swallow fish

Swallowfish or Silver Monodactylus, scientific name Monodactylus argenteus, belongs to the Monodactylidae family. A flock of these beautiful active fish looks impressive. They are hardy and unpretentious in terms of diet, easy to keep if you can create a saltwater or brackish aquarium. Not recommended for beginner aquarists.

Habitat

It lives in the coastal waters of the Red Sea, along East Africa, the coast of Australia and throughout Southeast Asia. It occurs in both salty and brackish environments of river deltas flowing into the sea. Prefers open spaces.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 300 liters.
• Temperature – 24-28°C
• Value pH — 7.2–8.5
• Water hardness – hard (18–25 dGH)
• Substrate type – sandy
• Lighting – moderate, bright
• Brackish water – yes, at a concentration of 15-20 grams per 1 liter of water
• Water movement – weak, moderate
• The size of the fish is about 15 cm.
• Food – any food
• Temperament – conditionally peaceful
• Keeping in a flock of at least 5 individuals
• Life expectancy about 7 – 10 years

Description

Adults reach a length of about 27 cm in the wild. However, in aquariums they grow no more than 15 cm. The fish has a diamond-shaped body compressed from the sides. The coloration is silver. The tail and dorsal fin are yellow. The anal fin is black. The head is decorated with black diagonal stripes.

Food

Omnivorous species. Will begin to accept various foods, for example, fresh or frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, dry and plant foods such as spirulina flakes, pieces of green vegetables, blanched peas, etc. The main condition is that the daily diet should be varied.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal size of the tank for 4-5 fish starts from 300 liters. Sandy substrates, large boulders, driftwood are used in the design. The presence of plants is not necessary, but if desired, several unpretentious species can be placed. But first, they must be acclimatized to salt water.

Barnacle fish must be kept in brackish conditions, so equipment designed for saltwater aquariums is used. The salt concentration is 15–20 g per 1 liter. High water quality depends on the operation of the filtration system and the regularity of maintenance procedures, such as cleaning the soil and design elements, weekly replacement of part of the water (at least 30% of the volume) with fresh water, etc.

Behavior and Compatibility

A flocking species, Monodactylus silver prefers to be in a group of 5 individuals. Intraspecific relationships are built on a hierarchy. Larger and stronger fish will lead the flock, which is especially noticeable during feeding, it is the first to swim up to the feeder. Compatible with fish of comparable size such as archerfish, mudskipper, mollies and others that can live in brackish water. It is worth noting that very small species can be eaten as food.

Breeding / breeding

They do not breed in captivity. Several cases of spawning have been recorded, but they have not been reproduced, therefore they are considered random. Supplied for sale from commercial fish farms or wild caught.

Fish diseases

Hardy and unpretentious fish. In favorable conditions and a balanced aquarium biological system, the risks of disease are minimal. Health problems begin with deteriorating water quality, poor feed, and injuries. For more information on symptoms and treatments, see the Aquarium Fish Diseases section.