Lots of Kelberi and Azul

[cpm6t]

Okay, after pushing my LFS owner for months and months he managed to get me some peacock bass.
The stock list says they are Kelberi & Azul. Here are the questions I have now.

1. I've uploaded the pictures, can the experts please look at the pictures and confirm what they are (are they in fact Kelberi and Auzl)? The bigger ones 3.5" were labeled as Kelberi and smaller ones 2.5" were labeled as Azul.

2. The LFS got 10 each (the minimum quantity they had to order) and since it was specially for me I ended up getting 10 azul & 6 Kelberi. (I might get the other 4 kelberi as well if they are not sold within 1 week, I don't want the owner to be stuck with it since he ordered it specially for me, not many people here would know what peacock bass is specially at that size).
Now I'm stuck with the question of how to provide them space (in the short term).

I just started building a 400g outdoor tank which should be ready in 2 months. Anyway, these guys will have to be at least 7" - 8" to go there. I also have a 4000 - 5000g pond which will be ready in 1 month time. Therefore long term care will not be a problem. I can set up my 220g tank when the current stock in that is transferred to 400g in s month's time.

(a) For how long can I hold the 16 - 20 numbers of these guys in my 220g? 6 months?
(b) At the moment I have them in a 45g (4' X 1.5' X 1'). I need to seriously think of something to add more water volume. I'm thinking of increasing the water volume in terms of added sump separately and keep them in the same tank for 2 months. I can add about 60 - 100g of water barrel separately to increase the capacity, will that work?

Please let me know your feedback. I will keep things posted.

 

[cpm6t]

Went to LFS again in the afternoon to buy some frozen blood-worms. The other 4 kelberies were already gone by then.

Fed mine some blood worms after 6 hours in the tank and they all ate well. Glad that I don't have to start with live food.

 

[Elbling0]

Be careful with the frozen bloodworm, its 90% moisture (water), not the best for long term feeding and putting on size. Dried bloodworms are good but try crushed Massivore, get them on pellets AS early as you can, and good idea with the no live food.
If you don't mind me asking around how much do Kelberi and Azul go for in Sri Lanka?

 

[cpm6t]

Be careful with the frozen bloodworm, its 90% moisture (water), not the best for long term feeding and putting on size. Dried bloodworms are good but try crushed Massivore, get them on pellets AS early as you can, and good idea with the no live food.
If you don't mind me asking around how much do Kelberi and Azul go for in Sri Lanka?

I won't be using blood worms for too long (the frozen ones are expensive here). I always start with them but quickly change to shrimp and fish fillets if they take blood worms.
I got them at $24 for Kelberi and $16 for azul (the azuls are an inch small than the kelberies). The problem here is not the price, but nobody would import them. Very few people know about peacock bass here and 4" - 5" size nobody will buy them for looks unless they know about the fish.
On the other hand I see many small red tail cat fish, arapaima etc that people buy here. I think this is the first time that azuls were brought here.

 

[gangster]

Great job helping the store owner get them imported!
THose are the real deal kelberi and azuls.
SOunds like you are on the right track to keep them long term.
keep them well fed and their water clean.
Now what I would do is this....

Start mixing up pellets w/ their blood worms.
THaw out the blood worms.
Crush up the pellets you want to feed them since pellets are the healthiest for them.
Add those pellets to the bloodworms.
Stir and mix em up so the blood worms are more like a pastey dough like consistency.
NOw feed the pellet/bloodworm mixture a little piece at a time.
Over a few days time add more pellets to the mix once they are readily eating it.
The next thing you know your bass will be eating strictly pellets.

 

[gangster]

And make sure you have a lid on that tank.
They will jump out.

 

[cpm6t]

And make sure you have a lid on that tank.
They will jump out.

Thank you very much gangster for the confirmation. Yes, I've already put a lid. I've a stock of massivore coming from USA end of this month (again, hikari massivore is not available here).

 

[gangster]

ANy hikari cichlid pellet will work if you have others available.
BUt massivore will work great once you get it.

 

[Elbling0]

I won't be using blood worms for too long (the frozen ones are expensive here). I always start with them but quickly change to shrimp and fish fillets if they take blood worms.
I got them at $24 for Kelberi and $16 for azul (the azuls are an inch small than the kelberies). The problem here is not the price, but nobody would import them. Very few people know about peacock bass here and 4" - 5" size nobody will buy them for looks unless they know about the fish.
On the other hand I see many small red tail cat fish, arapaima etc that people buy here. I think this is the first time that azuls were brought here.

Wow man! Great fish and an awesome price. In australia, if I wanted one Kelberi and one Azul, it would set me back around $1000 each fish, atleast at around 60cms, because there are NO juvis here haha.
I hate Aus sometimes.

 

[cpm6t]

Wow man! Great fish and an awesome price. In australia, if I wanted one Kelberi and one Azul, it would set me back around $1000 each fish, atleast at around 60cms, because there are NO juvis here haha.
I hate Aus sometimes.

I know how you feel exactly! I have been trying very hard for the past year to get some pBass imported, and finally some luck. My favorite type is temensis and what got me interested in pBass is a picture I saw of a bright green Orino. I don't know when I'll be able to get hold of those, but at least I am having some now.