Grooming Marulioides

One of the reason I'm so fascinated with Channa Marulioides and has been my favorite fish for the passed 30 years is because every individual fish is different and the outcome of the fish is different. All the hard work you put in grooming the fish will be rewarded handsomely the moment your marulioides flare its full glory.

Keeping a marulioides alive and keeping a beautiful fish is a world apart. There is no right or wrong way to keep your marulioides. It just depends on which route you wishes to take. Usually I will take both. I keep marulioides in comm tank because I love watching my maruliodes interact in a comm tank. But fishes that I groom will be kept in single tank or mixed in with sparring fish or fishes.

Understand the nature of marulioides. Maru are found mostly in pristine water condition, hardly will you find maru thriving in lakes near town area. Even if they do survive they hardly will breed. This is one of the reason we don't find marulioides in city or town lakes despite many hobbyist gave up their maru and dump them in lakes nearby. Personally over the years I've dump more than 50 adult marulioides in Tasik Permaisuri and no they do not breed there.

On the other hand Channa Striata, Channa Micropeltes and Channa Lucius would breed and thrive in town lakes. This goes to show that maru demands excellent water quality. Contaminated water near cities will not be their choice. To groom a beautiful maru you will hence need to provide the fish pristine water condition. TDS must be low, the right PH and the right condition. Good food and good mood.

The color of maru is dictate by the PH and THE FLOWER BY THE GENE. Give the fish the wrong condition and you will see the flowers disappearing. That will be the basic of keeping marulioides.

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