Breeding Golden Royal Whiptail (Sturisoma Aureum) In The Aquarium

Golden Royal Whiptail, Auro Sturisoma, Gold Antenna Whiptail, Royal Whiptail Catfish

Distribution

The Golden Sturisoma is a freshwater fish that naturally inhabits the Rio Magdalena, Rio San Jorge and Rio Cesar rivers, their river basins, as well as surrounding flood plains in Colombia.

External Appearance

This species is characterized by its spindle-shaped body, beige-gray color, with a dark stripe running along its sides - from the nostrils, through the eye to the base of the tail. A distinctive feature of this species is the black stripe dotted with white spots on the first rays of the dorsal fin. The outer rays of the tail fin are significantly elongated. Females are fuller in the belly areas, and males intensify their colors during spawning. Additionally, on the sides of the male's head, in the area of the mouth opening, one can observe hard outgrowths, resembling bristle.

Disposition

This is a calm and very gentle species, which is primarily active in the evening. It takes food from the bottom and feeds only on plant foods, including algae. However, it requires additional feeding with high-quality vegetable food - a fish feeding only on algae found in the aquarium is doomed to starve to death. This species can easily be kept in a community aquarium, even with smaller fish. Importantly, they should also be calm and gentle and we should avoid other bottom-dwelling fish - the golden sturisoma searches for food rather slowly and will not compete for it with faster and more agile species. Interestingly, this fish does not swim in the traditional way but rather moves along the bottom (forward and backward), using its bristled pectoral fins.

Aquarium

The species prefers a spacious aquarium, with a fairly large bottom surface, on which we set roots and flat stones. The aquarium should have soft substrate, and the addition of plants is also recommended. Systematic partial water changes are essential (fish are sensitive to accumulated nitrogen compounds), effective filtration and well-oxygenated water.

Reproduction

The species is oviparous. Spawning is preceded by intense courtship and the choice and cleaning of the place where the eggs will be laid. Usually it is a flat surface - a stone, a root, a broad leaf, the aquarium glass - a place that is close to the filter outlet. Fish reproduce at night. Eggs are laid in batches. The male cares for the spawn, intensively oxygenating it with his fins and removing unfertilized and rotting grains. The hatching of larvae occurs after 7-8 days. At this moment, the male helps the larvae to get out of the eggshells. After another 3 days, fry appear, which are reluctant to look for food. Only after the next 2 weeks do they actively start feeding, which is why it is so important to feed the young precisely in this initial period.