View Full Version : Saber tooth barracuda?
BastardFish
09-19-2005, 12:55 AM
Hello board-I have been unable to get info on this fish, thinking of getting one at local lfs. Any have info, facts please (size, temperment, ect) Any info would be helpful. Thanks
you talking about Hydrolicus scomberoides... never heard of a ST Baracuda
No sabertooth barracuda even in salt water. sabertooth characin or payara is as Waldo says the H. scomberoides, it gets large, needs pristine water, and is reputedly very hard to keep. You see them for sale fairly often. Is this what you means? if so good luck.
PhullTank57
09-19-2005, 5:38 PM
I have kept "sabre tooth barracudas" H. scrombroides (aka: 'payara') as well as Rhapioiodon vulpinnus before in the past. They are extremely delicate sensative fish. Be sure your water conditions is in tip top shape at all times, high oxygen/aeration in your tank, and a strong fast current flow (using powerheads)... THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST!! :grinyes:
These fish stress very easy... so I suggest you keep them alone w/ no tankmates at first. They also have extremely fast metabolism, so you want to make sure they are eating good and well at first. Getting them acclimated and eating healthy is very important. Feed first with live foods... (feeder fish, earthworms, etc.). After they become stable eaters, try offering other foods (non live) as well. GL! ;)
I had mine taking various foods... live rosy reds, raw shrimp, frozen (thawed) fish, earthworms, freeze dried krill, and even lrg. floating pellets (soaked in vita-chem). :) see pics below w/ tankmates and feeding on freeze dried krill.
bluedempsey
09-19-2005, 5:39 PM
i had one that refused to eat
so it died
PhullTank57
09-19-2005, 5:49 PM
I would love to grow out some even half as big as these!! :eek:
guppy
09-19-2005, 10:59 PM
I want to eat one that size.
magic
09-20-2005, 12:02 AM
Would u mind sayin what fish store? I live by SLO and i would want to check em out! They look really cool.
warren126
09-20-2005, 12:37 AM
Dont waste your money very hard to take care of only admire them in your lfs if you want a predetor get yourself a wolf
rumblesushi
09-20-2005, 3:14 AM
I'd rather have one of these than a wolf to be honest. Wolves are boring, strictly lurking predators.
Now my SH, that's a killer.
seldom see payara more then 1 feet in aquariums
bluedempsey
09-20-2005, 5:03 PM
i got 2 sabertooths from miles :drool:
:headbang2
still small though
rumblesushi
09-21-2005, 2:39 AM
how are they dempsey? Are they fun to keep? Good eaters?
Miles
09-21-2005, 10:36 AM
Those are some pampered H. Scomberoides, too.. I was feeding them Neon Tetras because I was too lazy to Quarantine feeder guppies!
bluedempsey
09-21-2005, 8:27 PM
Those are some pampered H. Scomberoides, too.. I was feeding them Neon Tetras because I was too lazy to Quarantine feeder guppies!
yeah their pretty cool!
they ate some of the tetras that Miles sent me
their active at night! i have some lunar lights on them, as soon as the main lights
went out they started swimming everywhere! :headbang2
bluedempsey
09-23-2005, 7:04 PM
today i saw one eat a bleeding heart tetra!
quick lil f***ers! :eek:
mikehawk
01-24-2007, 1:53 PM
I'm bringing this thread back from the dead because big al's has some "sabertooth barracudas" for sale. They're about 3" long and selling for $16 each. The guy was telling me they get about a foot long, and they'll be fine a 55g. But, looking at those sport fishing pics, they look like they get huge. Is there some kind of dwarf sabertooth barracuda species for the home aquarium or something?
BTW, I was thinking of putting one in my 125g as soon as I take care of a little algea problem. It has 3 e400's for filtration and current, and the only fish left in there is a catfish, a pleco, a chinese algea eater, and some guppies. Would it be fine on it's own, or do they do better in groups like the other freshwater barracudas?
FishCI2azy
01-25-2007, 1:41 PM
I have kept "sabre tooth barracudas" H. scrombroides (aka: 'payara') as well as Rhapioiodon vulpinnus before in the past. They are extremely delicate sensative fish. Be sure your water conditions is in tip top shape at all times, high oxygen/aeration in your tank, and a strong fast current flow (using powerheads)... THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST!! :grinyes:
You say the parameters are a must, but what are they??:confused:
DB junkie
01-27-2007, 9:33 PM
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe there are 4 species available that fall into the catagory of Vampire Tetras/payara/sabre tooth/sabre tusk baracudas/Tiger characin
Rhaphiodon Vulpinus, hydrolycus scomberoides, hydrolycus tatauia, and hydrolycus armatus. Vulpins are easy to tell from the others cause of the dorsal fin, it's set back (towards the tail). They're bright silver. Sopposed to get 2 feet. Almost seems like the easiest way to tell apart the hydros is price. Armatus being really expensive, then tats then scoms. Armatus get huge. Tats about 18-22 and scoms being the ones with the rep of being difficult to keep and seldomly seen over 12 inches. Scoms and vulps are very skittish. Tats and Armatus are supposed to be pretty tough and less skittish. I know there's some pics of a 24" plus Armatus floating around.
I had one I believed to be a tat. Had it for probobly half a year but was killed by an eel. I have a pair of vulps in a 125. Had 3 one was killed. I haven't really had too much trouble with raising them over the last year. Aquired them at 3 inches they are about 8 now. Waterchanges every week and AQ hob filters. Not really difficult to keep I don't think. Our tap water is pretty hard here and it's not altered before it goes into the tank. Not really that picky of eaters. Mine like freeze dried krill, market shrimp, nightcrawlers and of course feeders. Personally with all the fish that I have these are probobly my favorite. They do a strange back flip kinda thing when they eat, regardless of what they are eating. So I guess in my experience they aren't really that hard to keep and definetly entertaining.
rallysman
01-27-2007, 9:35 PM
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe there are 4 species available that fall into the catagory of Vampire Tetras/payara/sabre tooth/sabre tusk baracudas/Tiger characin
Rhaphiodon Vulpinus, hydrolycus scomberoides, hydrolycus tatauia, and hydrolycus armatus. Vulpins are easy to tell from the others cause of the dorsal fin, it's set back (towards the tail). They're bright silver. Sopposed to get 2 feet. Almost seems like the easiest way to tell apart the hydros is price. Armatus being really expensive, then tats then scoms. Armatus get huge. Tats about 18-22 and scoms being the ones with the rep of being difficult to keep and seldomly seen over 12 inches. Scoms and vulps are very skittish. Tats and Armatus are supposed to be pretty tough and less skittish. I know there's some pics of a 24" plus Armatus floating around.
I had one I believed to be a tat. Had it for probobly half a year but was killed by an eel. I have a pair of vulps in a 125. Had 3 one was killed. I haven't really had too much trouble with raising them over the last year. Aquired them at 3 inches they are about 8 now. Waterchanges every week and AQ hob filters. Not really difficult to keep I don't think. Our tap water is pretty hard here and it's not altered before it goes into the tank. Not really that picky of eaters. Mine like freeze dried krill, market shrimp, nightcrawlers and of course feeders. Personally with all the fish that I have these are probobly my favorite. They do a strange back flip kinda thing when they eat, regardless of what they are eating. So I guess in my experience they aren't really that hard to keep and definetly entertaining.
That's basically what I have found. I'm starting to wonder if I have too much current in my tank. I might switch to a HOB
mikehawk
01-28-2007, 10:05 AM
I'm bringing this thread back from the dead because big al's has some "sabertooth barracudas" for sale. They're about 3" long and selling for $16 each. The guy was telling me they get about a foot long, and they'll be fine a 55g. But, looking at those sport fishing pics, they look like they get huge. Is there some kind of dwarf sabertooth barracuda species for the home aquarium or something?
BTW, I was thinking of putting one in my 125g as soon as I take care of a little algea problem. It has 3 e400's for filtration and current, and the only fish left in there is a catfish, a pleco, a chinese algea eater, and some guppies. Would it be fine on it's own, or do they do better in groups like the other freshwater barracudas?
Well, I went back to big al's and all of the sabertooth barracudas were gone. Oh yeah, my chinese algea eater is MIA, and I only have 4 guppies left. I think the catfish may have been the culprit.
dpk2313
03-31-2009, 2:43 AM
re reviving this thread
still curious about attitude towards tank mates?
hybridtheoryd16
03-31-2009, 11:03 PM
A blast from the past. Things sure have changed since 05. But for your question--I reccommend reading the sticky at the top of the page. But of the 3 main species the Tatuaia is the best one for a mutli species tank. They will not harm any tank mate that is big enough not to be considered food. So as long as its more than half its length your safe. Same goes for scombs. But the big guy Armatus don't do real good with mates. As long as the tank mates don't kill the payara and they are bigger than its feeders your fine. Also they are slow eater so any really aggressive eater probably will not work etheir. i have housed them with hujeta's and barracuda many times with 100% success. And i have read about several payara getting bullied by aggressive cichlids.---------hope that helps
baseballvt
04-01-2009, 6:44 AM
hello, i bought one at the lfs and its not growing very fast if zi send a picture could you tell me if thats what it is for sure.
krichardson
04-01-2009, 12:55 PM
hello, i bought one at the lfs and its not growing very fast if zi send a picture could you tell me if thats what it is for sure.
Yeah,post a picture and someone will know what it is.
BastardFish
04-01-2009, 6:59 PM
lol wow 2005' man this one's old:D
dpk2313
04-01-2009, 10:54 PM
Thanks Hybridtheoryd16
I was hoping to house them with a chaca, small Jur and a few plecos so i think they'll do fine
VampAro69
04-01-2009, 11:08 PM
I have a scomb and a red tail tat, they both eat fine are growing good and live just fine. They tat has a little temper though.
hybridtheoryd16
04-02-2009, 2:54 AM
Thanks Hybridtheoryd16
I was hoping to house them with a chaca, small Jur and a few plecos so i think they'll do fine
Not sure what a jur is but the rest sound good. If thats a jardini arowanna you are refering to that could be a problem later on cause they are mean.
dpk2313
04-02-2009, 2:57 AM
juruense catfish
guanl23
04-02-2009, 3:06 AM
aren't they also called vampire tetra??
channarox
04-02-2009, 3:23 AM
juruense catfish
it will outgrow and eat the scomb.
dpk2313
04-02-2009, 3:15 PM
Im just growing the jur out in their till it reaches about 7"
saber tooth barracuda is a raph my LFS labled ST barracuda but i found out it was raph looked armatus lol
channarox
04-03-2009, 6:24 AM
Im just growing the jur out in their till it reaches about 7"
im not sure whether or not it will outgrow the scombs enough to eat them,and im too lazy to calculate.
but the jur definitely at some point will.
dpk2313
04-04-2009, 8:26 AM
The ones Im looking at are around 4" now so I think Ill be ok till the jur reaches 7"
right?
channarox
04-04-2009, 9:00 AM
should be fine although ive never kept jurus before.
wolffishkid
06-03-2009, 7:51 PM
bought one today mean as hell
krichardson
06-05-2009, 7:08 PM
aren't they also called vampire tetra??
Yeah thats another name that the stores use to make the fish sound more interesting in order to get them sold.
lamanuts
08-04-2009, 4:27 PM
i think there very easy to take care of i had them now for 3 years 1 red tail 9'' 2 yellow tail 13-15'' there very slow growing but very worth it ive only had one die cuz my friend was draining the tank and sucked all the water out and he forgot about it and i came in to see all my fish in that tank dead but other than that there very easy just keep them with the same size fish cuz my yellow tail eat a 8'' bass whole and also a walleye
lamanuts
08-04-2009, 4:28 PM
the biggest i seen in captivity was a 2 footer
DB junkie
08-04-2009, 4:31 PM
i think there very easy to take care of i had them now for 3 years 1 red tail 9'' 2 yellow tail 13-15'' there very slow growing but very worth it ive only had one die cuz my friend was draining the tank and sucked all the water out and he forgot about it and i came in to see all my fish in that tank dead but other than that there very easy just keep them with the same size fish cuz my yellow tail eat a 8'' bass whole and also a walleye
How about some pics of these huge yellowtails?