These fish got their name for their unusually bright and variegated colors, which really resemble butterflies. Butterfly fish, although exotic reef inhabitants, are familiar to everyone to one degree or another, because they are favorite subjects for photography by underwater naturalists. Butterfly fish belong to the bristletooth family of the order Perciformes, but ordinary perches are very distantly related to them. Systematically, angelfish are closest to butterfly fish.

Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus).

Butterfly fish have a length of 15 to 30 cm. Their body is strongly flattened laterally and appears tall. The head is relatively large, the mouth is very small, in some species the lips can be elongated into an elongated tube. This mouth structure allows them to extract food from hard-to-reach crevices of the coral reef. The teeth of these fish are very small, their tops are often split (hence the name of the family - bristletooths). The anal and dorsal fins are wide, their bases are covered with scales, making it seem as if the fins continue the line of the body, making it square, rectangular or triangular. The caudal fin is short. The scales of these fish are small; the body color is dominated by yellow, orange, silver and black.

Special bristletooth (Heniochus singularus).

It is characteristic that each species of butterfly fish combines several colors in its color; there are often stripes or spots. Large single spots in the tail part are generally characteristic of many species of butterfly fish. These spots perform a camouflage function: they create the impression of a false eye and disorient the predator during an attack, and the bright coloring in general perfectly camouflages the fish among the diversity of the coral reef.

Lattice butterflyfish (Chaetodon rafflesi).

Butterfly fish live only in the salty waters of the equatorial and tropical zones. Largest number species lives in the western Pacific Ocean, the second most important area of ​​species diversity is the Caribbean. Their favorite habitats are coral reefs or underwater rocks; occasionally they can be found among algae. Butterfly fish are sedentary, they occupy a very small area reef and do not move far from it. Due to such territorial attachment, these fish have clearly expressed possessive instincts. Butterfly fish actively defend their area from neighbors and, by the way, perfectly recognize representatives of their species in a crowd. They violently drive away their fellow fish, but do not touch other fish that are not their food competitors. At the same time, butterfly fish sometimes swim in small schools, and during the breeding season they stay in pairs. These fish are active mainly during the day, and at night they hide in secluded crevices of the reef.

A typical school of butterfly fish.

Four-eyed bristletooth (Chaetodon capistratus).

During the breeding season, butterfly fish live in pairs. They lay pelagic (free-swimming) eggs. At the initial stage, the fry have bony plates covering the head; with age they dissolve.

A pair of half-masked butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus).

Butterfly fish do not have active defenses, so they are typical victims of predatory fish. In general, these species are not numerous, but they are not particularly rare. Due to their colorfulness, butterfly fish attract a lot of attention. At the same time, they are rarely kept in ordinary aquariums. They are not suitable for home keeping because they require salt water, special food, and in cramped conditions they show aggression towards other fish.

Pennant bristletooth (Heniochus chrysostomus).

These colorful fish have another unexpected use. It turns out this beauty... is quite edible. Butterfly fish meat is tasty, so local fishermen catch them for food. On the other hand, there is no mass production, because butterfly fish do not form large aggregations. In addition, in some cases, their meat can cause severe poisoning - ciguatera. Such cases were observed in places where butterfly fish fed on the poisonous tentacles of sea anemones, whose toxins accumulated in their tissues.

CORAL REEF SWALLOWERS

A.TELEGIN, A.SUDARIKOV, M.OPALENKO Aqua Logo, Moscow

The Latin name of the large and very popular among marine aquarists family of Bristletoothed (butterfly fish) is Chaetodontidae, pronounced “chaetodontidae”. The family includes more than 120 species, which taxonomists classify into 10 or 11 genera.
Of these, representatives of the following genera are most often kept in marine home aquariums: Chaetodon, Chelmon, Forcipiger and Heniochus, and sometimes Hemitaurichthys. Much less common in captivity are butterflies belonging to the genera: Chelmonops, Coradion, Johnrandallia and Parachactodon. Butterflies from the genera Amphichaetodon and Prognathodes are very rarely kept in home aquariums. The genera Chaetodon, Heniochus and Hemitauricthys are included in the supergenus Chaetodon.

Previously, this family included angel fish(Pomacathidae), from which butterflies differ, in particular, in the absence of a characteristic spine on the lower part of the gill cover.
Most species of bristletooths live in tropical zone Indo-Pacific, many on the coral reefs of the Red and Arabian Seas. Only 4 species of this family live in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and
another 12 species are found in the Atlantic.

With the exception of a few species that have adapted to water conditions temperate zone or have mastered great depths, overwhelming majority butterfly fish They live near coral reefs and in relatively shallow water areas adjacent to them. These fish usually try to stay within sight of the bottom or directly next to it. They swim alone, in pairs or in schools of large or small sizes. Sometimes the same species forms flocks in some regions, but is found only in pairs in others. Often single or paired individuals demonstrate territorial behavior, actively defending a “span” native land"(sometimes very extensive) from the invasion of uninvited guests-competitors. Typically diurnal fish.

Photo of Pakistani butterfly (Chaetodon collare)

Among the bristletooths there are not very large fish. They have a high ovoid body, strongly compressed laterally, an elongated pointed snout and a small terminal mouth with thin bristle-like teeth. The word “snout” does not fit well with such elegant and sophisticated creatures, but this is how biologists usually call this part of a fish’s body. Butterflies are well suited for exploring crevices and depressions in search of small worms, crustaceans and polyps.
In the dorsal fin of fish of this family there are from 6 to 16 spiny rays and from 15 to 30 soft rays, and in the anal fin there are 3-5 and 14-23, respectively. The caudal fin has 15 branched rays. The body is covered with small scales extending onto the dorsal and anal fins.

Most species are distinguished by a bright, often multi-colored outfit. As a rule, coloring masks the true position of the eye. In most cases there is a dark stripe running through it. Often there is a spot on the back of the body that represents a “false” eye. This helps to disorient the predator, who finds it more difficult to predict the direction of escape of a potential victim in the event of an attack, and also to figure out which side is more convenient to swallow the prey. IN dark time day body coloring butterflies often fades, becomes dark and spotty, and is restored again in the light.

This. perhaps the most elegant reef family sea ​​fish. Well, where there is elegance, there is tenderness, capriciousness, sophistication and sophistication. Perhaps none of the fish of this family can be considered a good training object for a beginner. You will have to look for such individuals in more “oak” families. Some butterflies are almost impossible to keep in captivity. Nevertheless, even among bristletooths you can find species that are relatively easy to keep and can live in good conditions in a home marine aquarium for five or more years.
Refined elegance, variety and demanding conditions of detention butterfly fish resemble orchids. Just like these flowers, they could become a collector's item for amateur aquarists.

Reproduction
External gender differences in butterfly fish weakly expressed or absent. They usually reach sexual maturity after the first year of life (Brockman, 2001).
Most species form family pairs, others stay in flocks all the time or unite in spawning aggregations only during the breeding season. Family pairs can be permanent, formed before entering puberty and maintained throughout life (Chaetodon ephippium, C.unimaculatus...) or temporary (Chaetodon lunula, C.ornatissimus, C.reticulatus...). Some species of butterflies (from zooplankto-phages), such as Hemitauricthys polylepis, H.zoster or Heniochus diphreutes, constantly swim in large schools.

In tropical waters, butterfly fish breed year-round, but some species in some areas spawn seasonally (Chaetodon railiaris. - in Hawaii - from December to April).
In species that do not have permanent married couples, the courtship process continues throughout the day, which usually involves one female and several males, or a group of fish of different sexes. By the end of the day, a pair is formed, and spawning occurs as dusk approaches. Males and females throw reproductive products, quickly floating to the surface of the water.

The eggs of bristletoothed fish are pelagic and small (diameter less than 1 mm). The eggs, equipped with a drop of fat, float in the water column for about 24 hours, after which transparent larvae 2-3 mm long hatch from them. The larvae have a characteristic bony shell on their heads, often with jagged spines, such
the spiny larva is known as the "hookfish" stage (tholichthys). They float passively in streams of water. U different types the larval stage lasts from 19 to 57 days. The juveniles, usually only about 10 mm long, settle on shallow coral reefs and quickly acquire colors similar to the adults. The largest larva, more than 6-7 mm long, is found in the yellow tweezer butterfly Forcipiger flavissimus (Brockman, 2001).
In a number of species of butterfly fish, usually very close systematically, cases of the formation of sterile hybrids have been noted.
Today, breeding butterflies in an amateur aquarium is impossible. The authors have never heard of anyone anywhere managing to breed them in captivity.

Recommended aquarium and life support system
Butterfly fish should be planted in a stable aquarium with an established ecosystem (preferably at least six months after launch), equipped with a powerful filtration system. It is strictly not recommended to use these fish to run a biofilter. It is optimal if the life support system includes a foam separator column. If it is not possible to keep the nitrate concentration low enough, you can also install a denitrifier filter. A good addition to the system could be a “refugium” - a compartment separated from the species aquarium, in which conditions are created for the growth of algae and the reproduction of invertebrates - in addition to additional filtration, it will provide high-quality additives to the fish menu.
Aquarium volume - from 200 l (preferably more than 300 l). It is necessary to provide sufficient bottom area and free space for swimming. The scenery should contain a large number of shelters, incl. “caves” in which butterflies could hide completely if necessary.

Aggression and getting along with neighbors
Not all species of butterflies form pairs in a home marine aquarium. Most can only be kept singly, some in flocks (in aquariums with a volume of 400-600 liters or more). Often, as with many other brightly colored coral fish, individuals of the same species or bodies similar in shape and color are doomed to a mortal fight. However, in relation to other inhabitants of the aquarium, butterflies are usually moderately aggressive.

It is not recommended to plant butterfly fish together with fish with an excellent appetite (lionfish, groupers, moray eels...), since in this case it will be difficult to ensure a sufficiently high quality of water. Neighborhood with strong aggressive fish is also not desirable. More nimble neighbors in the aquarium often “eat” the butterflies and do not allow them to eat normally.
The relationship of butterfly fish to other members of its family and species greatly depends on the size of the aquarium. In large containers with a volume of 600-800 liters or more, most butterflies do not show aggressiveness, especially towards individuals of other species.

If the aquarium is not so big, " psychological compatibility"will have to pay more attention. Buy a pair or larger group of butterflies of the same species only if these fish are already in this composition in the seller's aquarium and their relationship develops peacefully. If you want to plant butterflies of different species in one aquarium, then in order to reduce interspecific aggressiveness, this must be done gradually. You should start with small specimens, and then sequentially, at weekly intervals, plant larger and stronger ones (the optimal difference in length between “neighbors in turn” is from 2-2.5 cm). You can also, if the filtration system allows, plant several butterflies of the same size at the same time. Another possible (albeit rather “harsh”) option is to attach several butterflies at once to a fish that is characterized by increased aggressiveness - it will play the role of a policeman, and at the same time (due to the problem of choice) it will be difficult for it to cause serious harm to someone. one of the newbies. In general, such “pandering” is a creative process...

Almost everything butterfly fish are considered dangerous for certain sedentary invertebrate inhabitants of a reef aquarium. On average, butterfly species with a thin and elongated snout are less dangerous to coelenterates than species with a short snout. Long-nosed butterflies
("tweezers") - primarily yellow tweezer butterflies from the genus Forcipiger, and also (with major reservations) tweezers (Chelmon rostratus) can be placed in a reef aquarium.

“Short-haired” butterflies, as a rule, are more inclined to offend corals, anemones and other species of coelenterates, biting small polyps or individual tentacles of large polyps, and sometimes swallowing whole animals of a fairly small size (some anemones, etc.). In a reef aquarium, of these, perhaps only Klein's purple-spotted butterfly (Chaetodon klenii), hemitaurichts and individual representatives of pennant butterflies (Heniochus) are capable of behaving at all decently. In addition, “short-nosed” can attack other animals that have soft body extensions, for example, tridacnids, some gastropods, as well as hedgehog fish (Diodon spp.) and chaetodermis penicilligerus.

Even species of “short-nosed” butterflies that are aggressive towards their relatives, as a rule, do not perceive “long-nosed” ones as worthy of attack by competitors, and vice versa.
For large worms, incl. For sabellids and the like, which are often found in aquariums, most butterflies are not dangerous. Although some, such as raccoon butterflies (Chaetodon lunula), sometimes like to nibble on their large, beautiful corollas. Of the decorative worms, individual representatives of this family may affect small serpulids - worms with hard calcified tubes from the genera Protula (Feather Duster) and Spirobranchus (Christmas Tree Worms).
Most butterflies can be trained to feed on sea anemones of the genus Aiptasia (glass roses) and used to control these “weeds” in our aquariums.

Water quality
Butterfly fish are quite demanding in terms of conditions of detention. They need high quality water with stable characteristics. It is necessary to ensure good mixing of the water in the aquarium and high oxygen saturation.

Photo of Chelmon rostratus

Ammonium and nitrites. Butterflies do not tolerate high concentrations of ammonium and nitrites very well. If regular aquarium tests can detect the presence of these compounds, then your butterflies have already sensed them too. The maximum permissible concentrations of ammonium and nitrites for long-term keeping of butterflies can be 0.05 mg/l. For many bristletooths, 0.3-0.5 mg/l of these compounds is already a deadly dose; they will refuse to feed, change color and behavior, and eventually die. Individual tolerance depends on the general tone of the fish and its fatness. However, short-term (after feeding) increases in ammonium concentration up to 0.25 mg/l are, as a rule, not dangerous.
Nitrates. Nitrate concentrations of no more than 10-20 mg/L are generally recommended (Brockman, 2001; Mills, 2003). However, many species can withstand concentrations up to 40-50 mg/l, and some even up to 100 mg/l. Some butterflies tolerate higher concentrations of nitrates, provided that it grows slowly and gradually, and all other conditions are good.
At the same time, it must be taken into account that the high content of nitrates in aquarium water significantly reduces the immunity of fish.

It is strictly forbidden to allow a long-term increase in the concentration of nitrates to 200 mg/l or more.
Density and salinity. For bristletooths, we can recommend the same density levels as for most other fish of the coral reef zone - from 1.022 to 1.025 kg/l at a temperature of 25 ° C (such hydrometer readings correspond to a salinity of 29.8 to 33.7 ppm). For red sea species (Chaetodon semilarvatus, C.fasciatus) it is sometimes recommended to increase the density to 1.026-1.027 kg/l, but this is not at all necessary.
Temperature. The optimal temperature is 24-26°C (B.Fenner extends the recommended range even to 29.5°C). Short-term increases in temperature in hot weather summer days usually do not cause damage to species of this family. However, long-term and stable elevated temperatures can serve as a source of problems associated with a decrease in oxygen concentration in the water and an acceleration of metabolism in the inhabitants of the aquarium.
Active reaction of water. The optimal pH level is 8.1-8.3. This indicator should in no case fall below 7.8 or exceed 8.7.

Nutrition
Food in nature. Butterfly fish do not tolerate fasting well, especially representatives of species with taller and flatter bodies. However the main problem- this is the diet. Finding a menu that suits their taste can be problematic.
The basis of nutrition for all butterfly fish is invertebrates. Most often, these are small benthic zooplankton (mainly crustaceans and larvae of some invertebrates swimming in the bottom layer), small polyps and tentacles of large polyps of coelenterates (corals, sea anemones...) and their mucus, as well as small worms and fish eggs. In addition, many butterflies slightly diversify the composition of their food with filamentous algae (however, it seems to the authors that butterflies most often swallow algae not on purpose, but in the heat of the hunt for invertebrates hiding in their thickets).

According to the feeding strategy among butterflies, five main groups can be distinguished (Brockman, 2001):

1. Species that primarily feed on stony corals - for example: Chaetodon trifasciatus, C.baronessa and C.ornatissimus.
2. Species that primarily feed on soft corals - for example: Chaetodon lineolatus and C.unimaculatus.
3. Species that primarily feed on small benthic invertebrates, but not corals (their diet is based on small worms and crustaceans hiding in crevices and depressions), for example: Chaetodon auriga, Chelmon rostratus and Forcipiger spp.
4. Species that feed exclusively on plankton - for example: Hemitauricthys spp., Heniochus diphreutes.
5. Species that feed on a wide range of food items of animal origin, as well as algae.

Marine aquarists, as a rule, are more interested in fish belonging to the 3rd and 4th categories. At the same time, species of category 5, on average, take root in the aquarium more easily than others.
Some species are extremely highly specialized. Avoiding food competition from a motley and diverse group of neighbors coral reef, they have developed a unique ability to feed on special types of invertebrates that are inaccessible to others. Let's say, some feed almost exclusively on polyps of corals of the genus RosShorog, others are attracted only to Goniasterea or Asgorog... At the same time, they become hostage to their advantage.

Feeding in an aquarium. Feed butterfly fish you need as much variety as possible, often and little by little - preferably at least two, and preferably three to four times a day. Almost all butterflies, with the possible exception of masked butterflies, Raffle butterflies and most pennant butterflies (except singularis), live well only where they are fed with love. The belly of your pets should be constantly filled, and more “live” stones should be placed in the aquarium. All other things being equal, young and actively growing fish, as well as emaciated and poorly nourished fish, need more frequent feeding - up to five or more times a day. In most cases, adult well-fed individuals can be transferred to a single meal.

As a rule, the basis of nutrition for bristletooths is food of animal origin. The size of food particles is usually small so that butterflies, which have a relatively small mouth, are able to swallow them whole. Pieces of gelled food can be larger - it is not difficult for butterflies to tear off individual pieces from them.
Frozen seafood is most often used: finely chopped mussels, shrimp and octopus tentacles, scraped squid mantle or fish fillet, shrimp roe... Many species prefer pieces of food in the form of long strips (including shrimp meat fibers) . But it should be remembered that cut food heavily pollutes water and soil.

Frozen natural food - small bloodworms (many butterflies eat ice cream better than live ones), adult brine shrimp, mysids... Most species of bristletooths do not eat frozen daphnia and cyclops.
Small natural live food - grown brine shrimp, live small bloodworms, eichitreus, tubifex (little by little), etc. - a good addition to the diet. Some butterflies (especially pennant butterflies) happily eat small (2-4 cm long) earthworms.

Dry artificial food for marine fish - flakes and small granules - as a rule, can also
used, but only as additional food.
In addition to animals, bristletooths must be able to consume food and plant origin(vegetarian additives in dry food, live filamentous algae in an aquarium, etc.).
Some types of food can be placed on “feeding stones”, which the fish will happily examine and pluck. Leftover uneaten food can cause deterioration in water quality, which is unacceptable when keeping butterflies.

Butterflies fish that come into the aquarium from nature often refuse to eat. In this case, live grown brine shrimp can be a good starting food. Tubifex, grindal worm and enchytraeus also help to “persuade” the fish to start feeding, but they die almost immediately in sea water (they can be given on a saucer to make it easier for the fish to find and to simplify the removal of uneaten food). Bloodworms continue to live in a marine aquarium for quite a long time (a day or more), and sometimes with its help it is possible to feed fish that refuse to feed. Fresh opened bivalve molluscs are also a good starting food for adaptable butterflies that feed on bottom organisms.

Photo of white-feathered pennant butterfly

The abundance of living rock and algae in algae filters or refugiums creates good conditions for the reproduction and abundance of food invertebrates. This makes it possible to use similar compartments of life support systems in marine aquariums for fattening and rehabilitation of exhausted butterflies.
There are reports (Fenner) that gradually reducing water density to 1.018 kg/l over several days can stimulate the appetite of butterfly fish. The authors have not tried this method, and we have very serious doubts about its effectiveness.

Health, treatment of diseases, features of care
Delicate constitution butterfly fish is the reason for their relatively low resistance to diseases. In an aquarium, they easily become infected with cryptokaryosis, odio-Iiosis, glutenosis and some other diseases caused by protozoa and bacteria. Gill flukes can often be found on poorly quarantined fish.
Some authors note that butterfly fish of a number of species do not tolerate treatment with preparations containing malachite green and copper ions (Fenner). However, we have not encountered such problems. The main thing is that the quality of the water containing medicinal concentrations of these drugs is high, and the duration of keeping the fish in such conditions does not exceed two weeks.

The resistance of butterflies to fresh baths can be assessed as satisfactory or low. In cases where the condition of the fish raises any doubts, as well as when bathing pincer butterflies from the genera Helmon and Forcipiger, it is better to dilute fresh water with sea water.
It is very important to add vitamins and iodine supplements to the aquarium water or feed the fish. This helps improve immunity.
Be careful when transplanting and other manipulations with butterfly fish - they are easily and dangerously injured. The sharp, spiny rays of the dorsal and anal fins can cause painful hand pricks or fish getting stuck in a net. When planting in another aquarium, it is necessary to significantly increase the time of adaptation to the new water compared to most other reef fish. When packing in a transport container, it should be taken into account that the spiny dorsal and anal fins can pierce the polyethylene if the package is too small or there is no newspaper between its layers.

Choice of fish when purchasing
Butterfly fish are a difficult family to keep. Be responsible when choosing the right type. Read the recommendations; do not encourage sellers to supply fish that are beautiful but not viable in a home aquarium.
Do not buy butterfly fish, if you are not sure that the seller correctly and fully carried out the
muddy activities that the fish are adapted to living conditions in the aquarium and eat normally. The duration of overexposure should be at least 10-14 days (depending on the quarantine technology).

In the store, carefully examine the fish and monitor its behavior. If there is loss of color, redness of the mouth or the bases of the fins, you should not make a purchase. It is usually not recommended to purchase individuals less than 5 or more than 15 cm in length; such fish often do not take root well in the aquarium. It is best to buy young fish from 6 to 8 cm in length. However, if the fish are well-fed and have already undergone proper quarantine and adaptation, size does not matter so much. You just need to remember that juveniles need more frequent feeding.

In English-language (mostly American) literature and Internet sources, it is often recommended to purchase primarily species imported from the Hawaiian Islands, while reviews of Red Sea species are often negative character(Brockman, 2001; Fenner). It seems to us that the reason for this may be that the long duration of transportation of these fish to the United States from the Red Sea region has an extremely negative effect on their condition and ability to adapt. In Russia, the opposite is true - Red Sea reef fish species, as a rule, more easily adapt to captivity conditions and are less picky about their diet.

To be continued

Aquarium Magazine 2004 No. 5

Lez Edmond

When the word “butterfly fish” is mentioned, one usually imagines beautiful marine fish from tropical oceans. However, I am not going to talk about them, but about an unusual freshwater species from the waters of West Africa.

Pantodon buchholzi, the only member of the family Pantodontidae, is an unusual looking fish, completely unlike its marine namesakes from the family Chaetodontidae. It got its name from its large wing-shaped pectoral fins and long filamentous pelvic fins, reminiscent of the antennae of butterflies. This predatory fish, slightly more than 10 - 15 cm long, from West Africa inhabits the surface waters of calm or slow-flowing rivers, ponds and ditches, where it preys on insects and unwary small fish. It spends most of its time among floating plants, resembling a dead leaf, hence its spotted camouflage coloring - brown or green with silver sparkles and sometimes with various spots and stripes. Butterfly fish are also called flying fish for their ability to jump out of the water and glide across its surface while catching flying insects at a distance of up to two meters! In this feature they resemble the Carnegiella, a hatchetfish from South America, but do not flap their enormous pectoral fins like their South American counterparts. The pectoral fins are not pressed against the body, but can be folded upward.

The body structure of the butterfly fish is unique. The wide and flattened shoulder girdle supports the well-developed muscles of the pectoral fins, like those of birds. This muscle structure can provide real flight. Fins are used by fish only for gliding along the surface of a reservoir, although when taking off, they can do fast strikes, receiving a starting push. In flight, the fins are deployed.

The body of the butterfly fish is adapted to living conditions in the surface layer of water. Its upper part is flattened, the lower part has a typical “fish-like” shape, so from the side the fish looks like a boat. Its huge upper mouth ends far behind its small eyes, almost at the back of its head. Any insect that comes within reach immediately disappears into the fish’s mouth. The unusual appearance of this fish guarantees it a stable place in the aquarium. Most people, when they first see R. buchholzi, take it for dead and are happy to try to draw your attention to what is in your aquarium dead fish. Answer: “No, she just swims like that!” immediately cools the ardor of “well-wishers.” To keep butterfly fish, you need an aquarium with a capacity of about 80 liters with floating plants and always with a cover glass. P. buchholzi gets along well with many fish, except small species. I keep them with catfish, and the butterflyfish not only get along well with their neighbors, but also fill an empty niche in the aquarium ecosystem. The water should be soft (3°) with a pH of 6.5 and a temperature of 27 °C.

When purchasing butterfly fish, my supplier warned me that feeding them is difficult, the fish only need live food. Well, I thought, I'll try to cope with this task. When I got home, I released my new pets into the tank, and they immediately swam to the back wall, congregating above the lid of the pump I was using to keep the water flowing. After a couple of hours, the fish became bolder and began to swim throughout the aquarium, but when they saw that I was watching them, they immediately ran away. For the first two days I fed them regular food, but the butterflies showed no interest in it at all, and I began to think that the supplier was right. On the third day, they greedily swallowed some bloodworms, but the most interesting was yet to come. A couple of days later, I threw some dry food into the aquarium, landing right on the head of one of the butterfly fish, and was surprised to see that she ate it. After all, in the books I read, there was not a word about this species consuming dry food, so you can imagine my pleasure. So, I got my fish to eat dry food as well as ice cream, questioning my supplier's advice: "Feed only live food." So far my butterfly fish are doing great on a diet of flakes, bloodworms and other frozen food. Over the course of a few weeks, they have learned where I put the food and either gather around that area or rush there as soon as I lift the cover slip.

I have not yet tried feeding live insects to the fish, but I suggest that if you have difficulty feeding, try feeding aphids, small crickets, mosquito larvae, daphnia and similar small items. Armed with time and perseverance, you will surely teach them to eat even ready-made food. Like many other fish that require live food, butterflies can be gradually switched to a more convenient diet if you devote some time to it. Having coped with feeding butterfly fish, proceed to their breeding, this is quite realistic and is possible in many cases. It is best to breed this fish in captivity in a specially prepared spawning tank. Fill a shallow aquarium with floating plants (Azolla, Pistia, Salvinia) with water softened with peat extract at a temperature of 25 - 30 °C. The water flow should be weak so that strong ripples do not appear on its surface. Place a pair intended for breeding in the spawning tank. The male can be identified by the presence of a deep cleft in the posterior part of the anal fin, the middle rays of which form a tube.

First, the male swims “astride” the female, then they wrap around each other, intertwining in such a way that their genital openings are connected (apparently, in this species, internal fertilization of eggs occurs). The laid eggs float on the surface, sticking to the plants, and are completely defenseless, since the parents do not care about the offspring. When the eyes of the embryos become visible through the shell of the eggs, the parents must be removed, otherwise they will eat the hatched larvae. After three days, hatching occurs. The larvae remain on or directly below the surface and feed on small insects. Raising juveniles in captivity is considered difficult, because the larvae only eat food that floats directly in front of their mouths. To achieve success, although not guaranteed, feed the larvae with bloodworms, brine shrimp, aphids, other mosquito larvae, fruit flies and other small insects, and also reduce the water level, making it easier for babies to access the food. Fry can only be transferred to an aquarium where adult fish live when they are old enough to avoid being eaten. As a rule, butterflyfish live near the surface, but in my aquarium they descend to the lower layers of the water, where they rest among the leaves of plants. So, if you are looking for something truly unusual, get a butterfly fish.

It's no secret that, despite the incredible progress of science and human civilization in general, there are still no answers to many questions regarding what is created by nature. Particularly unknown remains water world with many living organisms, the origin of which is unknown to this day. In the depths of the ocean, sea and rivers sometimes live such unusual creatures that impress both with their appearance and behavior. One of these extraordinary species is the pantodon fish or, as it is also called, butterfly fish or mothfish. Scientists find it difficult to answer the question of how it could live for more than 100 million years and still remain in its original appearance. That is, it did not evolve, and was not affected by the process of change in any way environment. Moreover, it is now successfully kept in home aquariums. What kind of amazing creature is this, let's find out.

Range and habitats

IN wildlife The butterfly fish lives in stagnant bodies of water in West Africa; it can be found in Nigeria, Cameroon, and in the Congo and Zambezi river basins. They live in streams, creeks, swampy rivers and lakes with dense vegetation and warm water, up to +30 °C.

Pantodon spends most of its time not in the water, but above its surface; this predator freezes on the surface of the water and waits for its victims: insects flying over the reservoir, larvae or fry that carelessly swim by. In the water, the butterfly fish hides in dense vegetation; it is a good conspirator, because thanks to its color it resembles a dried leaf.

Important! Pantodon is not very active during the day; it goes hunting at night. Living in natural environment, the fish is able to jump after prey to a height of more than 2 m.

Description

The mothfish has a large triangular head, in comparison with which the body appears short. She has a large mouth, inside of which are hidden triple jaws, 2 at the bottom and one at the top. In the wild, the size of the fish reaches 12 cm; when kept in an aquarium, its length does not exceed 10 cm. The pectoral fins resemble a fan or butterfly wings and look very decorative.

The caudal fin also looks quite original; it has a rounded shape, and in its central part there are 4-6 elongated threads. Antenna filaments are also a continuation of the ventral fins.

The fish is painted in a muted bronze color with brown or black spots and streaks. And what makes her especially decorative are the golden sparkles, which adorn her entire body with their shine.

Important! The swim bladder of the pantodon has several functions, in addition to its usual purpose (maintaining balance in the water column), it serves to store the air that this fish is able to breathe.

It’s worth noting right away that keeping such a fish at home is not at all easy, and it’s better for a novice aquarist not to mess with it. She is very picky, and caring for her is quite labor-intensive. For a comfortable existence of a pair of fish, a low (up to 30 cm) but wide aquarium is required. Mothfish have high requirements for water parameters:

• temperature - +25...+30 °C;
• hardness dH - up to 12;
• acidity pH - 6.0-7.5;
• volume - from 50 l;
• depth - 15-20 cm.

Pantodons do not tolerate bright lighting well, so the light in the aquarium should be dimmed; a variety of floating plants can help with this, which will create a shading effect and allow the fish to hide from discomfort. Air filtration and aeration are naturally necessary, but the air flow should be veiled so that no current is created.

An aquarium with mothfish should definitely be covered with glass, since they are excellent jumpers. The distance from water to glass should be approximately 5-15 cm.

Did you know? When setting up an aquarium, it is better to put pebbles on the bottom rather than sand, since the sandy soil will be washed out with each water change, but this will not harm the stones.

Feeding and food

Aquarium butterfly fish very picky about food. She does not perceive everything that falls to the bottom as food. For a predator, live flies, spiders, crickets, larvae, worms are needed, as a last resort - fresh meat, shrimp and shellfish, but in no case dry food. It can cause vitamin deficiency and malaise in the fish.

In order to facilitate the feeding process, you can place a bark on the surface of the water and lay out food for the fish on it.

Compatibility with other inhabitants

The best neighbors for pantodon will be fish, which live in the center of the aquarium or on its bottom, and also have a friendly character. They definitely won’t get along with other surface inhabitants.

Although the most the best option the mothfish will be kept in a separate aquarium, in which case there will certainly not be any unpleasant situations associated with conflicts and eating the offspring.

Sex differences

The presence of an anal fin makes it possible to distinguish the sex of fish. In males it has long rays, and between them there is a deep notch. And in females the anal fin is rounded and smooth. Males are usually smaller than females.

Breeding

It is very difficult to breed pantodons at home. They become sexually mature at the age of 12-18 months. In order to stimulate spawning, it is necessary to gradually reduce the water level in the aquarium to 10 cm over 3 weeks. It also has great importance its temperature and softness, the water should be warm: from +28 ° C and above.

After a short courtship period, the female and male mate. After this, the female lays eggs for 2-3 days, transparent and very fatty, due to which they float to the surface. When the eggs darken (after about 10-12 hours), they must be collected and placed in a separate aquarium, in which the larvae will appear in a week, and after two weeks the fry will begin to feed on their own. They should be fed aphids, shrimp, flies, and a little later you can add small bloodworms to their diet.

Did you know? Goldfish are considered one of the most popular inhabitants of the aquarium. A representative of this species named Fred lived for 41 years, for which he is recognized as a centenarian.

Health and illness

Pantodon is a fish that requires constant attention and care on the part of the aquarist. Diseases can be caused by both deterioration of water parameters and poor nutrition. In hard water, the butterfly fish's fins are gradually destroyed, and it also loses its appetite. It is not recommended to feed them with dry food, as it causes vitamin deficiency in the fish.

You can determine that the pantodon is unwell by the fact that it refuses food and spends most of its time not on the surface, but on the bottom of the aquarium.

Butterfly fish(Pantodon buchholzi), the only species in the family Pantodontidae, is a fish of very unusual appearance, very far from the appearance of its coral namesakes from the family Chaetodontidae. Pantodon received this name for its large, wing-like pectoral and long, thread-like ventral fins, similar to the legs of the winged insects of the same name, with the help of which it “takes off” butterfly fish They deftly push off from the surface of the water and make a soft landing.

Butterfly fish lives in the tropical waters of West Africa - its distribution range extends from the upper reaches of the Niger to the Congo Basin. In nature, pantodon usually stays close to the shore, under the shade of coastal vegetation, preferring quiet backwaters and avoiding fast currents.

It first came to Europe in 1905, and only in 1912 did the German aquarist Lehmann manage to breed this fish.

Butterfly fish in an aquarium

The size of the pantodon is not large, its length does not exceed 15 cm. By its nature it is an active predator. Inhabited in surface waters butterfly fish They hunt all kinds of insects and slow-moving small fish.
The hunt begins at dusk, when the heat subsides and a mass of mosquitoes and midges appear above the water. In twilight, the spotted color of pantodons perfectly camouflages them among aquatic vegetation.

During daylight hours, most of the day butterfly fish are located among plants floating on the surface of the water, resembling a fallen leaf on top, which is facilitated by their greenish-brown speckled color with a silvery tint, with blurry spots and stripes scattered across the body. Only on the chest and head does a yellowish color appear, and the membranes between the rays of the pelvic fins have a pinkish tint. And from the forehead, through the eye, under the lower jaw, a dark stripe runs.

Butterfly fish often called flying fish for their ability to jump out of the water and glide across its surface for a distance of up to two meters, in pursuit of flying insects or to escape danger.
With this ability they are similar to carnegiellas or hatchet fish living in South America, but unlike the latter, they do not flap their large pectoral fins like their South American counterparts. In the normal state, the pectoral fins are not pressed to the body, but they are capable of folding upward.

Butterfly fish

Body structure butterfly fish unique. Like birds, the well-developed muscles of the pectoral fins are supported by a wide and flattened shoulder girdle. Thanks to this muscle structure, a real shaving flight is ensured. Fins are used butterfly fish only for gliding above the surface of the water, although when jumping out of the water it can make quick swings with them, thereby receiving a starting push. In flight, the fins are spread out.

Butterfly fish ideally suited to living in top layer water. Top part their body is flattened, while the lower body has a classic “fish-like” shape, which when viewed from the side makes the fish look like a boat.
Relatively large wedge-shaped head with a huge upward-pointing mouth. Large, fan-shaped fins and a pronounced ventral keel. The caudal fin is oval with a protrusion in the middle. The dorsal fin is not large, triangular in shape.

Any insect within reach immediately disappears into the mouth butterfly fish.

Unusual appearance butterfly fish attracts many aquarists.

Pantodons easily get along with many types of fish, except for the smallest ones. Good neighbors for them - different kinds catfish Butterfly fish Not only do they get along well with their neighbors, but living near the surface of the water, they fill an empty niche in the aquarium ecosystem.
Despite the fact that in nature fish live in soft water, the water in the aquarium can be of medium hardness, up to 15dGH, with a pH of 6.5-7.0 and a temperature of about 27°C; it can be briefly reduced to 20°C.

Aeration and filtration of water are certainly necessary, but it should be borne in mind that a strong flow of water can be one of the obstacles to their breeding. It is advisable to have a compartment with peat filler in the filter.

Diet of butterfly fish in an aquarium

In nature, menu butterfly fish mainly consists of various insects, both those that accidentally fell into the water and those flying near the water, which pantodons actively catch. Probably for this reason, in an aquarium they do not eat well the bloodworms and tubifex offered to them. The favorite food of pantodons in captivity is a variety of flying insects and their larvae. Which can be obtained in large quantities using an ordinary net in the summer. This diet promotes good physical development fish and prepares them for spawning.
IN winter time you have to make do with mealworms, their larvae and pupae, as well as dry food. But it is not recommended to constantly feed such food, since pantodons may develop avitaminosis, in which case they sink into the middle and lower layers of water, stop feeding and soon die. Similar symptoms can also occur when fish are kept in very acidic (pH<6) или щелочной воде (более pH>8).

Breeding butterfly fish in an aquarium

Breeding butterfly fish It’s quite realistic and possible even in a community aquarium. But it is better to use a specially prepared spawning tank for breeding. Which can be a shallow aquarium with floating plants (Azolla, Pistia, Salvinia), filled with soft (up to 2dGH), acidified with peat extract (pH = 6.3-6.5) water and a temperature of 28-30°C.
The water flow in the spawning tank should be weak so that strong ripples do not appear on its surface.

Spawning is seasonal, and middle lane Russia coincides with the spring-summer period. A pair of spawners are planted for spawning; the male can be identified by the presence of a deep notch in the back of the anal fin, the rays of which are elongated and form a kind of tube, like the gonopodium of viviparous males. In addition, males are much smaller than females, whose anal fin has smooth edges.

Spawning occurs after a long period mating games and continues for several days.

A peculiarity of panodon reproduction is the internal fertilization of eggs. Like many viviparous species, once the sperm is injected, it is able to persist in the female's body, allowing her to lay viable eggs without re-fertilization.

Mating games usually take place in the dark. The male, circling around the female in a spiral, gradually gets closer to her, then at some point the female turns slightly to the side, at this moment the male quickly presses his anal fin to her anus - and the job is done. It is almost impossible to notice this moment, since it lasts a fraction of a second. The interval between copulations ranges from 3 to 12 minutes, the number of copulations is 5-10, sometimes up to 30.

Butterfly fish

Relatively large eggs float to the surface of the water and stick to floating plants, gradually the eggs swell to a size of 1.5-2.0 mm in diameter, during development, the color of the eggs changes from transparent at the very beginning to almost black before the appearance of the larvae.

Producers are indifferent to their caviar. The number of eggs laid ranges from 100 to 200 pieces. At the end of spawning, eggs are collected from the surface and transferred to a rearing aquarium, where they develop.

After about a week, the larvae hatch and immediately sink to the bottom. The larvae are very dark, about 4 millimeters long. They remain motionless for a few more days until their yolk sac resolves. After which the fully formed fry rise to the surface and begin to swim and feed. Raising fry in an aquarium is not a very simple matter, since they only pay attention to food moving near the surface.
Large fry butterfly fish They are immediately able to take a small cyclops, the main condition is that the crustaceans are mobile and do not sink to the bottom.

After ten days, the fry can already be given small bloodworms, smoothly lowering them to the surface of the water, where they continue to remain for some time, sufficient for the fry to pay attention to them.

The fry are not interested in food that has fallen to the bottom.

With such a menu, within a month the fry grow up to one and a half centimeters and become miniature copies of their parents. Now you can introduce coretra into their diet.

Sexually mature butterfly fish become by 12-18 months.

It is gratifying that this aquarium fish has recently ceased to be a rarity. It became possible for aquarists to purchase pantodons, not to mention the opportunity to enjoy minutes of observing them.

Butterflyfish (Pantodon buchholzi) - estimated price in Russia

Size	Average price per piece
Up to 3 cm (S)	100 rub.
Up to 6 cm (M)	600 rub.
Up to 8 cm (L)	750 rub.