Lemolita striped
The striped lemolita, scientific name Laemolyta taeniata, belongs to the Anostomidae family. Rare guest in home aquariums. It usually comes in batches with other more colorful fish species, but due to its unprepossessing coloration, it is not very popular with aquarists.
Contents
Habitat
It comes from South America from the central part of the Amazon from the territory of Brazil, as well as from the Orinoco river basin in Venezuela. It occurs throughout the main channels of rivers, tributaries, floodplain lakes, in areas of flooded tropical forest during the rainy season.
Brief information:
- The volume of the aquarium – from 400 liters.
- Temperature – 20-28°C
- Value pH — 4.0–7.5
- Water hardness – 2–12 dGH
- Substrate type – any
- Lighting – moderate or subdued
- Brackish water – no
- Water movement – light or moderate
- The size of the fish is 20–25 cm.
- Nutrition – any feed with plant components
- Temperament – conditionally peaceful
- Keeping in a group of 3-4 individuals
Description
The largest recorded specimen reached a length of more than 28 cm. On average, they grow up to 20–25 cm. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed. Externally, males and females are almost indistinguishable. The coloring is dark. The back is grey, the belly is silvery. A wide black stripe runs along the body from head to tail. Fins and tail are translucent.
Food
In nature, it feeds on algae and small invertebrates. In the home aquarium, it will accept most of the foods popular in the aquarium trade: dry, frozen, live. It is important to use foods rich in herbal ingredients.
Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium
The optimal size of the aquarium for a group of 3-4 fish starts from 400 liters. The choice of design is not particularly important. Typical decor elements are a sandy substrate, branches and roots of trees, aquatic vegetation, and dried leaves. In the process of decomposition of the latter, tannins are released, changing the chemical composition of the water and making it similar to that in which fish live in their natural habitat. It is recommended to set a subdued or moderate lighting level. Accordingly, when choosing plants, preference should be given to shade-loving varieties.
Lemolita striped needs stable water conditions, which are in the acceptable range of hydrochemical values and temperatures. The desired stability is ensured by the smooth operation of the equipment and regular maintenance of the aquarium.
Behavior and Compatibility
Peacefully treat other species. Compatible with other non-aggressive fish of comparable size. They prefer to be in a group of at least 3-4 individuals, with a smaller number or one by one they can become nervous, which will not have the best effect on other neighbors in the aquarium.
Fish diseases
A hardy, unpretentious fish, provided that it is kept in a suitable environment. The deterioration of water quality (high levels of pollution) inevitably leads to immune suppression, which in turn makes Lemolita striped susceptible to various infections. As a rule, placing the fish in an optimal environment leads to the disappearance of the symptoms of the disease. However, if they persist, medical treatment will be required. Read more about the causes, symptoms and methods of treating diseases in the section “Diseases of aquarium fish”.
