Hoplias Malabaricus Care Info
- Thread starter NJKILLSYOU
- Start date
sorry harley i know the search feature theres just to much scattered info in each thread. i have a 125 72x18 and i know they will out grow it, i just need to know if they require anything special.
Okay, well, where do I start?!
They are nocturnal, so you won't see much activity during daytime. I work late, so I get to see lots of my wolf. After 9 PM he starts to swim around like a trout. He is 8'' now and lives alone in a 75 gal. That almost seems to small. People will underestimate the space requirements for wolves since they only see them lying around all day long. He cannot digest beef heart, so I feed him with shrimp stuffed with catfish pellets. I am thinking about getting a second wolf, as you can see in my threads (search results link above). That might or might not work. He shreds fish which are too big for him to eat and leaves them wounded. Thus, I am not sure if my specimen will tolerate any other species. Or any other living creature for that matter: I added three 2.5'' apple snails. One died after a week. Seemed healthy and ate well, and was dead the next day. I am not sure if it died of natural causes ... I actually think the wolf snacked on it. Search for threads by kane1. His wolves damages knives of almost the same size.
As with all predators: Frequent water changes, superior biofiltration. Wolves like pH neutral to slightly acidic, hardness doesn't matter. Flow rate in tank doesn't matter. Mine loves to hide in a hollow log during the day. We'll see what happens when he's too fat for that
Yeah, and as FISH ROOM PLUS mentioned, they jump. I saw mine jump against the lid with so much force that it opened and water splashed out. Needless to say that I installed a locking mechanism.
Anything else in specific?
HarleyK
They are nocturnal, so you won't see much activity during daytime. I work late, so I get to see lots of my wolf. After 9 PM he starts to swim around like a trout. He is 8'' now and lives alone in a 75 gal. That almost seems to small. People will underestimate the space requirements for wolves since they only see them lying around all day long. He cannot digest beef heart, so I feed him with shrimp stuffed with catfish pellets. I am thinking about getting a second wolf, as you can see in my threads (search results link above). That might or might not work. He shreds fish which are too big for him to eat and leaves them wounded. Thus, I am not sure if my specimen will tolerate any other species. Or any other living creature for that matter: I added three 2.5'' apple snails. One died after a week. Seemed healthy and ate well, and was dead the next day. I am not sure if it died of natural causes ... I actually think the wolf snacked on it. Search for threads by kane1. His wolves damages knives of almost the same size.
As with all predators: Frequent water changes, superior biofiltration. Wolves like pH neutral to slightly acidic, hardness doesn't matter. Flow rate in tank doesn't matter. Mine loves to hide in a hollow log during the day. We'll see what happens when he's too fat for that
Yeah, and as FISH ROOM PLUS mentioned, they jump. I saw mine jump against the lid with so much force that it opened and water splashed out. Needless to say that I installed a locking mechanism.
Anything else in specific?
HarleyK
Good links, stotty. Except for one statement on there:
They write:"This species is not overly active, so very large tanks are unnecessary."
That is absolute
People who write that crap never look at their tank when it's dark.
It just aggrevates me because it promotes bad fish keeping
As I said, my wolf makes the water boil when the lights have been out for a couple of hours.
HarleyK
They write:"This species is not overly active, so very large tanks are unnecessary."
That is absolute
People who write that crap never look at their tank when it's dark. It just aggrevates me because it promotes bad fish keeping
As I said, my wolf makes the water boil when the lights have been out for a couple of hours.HarleyK
hi HarleyK, hope ur well?
NJKILLSYOU i used to feed mine mainly on prawns they are not as messy as red meat still quite meaty and the wolves tend to digest them wit no probs.
Yeah harley is right about tank space when they are just lazing about the tank seems more than big enough as they start to move around the tank just looks to small, i would say minimum 75 uk galls, and some stronG filters, i had 2 externals and a powerhed with mine total turnover of water 4000 liters per hour. My wolves did adjust and did swi n the day but alot more active in the night.
Other fish in the tank forget about it will get killed (anything), Tropical Waters in Birmingham UK brought my 14" male wolf they still have him, well they tried to keep a 14" black shark with , the shark was in the tank with the wolf for a week, in that week it had minor nips however during the second week the shark took a good beating and had to be moved to save it from getting killed, on one of the days i did see the shark trying to bully the wolf big mistake!!! it is now housed with pacus and ga gian gourami and is back to his bullying ways!!
So tank mates from exp none! good lid to stop it from jumping out, prawns as main diet occasionally vary diet try chicken and small pieces of red meat, i used to feed mine every day however every other day is good if you want to fatten and get is big quick, water changes one large 40% or 2 at 25% weekly, good bio filteration and i think power head a must for good water movement but more so for oxygen! Wolves are hardy fish so spikes in water parameters does not effect them to much, i have had my ph drop to 5.5 and the fish have been ok ideal should be 6-6.5. Water temp 26-28C
Good luck
Kane
Yor tank 72" long and 18" wide and 125 gal?? if so than i think ur wolf will be ok in there for life.
NJKILLSYOU i used to feed mine mainly on prawns they are not as messy as red meat still quite meaty and the wolves tend to digest them wit no probs.
Yeah harley is right about tank space when they are just lazing about the tank seems more than big enough as they start to move around the tank just looks to small, i would say minimum 75 uk galls, and some stronG filters, i had 2 externals and a powerhed with mine total turnover of water 4000 liters per hour. My wolves did adjust and did swi n the day but alot more active in the night.
Other fish in the tank forget about it will get killed (anything), Tropical Waters in Birmingham UK brought my 14" male wolf they still have him, well they tried to keep a 14" black shark with , the shark was in the tank with the wolf for a week, in that week it had minor nips however during the second week the shark took a good beating and had to be moved to save it from getting killed, on one of the days i did see the shark trying to bully the wolf big mistake!!! it is now housed with pacus and ga gian gourami and is back to his bullying ways!!
So tank mates from exp none! good lid to stop it from jumping out, prawns as main diet occasionally vary diet try chicken and small pieces of red meat, i used to feed mine every day however every other day is good if you want to fatten and get is big quick, water changes one large 40% or 2 at 25% weekly, good bio filteration and i think power head a must for good water movement but more so for oxygen! Wolves are hardy fish so spikes in water parameters does not effect them to much, i have had my ph drop to 5.5 and the fish have been ok ideal should be 6-6.5. Water temp 26-28C
Good luck
Kane
Yor tank 72" long and 18" wide and 125 gal?? if so than i think ur wolf will be ok in there for life.
thanks guys. im used to keeping serrasalmus piranhas so i have no problems with just a solitary pred in the tank. i did not know about that nocturnal thing. have you ever tried moonlighting with them? im still up in the air about what im stocking this tank with. its either a mala or a 12" rhombeus. or 10 baby redbellies.
thanks again guys ill keep you updated with what i decide.
tank is 72x18x22
thanks again guys ill keep you updated with what i decide.
tank is 72x18x22
Your tank is big enough.
I am also a piranha keeper well was for 20 yrs last few included a 14+ rhomb and 12x6" Ternetzi, should have kept the ternetzi. I would recommend the piranha, which ever the shoal of red or the Rhomb over the wolf unless you get the wolf at a size 12" or more. The piranha will be alot more active and you will feel their presence more in the tank.
I am currently trying to shoal Exodons have lost one so far about to lose another no doubt will lose few more before all settles down, exos are alot more active than any piranha, alot more aggresive and not skittish at all, and they look nice.
Anyway good luck with what you chose to keep.
Kane
I am also a piranha keeper well was for 20 yrs last few included a 14+ rhomb and 12x6" Ternetzi, should have kept the ternetzi. I would recommend the piranha, which ever the shoal of red or the Rhomb over the wolf unless you get the wolf at a size 12" or more. The piranha will be alot more active and you will feel their presence more in the tank.
I am currently trying to shoal Exodons have lost one so far about to lose another no doubt will lose few more before all settles down, exos are alot more active than any piranha, alot more aggresive and not skittish at all, and they look nice.
Anyway good luck with what you chose to keep.
Kane