Bitterling

COMMON NAME: Bitterling.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rhodeus amarus.

SYNONYM: Rhodeus sericeus.

DESIGNATION: Coldwater.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Europe, withthe following notable exceptions: Spain, Portugal, southern France, Italy, northern Finland, Sweden, Ireland, Scotland, Walesand the Balkans. Introduced into some parts of England.

SIZE: Around 9 cm (c. 3.5 in).

WATER PREFERENCES: Not critical, but prolonged tropical temperatures must be avoided.

DIET: All foods, particularly livefoods, butalso eat vegetation in the wild.

BREEDING: Bitterling require the presence ofa freshwater mussel for spawning purposes.Eggs are deposited within the inhalent siphonof the mussel by means of an extended ovipositor (egg-laying tube).

The male then releases sperm around the same opening and these are taken in by the mussel in its incoming water current. The eggs are, therefore, fertilized inside the mussel where they remain until they hatch two or three weeks later.

Chances of spawning success are improved if the pair is subjected to a period of cool temperatures, i.e. around 10°C (50°F).

DESCRIPTION: Although Bitterlings have been well-known among European aquarists for many years, doubts still appear to remain concerning their correct scientific name. The name R.amarus is sometimes used while others use R. services. Still others use R. sericeus amarus or R. amarussericeus.

According to Wheeler, the current valid name is R.amarus (though he himself used R. sericeus inan earlier publication) and R. amarus sericeus should be reserved for a separatepopulation of Bitterlings, the subspeciesfound in northern China.

Bitterling Information

• The bitterling fish are ideal for outdoor pond breeding. They are small sized cold water fish.
• They have a violet tinge in their body. The fish has a horizontal blue green colored stripe that runs from below the dorsal fin to the caudal fin. The first whiff the pelvic fins are white and the shade of the yes and the fins are red. The fish has a deep bream like body that appears some what similar to the tropical bards species, in spite of fish having no barbells.
• One of the main reasons the fish being so popular among aquarium owners is that because of its method of reproduction.
• The fish is an omnivore and you must set a diet chart for the fish accordingly. You may give your fish with small live food items, flakes, pellets and vegetable extracts. The food items like the algae, tablets and lettuce would also make ideal diet for your pet fish.
• You are required to prepare the aquarium properly for the survival of the fish. The water of the tank should be slightly alkaline. The ideal temperature range should be 55 degree to 72 degree F. The fish is otherwise quite hardy in nature and can adapt to variable changes in the aquarium.