Another "Can I put an Aro in this tank" Thread

[cvermeulen]

It's a 180gallon tank (Actual water volume), 5.5'long x2' deep, 3' tall. Right now the occupants are some small but porky clown loaches, a 6" BGK, a 3" Oscar, a couple of little blue acaras, a couple of plecos, 3 mollies that I'm still waiting for osmeone to eat, and buddy, the orphan goldfish (long story)

The LFS has a nice looking 6" sliver Aro that would do a great job of filling the upper waters in my tank (everyone hangs out on the lower half as it is). My main concern is whether he'll eat my little loaches!

I'm aware that under the right circumstances a silver can reach 4 feet in length, and don't worry, I don't plan to keep him in this tank until he can't physcally turn around anymore... but from say 6" to 24", will he be compatible with the other fish in there?

 

[cvermeulen]

oh the loaches are about 2.5" right now... and having just visited the LFS where I got them, they appear to have grown 3/4" or so since I brought them home a few weeks ago. At this rate, I'm thinking they might stay large enough to not look like a meal. Am I out to lunch?

 

[Bderick67]

A silver aro could live quite happily in you tank for a while. Aros need lots of room, and as the aro grows the swimming room decreases. I am now needing to upgrade myself, my 180g 6' x 2' x 2' is kinda cramped for the 24" & 20" silvers that are in it. As long as you understand a upgrade will be needed in a couple of years, I say go for it they are wonderful fish.

As for the tankmates, if they can fit in the aros mouth there is always a chance they could end up lunch.

 

[cvermeulen]

well I hear the aro can grow at about an inch per month... I don't know how fast my loaches will continue to grow - I know they are supposed to be slow growers, but so far they've grown fairly quickly (almost 3/4 inch per month).I guess the question becomes, will a fat 4" loach fit in a 12" aro's mouth (that's about the size I'd figure they will be in 5-6 months). Also, if I keep that Aro fat and well fed, would it bother going after other fish, or is it mainly something that happens when they get hungry?

 

[cvermeulen]

I also enjoy hand feeding my fish right now... and I hear some aro's will take food from your hand, but many will leave you with bleeding fingers if you try this. Any input on that front?

 

[cichlid savage]

a 4" loach will fit quite comfortably into a 12" aro's mouth. As for hand feeding it might be possible however aros can be skittish and have a propensity to jump out of tanks if startled. Though I think Mei Leng (not sure of the spelling) had a thread where her aro would let you pet it. So who knows?

 

[Bderick67]

well I hear the aro can grow at about an inch per month... I don't know how fast my loaches will continue to grow - I know they are supposed to be slow growers, but so far they've grown fairly quickly (almost 3/4 inch per month).I guess the question becomes, will a fat 4" loach fit in a 12" aro's mouth (that's about the size I'd figure they will be in 5-6 months). Also, if I keep that Aro fat and well fed, would it bother going after other fish, or is it mainly something that happens when they get hungry?

Yes they will grow at about that rate to around 24". I keep both my silvers and my black aro with fish they could eat. My aros are well fed but I have lost a couple of fish, which may or may not have been eaten by the aros. Currently my 14" black is in with several yoyo loaches and blue botias in the 4" range. The only time she goes at them is if they stael her shrimp, she then hunts them down to retrieve her shrimp.

I also enjoy hand feeding my fish right now... and I hear some aro's will take food from your hand, but many will leave you with bleeding fingers if you try this. Any input on that front?

My smaller silver has become quite aggressive during feeding, I now have to drop the shrimp into the water, in order to save my fingers. The larger silver gently takes the shrimp from my fingers though.

 

[cvermeulen]

yeah I've read a lot about the skittishness, and I'm not sure I want to deal with that. Everyone else in my tank is pretty mellow right now - I have to physically move the pleco by hand to get him out of the way when I'm cleaning. I dunno if I want a silver rocket/projectile ricocheting around when I try to do anything.

 

[aro-guy246]

Go for it! I love my silver. The degree of skittishness must really depend on each individual. Mine is pretty chill. They do grow like crazy. Mine averaged over an inch per month til he hit 20". Mine eats shrimp from my hand. It is kind of funny, if you toss the shrimp in he attacks it, but if I hold the shrimp at the top of the water he will gently just nibble it out of my hand.

 

[Bderick67]

yeah I've read a lot about the skittishness, and I'm not sure I want to deal with that. Everyone else in my tank is pretty mellow right now - I have to physically move the pleco by hand to get him out of the way when I'm cleaning. I dunno if I want a silver rocket/projectile ricocheting around when I try to do anything.

That is the perfect description

They can be skittish but it generally is a sudden thing. Mine will just stay at the opposite end of the tank during cleaning. There was one time I had both hands/arm in the tank adjusting the heater. Aro was at the opposite end of tank, then he came near me so I didn't move but something made him freak. That's where the "silver rocket" comes in, and he end up on the floor, just that quick.

Sudden movements, vibrations from things falling, unfamilar people, the color red or shadows in a dark room are all things that can spook some aros. So a secure weighted lid is a must for a tank with an aro in it.