Datasheet Bitterling
Latin name:
Rhodeus amarus (also Rhodeus sericeus amarus)
Trade name:
bitterling
order name:
carp-like
Family:
bitterlings
Genus:
Rhodeus
Origin:
Central Europe (north of the Alps but south of Scandinavia)
Size (in cm:
6 to 9 cm
aquarium size
Length and width in cm:
100×100
Content in litres:
from 300 liters
water values
Temperature:
15 to 24°C
GH:
10° to 15° dGH
behavior/stocking
Area:
below / bottom
Lining:
Dry food such as flake food, frozen food and live food such as small crabs
Behave:
school fish
Number:
between 8 and 16 fish
Life expectancy:
5 years
Socialization with shrimp:
No
Difficulty level:
beginner fish
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Viridiflavus, Bittervoorn Rhodeus Amarus Vrouwtje, CC BY-SA 3.0
The bitterling is a more inconspicuous Fish native to Central European waters. Due to their grey-green colouring, the fish are often difficult to find. Also, they often stay near the muddy or sandy bottom. As carp-like fish, bitterlings are not aggressive, but they can hardly be socialized with other fish.
What gender differences are there?
Bitterling males are difficult to distinguish from females. A closer look reveals that the male bitterlings have a slightly reddish coloration on the half of the iris.
During the spawning season are the sexes lighter distinguishable. The males take on a bright coloration during this time to impress the females. The females, in turn, form what is known as a laying tube during this time, which is about 4cm to 5cm long.
Is breeding possible?
Theoretically, Bitterlings can also be bred. However, the fish have a special feature that they cannot take over their reproduction independently. Instead, the Bitterlings are at the help of Painter Shells or river mussels reliant.
During the spawning season, a female pushes her oviduct between the gills of a mussel and lays her eggs. The eggs are protected from possible predators in the gill cavity of the mussels. A male then swims over the mantle cavity of the mussel and releases his semen. The spermatozoa are sucked up by the mussel through normal breathing and thus also reach the gill cavity, where they fertilize the eggs.
The 40 to 100 fish larvae develop inside the mussel and feed on their own yolk sac. When the fish are big enough, they leave the shell to feed themselves.
Can the fish socialize?
Bitterlings cannot be kept with other fish. The bitterlings feel disturbed by the presence of other fish species and would not reproduce. Other bitterling species cannot be socialized with the European bitterlings either. Although the species can fertilize each other’s eggs, it would not viable larvae come.
Only mussels such as the painter’s mussel or the river mussel can be kept in an aquarium with bitterlings.
Do mussels also benefit from bitterlings?
Mussels also reproduce with the help of bitterlings. A mussel sends out its larvae for this purpose glochidia, into the water. The larvae have rakes and attach themselves to fish that swim by. This creates small wounds in the fish skin, in which the glochidia nest. They remain in the fish’s tissue until they are large enough and then break through the skin again. This can be dangerous for Bitterlings because germs and bacteria can penetrate through the open wound.
How many mussels should be in the aquarium?
The number of mussels should be carefully controlled. Otherwise, the amount of glochidia can become dangerous for the whole school of fish during reproduction. For this reason, there should only be one mussel per pair of fish in the aquarium and the young mussels should be transferred to other aquariums or to another body of water as quickly as possible relocated become.
How should an aquarium for bitterlings be designed?
Bitterlings like loose, slightly muddy soil that they can easily kick up. In addition, the Pisces prefer a relative dense vegetation from aquarium plants, so that they can withdraw from time to time. The bitterlings also like light currents in the aquarium.