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Chameleon aquarium fish. Badies. The mating ritual in this species goes like this

Chameleon fish live in stagnant waters of India. To Europe chameleon fish brought in 1904. They were known to us even before the revolution. Re-imported in 1950. Fish reach 8 cm, usually no more than 5-6 cm. Females are somewhat smaller than males. The genus badis is widespread in the waters of India. The body is relatively low, laterally compressed, the back is slightly convex, the abdomen is somewhat concave, the head is relatively small, and the dorsal fin is long. This species has many geographic forms.
The male differs from the female in having pointed dorsal and anal fins. Your name chameleon fish received for a constant change of color, depending on the degree of irritation and conditions of detention. It is especially beautiful in the male during the breeding season. At this time, it becomes almost black with a greenish-blue metallic luster, but usually the color is grayish-blue with five transverse stripes of blue and red dots, iridescent in mother-of-pearl. Coloring chameleon fish changes almost continuously.


The maintenance of fish takes place under the conditions described for the entire family. They can be kept with any peaceful fish, but it is better in a separate aquarium, where they have several flower pots or arrange shelters from plants and stones. Several pairs can be kept together in one aquarium. The optimum water temperature at a content of 20-25 °, when diluted 28-30 °. The female lays eggs in the amount of 40-100 eggs in a flower pot. After spawning is over, the female is removed. The larvae hatch in 2-3 days. The male takes care of the offspring, 14 days after hatching the juveniles, it should be removed. Feeding fry is not difficult, at first they are fed with infusoria and the smallest nauplii.
The Latin name for the fish is badis badis.
Another representative of the nanda fish is a stump fish.

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Badis badis contain in a small aquarium with a volume of 40-50 liters. At the bottom lay the soil of sand or gravel, set a sufficient number of shelters. You can create a semblance of a natural biotope by dressing the tank in Javanese moss, anubias or Thai fern. Twigs, driftwood, leaves will help create natural scenery.

Badis do not like bright lighting and open space, so it is recommended to plant floating plants in the aquarium, and add shelters in the form of coconuts and clay pots to the bottom. Permissible parameters of the aquatic environment: water temperature 20-25 degrees Celsius, acidity 6.0-7.5 pH, water hardness is average. Badis badis is a heat-resistant species that gets used to temperature changes. An increase in water temperature by several degrees and a large number of shelters are an incentive for spawning.

Badis badis fish is a timid creature, slow and shy. It is better to keep them in a separate aquarium, in a calm and stable environment. If shrimp live with them, then badis can eat their fry. Within the family, aggressive behavior is also manifested; it is better to settle several females per male. Their temper is calmed by soft light and "houses" where you can hide from the hustle and bustle.

Breeding

To breed Badis, you need a 20-liter aquarium densely planted with plants, put a pot or a flat stone in it. Lighting should be subdued. The water temperature in the aquarium should be at 26°C, pH 6.5, dH up to 7°. Only one pair of spawners should be in the aquarium. Some males build holes in the sand before spawning. Spawning takes place either in a pot or on a rock.

Males are aggressive and territorial. The male takes care of the eggs and, in the future, the fry. Therefore, immediately after spawning, the female can be transplanted. The larvae appear after 48 hours. After 7 days, the fry can be fed with Artemia larvae. Juveniles are inactive and constantly stay at the bottom.

In general, this type of fish is very prolific, and they can be bred continuously.

Feeding

Wild badis feed on worms, insects, larvae and zooplankton. Aquarium badis fish are unpretentious, they eat live and frozen food: daphnia, coretra, brine shrimp. Artificial food is not particularly welcome, although some pets get used to it. The more varied the diet, the stronger their health and brighter body color.

It is important to make sure that the neighbors do not take away food, because badis are shy. They can become ill with inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract if they feed a tubifex or a bloodworm. Small catfish, as neighbors, will not take food, but rather eat half-eaten food.

Chameleon fish: description

The nickname "chameleon" small freshwater fish received because of its ability to change color under the influence of external conditions. It can change its color from orange to dark blue and even purple.

Often there are also metallic shades in the color. This quality allows an aquatic animal to adapt to the main color of the natural aquatic environment and objects located in the bottom layer.

  • The fish is small in size: from 6 to 8 cm long.
  • The body of individuals is oval, flattened on the sides, the line of the body smoothly passes into the head with small black eyes and a small mouth.
  • The dorsal fin is dense, long and rather high; it stretches along the entire back, only slightly short of the tail.
  • The pectoral fins are small but powerful.
  • The tail of the fish has a semicircular fan-shaped shape, which helps the "chameleon" to move quickly.

Sexual characteristics of individuals of the species are expressed quite clearly.

Females are much paler than males, their fins are transparent, and in males they are colored to match the color of the body. In addition, females are slightly smaller than their partners.

Chameleon fish in the aquarium

Badis are considered unpretentious while living in captivity. In principle, they can be successfully kept by a novice aquarist. Since the fish is small, it can even live in a nano aquarium (unless, of course, it is planned to keep other aquatic ornamental animals).

Alone, the "chameleon" is unlikely to be fun, but in the company of 2-3 females, he will feel great. Therefore, for such a flock you need an aquarium with a capacity of 40 liters or more. Naturally, it is required to maintain the appropriate parameters of fresh water, namely:


The bottom of the aquarium should be decorated with snags, convex fragments of clay cups or pots, small stone grottoes, coconut shells.

All listed items will be places suitable for subsequent spawning.

Chameleon fish do not like bright light, so floating plants can be placed on the surface of the aquarium to provide partial shading. If there is no vegetation, then the light should be dimmed.

Biofiltration is a necessary condition for keeping. It is also necessary to organize moderate aeration and weekly water changes in the amount of ¼ of the total. You should also carefully siphon the soil about once every 2 weeks, cleaning it from the remnants of fish life.

Compatibility

Many experienced badis owners strongly recommend keeping these "Asians" in species aquariums. This circumstance is associated with increased aggression of males during the spawning period.

However, if the aquarium is large enough and has space for its own territory, then Badis badis can get along quite well with ornamental fish of approximately the same size.

There is a positive experience of cohabitation of badis with small catfish, neon, some characins.

GENDER DIFFERENCES

It is very easy to distinguish a male from a female, females are smaller, paler in color, and noticeably fuller than males. Unfortunately, more often males are imported, as they are bright and sell better.

Badis Badis or Chameleon Fish (Badis badis) HAMILTON, 1822

The Latin name of the fish, Badis, probably comes from the word Bangla (Bengali / Bengali).
This species is sometimes sold under the trade name "chameleon fish" for its ability to change color quickly, especially when bred or stressed.



Order: Perciformes/Perciformes
Family: Badiaceae/Badidae

Range and Habitat

Natural habitats in the Ganges River system, from the Yamuna River in Himachal Pradesh, India, to its delta in Bangladesh. It also lives in the tributaries of the Ganges in Nepal, while in India it is found in the Mahanadi river system in the states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa, as well as parts of the state of Assam, including the city of Guwahati, the Kaziranga National Park and the Dibru river basin.

The terrain neotype is wide (> 100m), shallow water (< 1м глубина), медленно движущийся поток воды, который течет через рисовые поля и не имеет много прибрежной растительности. Вода была описана как "умеренно мутная" и "коричневатая", дно покрытое илом, в котором растут некоторые (не указано) водные растения.




Descriptions of other places of capture also speak in favor of muddy water with a slow current and thickets of underwater vegetation, often associated with a continuous carpet of water lily leaves.

Size


Maximum standard length 50 - 60 mm.

Aquarium

One pair or a small group can be placed in an aquarium with a base of 80 * 30cm or more.



Badis Badis will thrive in a properly designed aquarium; using sand or gravel as a substrate plus a few rounded rocks and cobbles/pebbles to provide cover. Aquatic plant species that can be grown attached to the décor can also be added if you wish, but this is not a requirement. Natural driftwood and twigs, floating plants and dry leaves can also be used in aquarium decoration, while filtering and lighting should not be too strong.



Some scenery/grottos in the form of caves must be included in the underwater landscape to act as potential spawning grounds; many breeders use half coconut shells or inverted ceramic pots with access holes.

Water parameters

Temperature: 20 - 25°C

Hardness: 6 - 18° DGH

Behavior and Compatibility

This species is sedentary and inactive by nature, can be frightened and will not compete in feeding with larger or aggressive fish species. Of course, don't keep it with territorial bottom fish unless the tank is very large, and never keep it with other Badis species as hybridization can occur. It is worth noting that freshwater shrimp from the popular genera Caridina and Neocaridina may be the prey of Badis Badis.

Badis are a peaceful species, although they are best kept in a species tank. Badies are especially useful if you need to reduce the population of snails if they are a problem in the aquarium. They are shy, tiny, tropical freshwater fish and considered one of the most underrated species in the aquarium hobby, they are neglected despite their spectacular coloration and uniqueness, reminiscent of dwarf cichlids, making them a very interesting species to keep and watch.



Peaceful and inactive so they should be kept with similarly peaceful, calm fish such as small Rasboras, Characins and Catfish.



Chameleon fish (Badis badis) are not schooling fish per se, and rival males can be very aggressive towards each other, especially in confined spaces. In these cases, only one pair or one male and several females will need to be acquired, but other groups can coexist in a spacious aquarium provided there is space for each male to establish his territory.

Well-planned cave/shelter placement can help in this regard; for example, don't try to group all available spawning grounds in one area/location.

Nutrition

All Badis species are micropredators feeding on small aquatic crustaceans, worms, insect larvae and other zooplankton. In the aquarium, they will often refuse dried foods, and should instead be offered live or frozen foods of the right size, such as Artemia, Daphnia, or Coretra.

They are somewhat shy and cautious eaters, and it is important to note that all species develop obesity problems and become more susceptible to disease when monotonously fed bloodworms and tubifex, so they should be eliminated from the daily diet.

Sexual Dimorphism

Females are smaller, less bright, have no blue pigmentation on the sides, and have a noticeably shorter and rounder body than males.

Mature males have longer dorsal, anal and caudal fins.

Breeding

Representatives of this genus are fish that spawn in shelters/caves and form temporary pairs. Other species are best left out if you want to raise more fry, although in a well-chosen aquarium community some may survive. A pair or group of adults can be set aside for spawning, but if several males are involved, be sure to provide each of them with a cave.


Parameters of water in the spawning ground: dН > 10 °; pH 6.5-7.0; 25-27 °C.

In the wild, seasonal rains are one of the signs that usually signal the start of the breeding season. During the rainy season, the waters of the natural habitat become softer. You can duplicate this effect in your spawning tank through frequent changes (about 15 percent per day for breeding). The demineralized water will also help stimulate their seasonal spawning cycle. A decrease in barometric pressure is another natural trigger for spawning. In fact, many fish species will breed during or before a storm/thunderstorm.

During and before the spawning season, live food is preferred.

When they are ready to breed, rival males become increasingly aggressive and begin to show interest and courtship of females that happen to be in their territory. During this process, they show changes in coloration, the body begins to darken, becoming almost black with bright blue fins. Latching by mouth is common, the male literally trying to pull his mate into the cave. The finished female reciprocates, swims inside and spawning occurs, usually 30-100 eggs are laid.




After spawning, the female immediately swims away and the male takes full responsibility for the eggs and larvae, protecting the territory from intruders and fanning the brood with his fins. Any other adult fish may be removed at this point, although this is not absolutely necessary. The larva hatches from the eggs usually after 2-3 days, swims after another 6-8 days, after another week or so, the juveniles will begin to leave their cave. From this point on, the parent may begin to consider them as food, and it is best to transfer them to a separate aquarium. The fry are quite sedentary during the first few days, which means that microfeed (ciliates, rotifers) is an ideal initial food, but as soon as they clearly / noticeably begin to swim in the water column, brine shrimp nauplii can be introduced into the diet.




Badis Badis is a rare and colorful aquarium fish that makes a wonderful addition even to nano aquariums.

With the right content Badis Badis or Fish Chameleon will live in an aquarium from 3 to 5 years.

note:

One of the most interesting things about our hobby is having a wide variety of fish. Many of these have been available for generations but have never received more than a passing interest from many aquarists, perhaps because these fish tend to hide in corners or behind decorations in vendor tanks. These fish are often considered accidental in the aquarium trade.

This is unfortunate, because often these fish can be full of fascinating behavior, beautiful coloration, or interesting breeding habits that even a novice hobbyist will notice. One such often overlooked fish is the Chameleon Fish (Badis badis).

(Badis badis) is a beautiful dark blue fish that has been known to aquarists for several decades. People call her the chameleon fish. It is thanks to this species that the genus got its name. Rarely found in hobby aquariums today. Nevertheless, these calm, not too fastidious fish can be of interest not only for experienced aquarists, but also for beginners.

Initially, they were mistakenly classified as cichlids, although their closer relatives are representatives of the Nandidae family (Nandidae), to which they were also once referred, but later, on the basis of certain signs, they were isolated into an independent genus of the new family Badidae.

They were brought to Europe at the beginning of the last century, the first Europeans to meet them were German aquarists. Soon they were successfully bred by them, forming a stable aquarium population.

For a long time it was believed that the habitat is limited to the waters of central and southern India. But studies carried out in recent decades have significantly expanded the area of ​​​​their distribution, to which were added the reservoirs of the southeast of Pakistan, Thailand, including the island of Phuket, well known to tourists. Representatives of the genus are found in Nepal, Myanmar, China and Bangladesh.

In nature, they inhabit stagnant or slowly flowing waters. Their natural biotopes are characterized by a low water level, an abundance of vegetation and driftwood.

An example of such a biotope is the small river Ghotigapga in western Bengal, which in some places can be easily forded. The flow in the river is slow, and the water parameters are as follows: t=30°C, pH 6.4, GH 6°.

Badis badis is the most famous member of the genus.
This small fish, growing up to 8 cm, received its common name for its unusual ability to change color depending on mood, physiological state or conditions of detention.

The color scheme can vary over a wide range. The same individual, at different times, can be gray, yellowish, bluish, blue, brown or almost black with a purple tint and a mosaic mottled pattern.

Based on the latest revision, the scientific description today has about 14 species. Apparently, the described species are only a small part of the genus Badis. Every year new as yet undescribed species appear. And if we take into account that the genus has a wide distribution area (from Thailand to India, Bangladesh and Nepal), which is becoming more accessible, which in turn promises new discoveries in the near future.

For taxonomic reasons, they were combined into species groups, which are based on various combinations of characters.

Three such groups are described below:

Burmese
The largest representatives of the genus (the length of males can reach 7-8 cm), but not the most capable in terms of color change. The "combat" coloration differs from the everyday one only by a greater saturation of colored specks and the appearance of dark wedge-shaped spots, the base directed to the crest of the back, and the apex - to the abdomen.

The size of females is 2-3 cm smaller, and their coloration is much more modest. The fins are almost colorless, and the state in which the fish stay has practically no effect on their outfit.

Fights between males break out quite often, but they are more of a ritual, non-contact nature, the result of which is no serious injury. In captivity, fish behave quite naturally, scurrying around the aquarium, using shelters only during spawning.

Siamese
These are a little smaller (the length of males is 6 cm, females - 3-4 cm), but unlike the first, they more correspond to their common name - chameleon fish.

The emotional state of the fish, their hierarchical position in the group, and other factors dramatically affect their coloration. The alpha male usually has the brightest and most contrasting coloration. Other males are somewhat paler in color, but there is also gloss and sophistication in their outfits. But the females are painted very modestly, the observer's gaze usually does not linger on them.

Siamese males are more aggressive, they measure their strength with great passion, but even they don’t get into serious fights, the winner quickly loses interest in the defeated opponent.

Siamese prefer the bottom layers, and when compared with the Burmese, they spend more time in shelters, especially males at the bottom of the hierarchical ladder. Females are more often found in the middle layers and near the surface.

Bengalis
Compared to others badies, to which they bear little resemblance, they are just dwarfs, the length of males is limited to three centimeters, and females to two.

Representatives of the stronger sex are excessively bright and imposing, unlike females which can hardly be seen in the aquarium. But unlike the first two, there are practically no fights between male Bengalis. True, during the spawning period, males in the heat of excitement are able to inflict injuries on the female.
Bengals prefer to stay near the surface, in thickets of long-stemmed plants with finely dissected foliage (cabombs, ambulia, pinnates, etc.).

After reading various publications, we can conclude that males are territorial and pugnacious. Violent fights between them often end in the death or injury of one of the opponents. And you can keep them together only in a spacious aquarium, with an abundance of shelter and females.
From the same sources it follows that they love the twilight, they are shy, secretive, they spend most of their time in shelters.

One can argue with such definitions, since their tendency to shady corners is not true. If there are zones with different light intensities in the aquarium, the vast majority prefer to stay in well-lit places.

The notorious pugnacity is also greatly exaggerated.
It can manifest itself only in small tanks, where keeping two males can lead to negative consequences, at first their behavior is clearly competitive, this continues until one of the rivals proves his superiority, after which the dominant male begins to persecute and oppress more a weak opponent, which in the end can lead to his death.
Females behave more calmly, although conflicts sometimes arise between them.

Tournament fight between two males

In larger containers (from 200 liters) there are no such problems. Several couples can coexist in them without conflict. Although shelters in the form of grottoes, crevices, caves in heaps of stones, snags, dense thickets of plants around the perimeter of the aquarium will not interfere. They will be useful for both spawning pairs and "subordinate" males and adolescents.
So these medium-sized fish are quite peaceful. Males protect their small territory from the claims of neighbors and fellow tribesmen. During tournament fights, the color of the fish changes, becomes brighter, more contrasting, the pattern is constantly updated. Fights between males are quite emotional, but they are almost harmless in nature and end with the expulsion of the opponent from someone else's territory.

They are quite unpretentious, quickly get used to different conditions, can live both in soft (4-6 dGH) and in rather hard (up to 20 dGH) water with a pH of 6.5-7.5, with a temperature of 20 to 26 ° C .

Fish demonstrate their best qualities and most fully reveal in a relatively small species aquarium with a capacity of 50-70 liters, decorated in pastel colors. In which lighting should be muted by floating or long-stemmed plants. Under such conditions, the variability in the color of fish will be most noticeable.

Badis near the shelter

For successful maintenance, the water in the aquarium must be of good quality. If some species need water that is close in its parameters to natural water, then some liberties can be afforded in the maintenance of others. In most natural water bodies, the pH level is in the region of 7 units or slightly less, and the hardness value lies in the range of 3-4 dGH.

Such indicators should be sought only when breeding, although many species are able to breed in ordinary tap water with a pH of no more than 7.5 and a hardness not exceeding 8 dGH. However, let's not forget that the fish in question, for the most part, come from nature, so it would be logical, at least at first, to maintain the water parameters characteristic of natural biotopes.

On average, it is necessary to replace from 10 to 30% of the total volume of the aquarium per week.

Due to the vast range, the temperature in their biotopes can vary significantly. For example, in Thailand the water is usually warmer than in Nepal, and in some areas of Myanmar it sometimes snows. For this reason, the water for keeping should not be too warm.

The water temperature in natural biotopes depends on the season, so in winter it can drop to 15°C, and in summer it can rise to 25°C or one or two degrees higher. That is, the difference can be more than 10 degrees! These values ​​can be considered extreme.

For most species, winter water temperatures can drop to just below 20°C. and in summer rise to 25-27°C, which is the absolute maximum.

The flow of water in the aquarium should be moderate, and for young individuals - slow. And since many species live in water bodies with a current, the circulation of water in the aquarium will not harm them.

As for the size of the aquarium. Then for a pair or a nest consisting of one male and two females, an aquarium 60 cm long (54 liters) is enough. For two pairs, an aquarium already 80 cm long will be required, while the likelihood of conflicts between males decreases in direct proportion to the volume of the tank.

A prerequisite for keeping is the creation of numerous shelters in the aquarium: it can be dense thickets of plants, heaps of stones, coke nut shells, in which fish often spawn.

Badis near the shelter

The benefits of a large number of shelters will soon become apparent. Pisces will quickly get used to the new environment, stop being afraid and show themselves in the best possible way.

Ideally fit into the community of small calm fish, where it occupies a zone near the bottom. Basically, the territory of a pair or an adult male is limited to a small space near some kind of shelter: a coconut shell, a snag, a ceramic pot turned over on its side.

In the presence of proportionate, peaceful neighbors who are not perceived badies as a source of a real or potential threat, fish behave freely, openly, moving freely throughout the aquarium, allowing the observer to enjoy their peculiar behavior to their fullest.

In order to get to know these interesting fish better, the aquatic flora should not be allowed to grow up to the front glass, and the shelters should not be made too deep. Shallow grottoes and dense thickets provide the necessary sense of security at the same time, do not allow them to completely hide from view, which is natural for these fish.

While the females swim around the aquarium, exploring its most hidden corners, the males first capture a small area around one of the shelters and leave it only to feed.

Badis diet

In this regard, they are quite picky, mainly consuming live food, while often agreeing only to bloodworms.

They completely refuse dry food even after a week of starvation.

The pipe maker is not taken willingly, only when they are very hungry. But with great appetite they eat freed from shells physical and coils.

Appetite is very moderate. As a rule, they are not prone to overeating. In males, after a hearty meal, the stomach is rounded, the concavity of the body in the abdominal region, characteristic of their appearance, disappears. In females, especially mature ones, lush forms are observed both before feeding and after.

In a community tank, special attention should be paid to feeding, especially if their neighbors are such nimble fish as tetras or rasboras. Slow ones often do not have time to feed. Therefore, you should make some effort and feed near their shelters, otherwise they will be constantly hungry.

From poor feeding, fish quickly lose weight and may die. An excess of food is also harmful and can lead to obesity. Once - twice a week it is useful to arrange "fasting" days, thereby keeping the fish in good shape.

Badis - sexual dimorphism

They become sexually mature quite early, depending on the species, by 5-8 months of life. At this age, their length can be 2/3 of the nominal.

Sexual dimorphism begins to appear even in immature individuals: the male before feeding can be distinguished by the retracted abdomen, the females are more rounded, not so brightly colored, their dorsal and anal fins do not have sharp ends.

Pair of badis in the aquarium

In addition to the bright attire, larger dimensions and the characteristic shape of the abdomen, males are distinguished by wider and higher anal and dorsal fins, which they show to females with pleasure.

Reproduction of badis in an aquarium

There are also many contradictions in the breeding information.

The hardness value of 8dGH, thus defined as the upper limit, should not be taken too harshly.

They are undemanding to water quality and can spawn even in water with a hardness of about 20 dGH, although they feel better in water with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction that has passed through a peat filler.

Spawning is paired, on a solid substrate, in most species occurs in approximately the same way.

The initiative often comes from the female, her first attempts to approach the male usually stumble upon aggression from his side, despite this, she pushes him again and again, already dressed in marriage attire. Finally, the male responds to the female's efforts by wrapping and turning her over. In this position, the pair can remain above the substrate for quite a long time, after which it releases caviar and milk. After that everything starts all over again.

Spawning continues until the female's entire supply of caviar runs out. For almost an hour of spawning, the female lays 150-200 amber-colored eggs. The caviar is quite large (0.8-1 mm in diameter) and very sticky. It is almost impossible to tear them off the substrate without damaging them. There are very few unfertilized eggs in the clutch, and the waste during incubation is also small.

After spawning, it is better to remove the female. The male is responsible for guarding the clutch to the offspring. During this period, it also actively changes its color, surprising the observer with a variety of shades of color.

Unlike most cichlids and labyrinth fish, the male can hardly be called a caring father. All his care for the caviar is limited to fanning it with his fins.

Hatching of larvae, depending on the temperature, occurs after 40-50 hours. Hatching is friendly, lasts no more than an hour. The larvae are 2.5 - 3 mm in size, at first they are practically motionless, they can stay in the same place for hours.

At a water temperature in the spawning ground of 27-28 °C, on about 6-7 days the yolk sac in the larvae dissolves and the larvae, grown up to 4-5 mm, pass into the fry stage, starting periodically to break away from the substrate trying to swim in the water column. But only after a day they are fully mastered and begin to search for food.

If at this moment the male is still in the spawning area, then it's time to transplant him. Since some males do not quite adequately relate to the spreading of their offspring and are too energetically trying to return the fry to their place, collecting them with their mouths.

Badis female at the entrance to a coconut shell

In principle, you can leave the male for several weeks with offspring. Because adults are not inclined to eat their fry.

The fry need very small live food, it is better if they are rotifers, nematodes, brine shrimp or cyclops nauplii, feeding with paramecia also gives good results - frequent and in a moderate amount for each meal. The fry are inactive, in order to get enough food there should be a lot and it should be in front of their very nose.

A great danger to the life of fry is their overfeeding, which quickly leads to water pollution, as a result of which the entire brood dies in a short period of time. Therefore, changing the water and cleaning the bottom is required almost every day.

In a nursery tank with sandy substrate, live plants, a few snails and biological filtration, the risk of fry death is reduced.

The growth rate of fry cannot be called fast, by the age of one month they barely reach 1 cm. After switching to feeding on crushed bloodworms, things go faster, as the fry become more dynamic. There is less food leftovers and fry care is simplified.

Increasingly rare in amateur aquariums. It's a pity. After all, in their intelligence they are close to cichlids. Bright, impressive in their own way, interesting, and even not paying attention to their neighbors - well, why not an attractive object for a common aquarium. In general, keeping and breeding is a real pleasure. Do not deny yourself it and do not believe unverified horror stories.

Badis-chameleon (badis badis) - estimated price in Russia

Size Average price per piece
Up to 2 cm (S) 82 rub.
Up to 3 cm (M) 238 rub.
Up to 4 cm (L) 250 rub.

Today, chameleon fish are widespread in amateur home waters due to their relative unpretentiousness. It belongs to the Nandidae family and perch-like order, has the nickname "chameleon fish" because of the ability to quickly change body color in stressful situations, when breeding, or depending on the environment that surrounds it. There are 3 subspecies of badis-badis, which differ in color: simple and Siamese badis (with a brown or gray-blue tint), Burmese (reddish).

Sources say that earlier the badis-badis fish was distributed all over the world, but now it lives in South America, Africa, Thailand, Pakistan, Nepal, as well as in a huge number of tributaries of the Ganges.

Chameleon fish loves ponds and streams with a slow current or stagnant water. Most of their lives are spent in disguise. Fish hide under fallen leaves and snags lying at the bottom of the reservoir, and also, thanks to the natural ability of badis-badis, changes color and mimics the environment.

The body length of the male fish reaches 6 cm, the female is slightly smaller.

Appearance

The chameleon fish is able to dramatically change the color scheme of its body from bright orange to dark purple or blue. A metallic shade can be observed in its color, which allows the aquatic individual to adapt to the environment and successfully hide from predators.

Distinctive features:

  • small body length - 5-6 cm, however, single representatives of this species can reach 8 cm;
  • the fish has an oval shape, flattened in the lateral parts. The torso passes directly into the head, on which small black eyes and a mouth are located;
  • the fish have a high fin, almost to the very tail;
  • strong pectoral fins of medium size;
  • fan-shaped and semicircular tail, allowing individuals to move quickly in the water column.

Badis-badis fish will be very comfortable living in aquariums with a volume of at least 40 liters with a gravel or sandy bottom, where shelters are located. It is also recommended to plant biotope plants that adhere to the decor, such as:

  • anubias;
  • Thai fern;

To create maximum conditions for water chameleons, you will need to additionally set attributes that bring your home reservoir closer to your favorite, natural habitat badis-badis:

  • dried leaves;
  • driftwood;
  • coconuts;
  • branches;
  • floating plants;
  • pots.

It is also recommended to pay attention to the following water parameters: medium and 6-7.5 with a temperature that can fluctuate freely for a short time period from 15-25℃ without creating discomfort. In warm water, the fish will begin to breed offspring.

Badis-badis in the aquarium:

Compatibility

By nature, chameleon fish are slow and shy. They regularly hide behind foliage and snags, and also change body colors, so it is best for them to live in a separate aquarium, without neighbors. They can eat small shrimps and fry, because of this it is better not to let them into a container with miniature inhabitants.

If, nevertheless, the aquarist has expressed a desire to place neighbors with them, then it is recommended to choose peaceful fish:

  • characins;
  • neon;
  • erythrosonus;
  • small catfish.

But from outwardly similar or with similar habits of fish, it is better to refuse. Badis do not get along with neighbors apistograms and the like.

How to distinguish a female from a male

Male and female chameleon fish have their own distinctive features. Female individuals have a pale color, slight fullness, they are smaller in size relative to the opposite sex. They also have transparent fins, while the males are flesh-colored. However, more males are imported, because their brightness and colorful colors attract buyers better.

Nutrition

In nature, badis-badis fish feed on zooplankton with pleasure: insects, worms, larvae living in the water, therefore, once in a home pond, they may refuse store food, but some individuals get used to it over time.

  • daphnia;
  • coretra;
  • artemia.

The more diverse the food for fish of this species, the brighter the color of its body will be. You should also carefully consider the choice of neighbors for them, because they are shy, so some fish can take food from chameleons.

Chameleon fish are prone to inflammatory processes inside the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), so it is better not to use complementary foods: tubifex, bloodworm, or wash them well before serving.

Breeding

The stimulus for spawning is a slight increase in the temperature of the aquarium liquid, and an increased amount of food of living origin. Chameleon fish spawn freely in domestic reservoirs with a large number of shelters, hiding their offspring in them. They are able to breed both as a pair and as a whole family, therefore they are easy to breed. Before spawning, each male will prepare a separate shelter for himself, because he, as a male representative, protects his fry.

The survival rate of small badis is quite high, regardless of the temperature of the water and the fish living in the neighborhood, however, to increase survival, it is worth transplanting them into another container.

If the male is ready to spawn, he becomes aggressive and invites the female to his territory. At this moment, the fish changes color to an unforgettable black color with blue, luminous fins. For chameleons during the mating season, clutching with lips is typical, where the male practically absorbs the female and drags her into a prepared spawning place.

For 1 spawning, the female is able to lay up to 100 eggs, then she can be transplanted into another container, and the male will continue to take care of the cubs. After 2-3 days, the fry begin to hatch, and after a week they will swim. Naturally, the first 7 days they do not leave the shelter, and starting from the 2nd week, it is recommended to transplant them to another aquarium so that adult badis-badis do not eat them.

The initial food for badis-badis fry is commercial food and microworms, and after a few weeks you can sprinkle them with artemia naupelii.

Chameleon fish hiding:

Mobile and bright chameleon fish are easy to care for and maintain, therefore they deserve a place in home waters. They will give it an unusual look and will delight with multi-colored bodies. However, it is worth watching them and noticing the appearance of offspring in time so that the cubs do not become live food for adults, and it is also recommended to carefully consider the choice of nutrients and the neighborhood, because shy fish are prone to gastrointestinal diseases and eating any zooplankton that fits in the oral cavity.