Fish ID

robham7770 · Jan 30, 2015

Hey everyone, I got these guys as black stripe(crenicichla strigata), but would like some confirmation. I have had them for a while, and they eat well, but I can't see them getting 16". It is quite possible I did something wrong, and stunted these guys. They get cichlid flake, hikari sinking, blood worms, and a few treats.

[video=youtube;s58n_BxS558]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s58n_BxS558&x-yt-cl=85027636&x-yt-ts=1422503916&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

haynchinook334 · Jan 30, 2015

More then likely the pikes are Venezuela pikes AKA Vennies.

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crenicichla444 · Jan 30, 2015

They're vennies for sure and nice looking ones at that.
True Strigata are very very rare in the hobby
I personally haven't seen any top 16 inches but MTN pike here said they had one that was huge it's tail fin alone they reported was 6 inches long so pike was probably in the 20 inch range... Vennies can get large just no one keeps them for long enough I believe

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robham7770 · Jan 30, 2015

How fast should they grow, if they are Venezuela pikes, and what would be the normal size range for a tank raised fish? Any info is helpful, I am trying to decide whether or not to keep them.

crenicichla444 · Jan 30, 2015

robham7770 said:
How fast should they grow, if they are Venezuela pikes, and what would be the normal size range for a tank raised fish? Any info is helpful, I am trying to decide whether or not to keep them.

Around a inch a month if u feed them well till they hit a foot then they slow down a lot . They are vennies... Realistically idk how large they'll get but I'd keep them you have a nice pack of em haven't seen any top 16 inches

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TheSinisterSOB · Jan 30, 2015

Vennies are susceptible to HITH.

Keep your water clean (1 - 2 x/week WC w/ live plants "pothos") and their diet varied with a staple of pellets, and you should have some beauties there.

You'll probably need an 8' tank to house them long term, along with 4-6 dithers (red hooks or other large growing SD's would be my suggestion) or a couple large predatory punching bags to help handle some of the aggression you'll come to see with those lugubris pike.

Good luck!

robham7770 · Jan 30, 2015

TheSinisterSOB said:
Vennies are susceptible to HITH.

Keep your water clean (1 - 2 x/week WC w/ live plants "pothos") and their diet varied with a staple of pellets, and you should have some beauties there.

You'll probably need an 8' tank to house them long term, along with 4-6 dithers (red hooks or other large growing SD's would be my suggestion) or a couple large predatory punching bags to help handle some of the aggression you'll come to see with those lugubris pike.

Good luck!

It seems like the consensus is vennies, and I appreciate all the feed back. I do have some SD that I was going to rehome to the lfs, but if anyone thinks they can survive the Pikes, I might give that a shot. Long term, I am not sure. I have a decent size Dovii in a 6' right now, who needs a bigger tank (I don't think he will ever have friends), but I have been dieing to do an indoor pond for a while now.

Zeke · Feb 2, 2015

I've had a couple come in as trades when I worked at the LFS a long time ago. None were 16" , but they were 12-13", probably 14". Most had HITH. I think they were 3-4 years old. I saw pictures of them when small. Usually pretty mean also. I remember that one was just remarkably colored also. Very bright.


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