliates and yeast. This crustacean is tolerant of polluted water, while due to the lack of oxygen it turns red, which explains its name - red crustacean.

How to catch more fish?

1. . Attracts fish in cold and warm water with the help of pheromones included in the composition and stimulates their appetite. It is a pity that Rosprirodnadzor wants to ban its sale.
2. More sensitive gear. Reviews and instructions for other types of gear you can find on the pages of my site.
3. Lures using pheromones.

Breeding brine shrimp

Artemia - belongs to the genus of crustaceans and live in salt water reservoirs, so their eggs can be found on the shores of such reservoirs. They are washed ashore with water. When breeding, it is necessary that the water is salted. Also it is necessary to provide the necessary oxygen content in the water.

These are prerequisites for the productive reproduction of arteries. They feed on algae and fodder yeast.

After maturation, it can be netted from the surface with sufficient aeration.

Development of oligochaetes

Oligochetes are oligochaetes, a class of annelids. Widely used in breeding salmon and sturgeon species. Industrial breeding of oligochaetes began to be used back in Soviet times, according to a method developed by Soviet scientists.

Small-bristle worms are bred in wooden boxes with earth. Their habitat is fertile soil. After placing the eggs of the oligochaete in boxes, they are placed on racks in the room. The egg maturation period averages 7-8 days. After hatching, the young individual begins to actively consume food.

Food for worms is:

• vegetables - potatoes, cabbage, carrots, beets, etc.;
• tops - leaves of garden crops, nettles;
• rye bran, etc.

Artificial feed and their usefulness

There are various types of artificial fish food. For fish bred in ponds and in aquariums, artificial food is different.

For fish bred in ponds, there are a large number of types of feed:

• cake,
• meal,
• compound feed,
• food industry and agricultural waste,
• pulp,
• fruit,
• cereals,
• waste and residues from various factories, enterprises, etc.

Cake is the pressed waste of oil mills. It is best used cake from sunflower, peanuts and cotton.

Meal - is also a waste of the oil industry, in the form of a crumbly, defatted mass. Widely used in carp breeding. Cotton waste is preferred.

For fish bred in aquariums, there are also various artificial foods. These are flakes, chips, tablets and granules. All these feeds contain all the nutrients necessary for the development of fish. They also include vitamins, macro- and microelements.

The flakes are suitable for all types of fish of small and medium sizes. They are convenient because they do not pollute the water.

With prolonged use, it reduces the content of nitrates in water.

Food in the form of tablets is intended only for bottom fish. The tablet sinks to the bottom, thereby providing food for shy fish that like to be in the shade.

Pellets are most commonly used for larger fish. Pellets come in different sizes, for feeding fish of various sizes.

Fish that eat insects

In nature, there are fish that feed only on insects. These fish include: fish-splasher, skygazer, pentadon, jumper fish, etc.

All these fish, as a result of evolution, acquired the skills to provide themselves with food, in this case, insects:

• Skygazer. It got its name from the unusual arrangement of the eyes. Large black eyes are directed upwards - they look at the surface of the water surface, waiting for the insect to fall into the water. Lives in the Amur River.
• Pentadon. Habitat - rivers of Africa. The pectoral fins of this fish are like wings. Swimming near the surface of the water, most often at night, it can jump 20-30 cm due to its fins. With this skill, the pentadon provides itself with food.
• Jumper fish. This fish lives in the coastal zone of the sea in western Africa. It cannot live in water - it dies. The jumper has pectoral fins in the form of legs, with which she, pushing off, jumps into the air and catches insects.
• Spatter fish. Unique fish. Releasing a trickle of water from her mouth, she knocks down insects located on the vegetation along the shore of the reservoir. "Shoots" at a distance of up to 5 meters in length and at the same time they are very accurate. There is such a "shooter" in India, Australia and the islands of Indonesia.

Now it's the turn of the predators. I bring to your attention a brief overview of popular types of predators. A lot of fishermen give their preference to predators. Well, let's get started.

With all its appearance, it looks like a torpedo capable of overtaking a victim at high speed. A strong fish, it feeds not only on small fish, but also on everything that comes under its “hand”. There were cases that both water mice and small muskrats came across in the stomach of a pike. The length can reach over 1.5 meters and weighing 30-35 kg. Its color completely depends on the environment, if there is a lot of greenery around, then the pike acquires a more greenish color. This allows her to remain unnoticed by the rest of the fish. Pike spawns at 3-5 degrees at about the same time when the ice on the rivers begins to melt. Willingly caught both on a worm and on all possible wobblers, spinners and, of course, on live bait.

Zander. Pike's younger brother. The relatively small size of its mouth does not allow it to hunt large fish. Therefore, most often pike perch feeds on small fish, frogs and small crustaceans. Well caught on wobblers spinners, live bait. Very rarely stands in one place constantly in motion in search of food. Reaches a size of one meter and weighs 15-20kg. Likes running water and plenty of oxygen. Spawns in warm water at 12-15 degrees. It has gastronomic value.

(he is also a sailor, he is also a sailor.) Like the pike, it is very common in the post-Soviet space. The perch reaches relatively small sizes, about 0.5 meters long and weighing up to 5 kg. Like all predators, it feeds on small fish and crustaceans. The okushok does not disdain and its own kind, it can easily bite into smaller okushki. It lives both in rivers and in lakes with clear water. It continues to lead an active life even under the ice, which has earned it popularity among winter fishing enthusiasts. Spawning takes place after the ice melts at a temperature of 7-8 degrees.

Burbot. Feels good in cold water, so it spawns in winter from December to February. At the first frost, it shows good activity and shows an excellent bite. Just like perch and pike can eat smaller fish of their own species. It reaches a size of just over a meter and weighs up to 7 kg. Widespread in northern latitudes.

. It can be said that a dinosaur among river freshwater fish can reach over 5 meters and weigh 300-350 kg. Catfish reach this size by the age of 90-100 years. Spawning occurs in warm water. The catfish menu includes everything from small fish to ducks. Basically, catfish spend their whole lives at the bottom in search of food. In winter, they lie down on the pits more often in small groups. They don't eat in winter. Catfish is a strong fish for which it has earned the love of anglers. Those anglers who were lucky enough to catch a catfish never forget these minutes of fighting with a catfish.

Ruff. Schooling fish are not large. An adult ruff barely gains 10-15 centimeters in length. He loves quiet backwaters with a soft bottom and little vegetation. It feeds on insect larvae, can eat the eggs of other fish species, almost completely exterminating this species in the reservoir. Do not disdain and youngsters.

That's the whole story of the famous river predators. Write your comments, criticism and wishes I will be glad to any opinion and healthy criticism. that's all for now.