Labeo Bicolor (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) SMITH, 1931
Labeo two-tone – a beautiful fish with a contrasting and unusual color first appeared in European aquariums in 1952, and was introduced to the USSR in 1959.
Habitat: small rivers, streams and lakes with flowing warm water in the central part of Thailand. The water in such reservoirs is clear, and the bottom is covered with stones and a dense carpet of plants and branches.
Now the fish are listed in the Red Book and are considered endangered. The population decline is due to the construction of river dams and massive commercial fishing.
Description: body color is saturated black, contrasting tail bright scarlet. Under natural conditions, fish can be black-brown or yellow-brown.
There is an albino form.
If the fish is under stress, sick or in adverse conditions, the color intensity decreases.
Labeo two-tone albino (Epalzeorhynchos-bicolor-albino)
The body is elongated, slightly flattened laterally. Back curved.
The head is small with large eyes of red color. The lower mouth with two pairs of tendrils in the form of a sucker-scraper is covered with horny fibers.
The fins are large and well developed. Spinal high and pointed.
Males are slimmer and their colors are brighter. The female can be distinguished by a convex line of the abdomen and a noticeable egg-laying.
In some females, the tail is painted not in bright red, but in a brick color.
In nature, the labo-bicolor size is about 20–25 cm, and in captivity, fish rarely grow larger than 10–12 cm.
Arrangement and parameters of the aquarium: for keeping two-colored labo requires an aquarium at the rate of 80 liters. per adult.
The fishes are very territorial, in the group there is always a leader who can not only defend his territory, but also swim in someone else’s. It is better to keep alone, and for the beak you need a very spacious aquarium and a large number of shelters, which will prevent interspecific conflicts.
Large stones, snags, decorative caves will do. The soil and the background are preferably of a dark color, and from the plants it is necessary to form areas covered with thick vegetation, leaving free space.
Plants can choose any, labo to them are indifferent.
Water parameters: 22-27 ° С, dH up to 15, pH 6.0-8.0.
Requires filtering with aeration, the substitution of the fifth part of the water weekly.
Fish are very sensitive to sudden changes in the chemical composition and temperature of the water.
Labeo two-color (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) It is not recommended to keep fish with similar colors. Taking them as representatives of their own species, the labo will show aggression.
Compatible with active, but not aggressive species: danios, gourami, angelfish, battles, large tetras, barbs.
Nutrition: accepts all types of feed. You need an abundance of plant food: pieces of cucumber, zucchini, spinach, lettuce, nettle. Periodically can be placed in the aquarium glass, overgrown with algae.
Live and frozen foods help maintain color intensity. As the animal component fit Motyl, Koretra, Daphnia, Artemia and Tubing.
Sometimes I get a bicolor labeo as an algae, but some other species such as Crossocheilus do it much more effectively.
Siamese Seaweed (Crossocheilus siamensis)
Reproduction: The process of breeding Labe two-color in the home aquarium is very problematic. This is due to the size of the spawning tank, the volume of which must be at least 400-500 liters and mandatory hormonal injections.
Various shelters and plants are placed in the spawning tank, powerful aeration and artificial flow are provided.
Water parameters in the spawning aquarium: 27-29 ° C, dH 4-5, pH 6.5-7.
Before spawning, a female with two or three males is kept separately, and the basis of their diet should be live food.
The female is able to sweep 1000-3000 greenish eggs 1.5 mm in size. Producers immediately begin to destroy the eggs, so they should be immediately deposited.
Caviar is incubated for 12-16 hours. The hatching larvae turn into fry on day 5, at the same time they are able to swim and take the initial feed: “live dust”, phytoplankton, rotifers, ciliates, boiled yolk.
Enthusiasts bred Labe bicolor for subsequent departure to natural habitats.
In the first 2 weeks, there is a high mortality rate among fry (up to 50%), but the surviving juveniles grow quickly and by the age of one month already reach a size of 3 cm.
Sexual maturity comes to 1-2 years.
Lifespan Labeo two-color (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) 8-12 years old.