BARRACUDA OWNERS ACESTRORHYNCHUS

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apriliarider15

Just wanted to let you know that a 3" C. orinocensis can easily eat a 3" cuda.

Most all of the aggressive cichlids make really bad tank mates for characins. The characins are a fragile fish when compared to cichlids.
 
^^^ True that.

Hybrid I think you need to fill out a few more of these questions sheets J/K ;). You have cudas in 2 different tanks right? What is you PH in the tank with the new guys because they seem to be doing good right?
 
Yes 12 cuda in 2 tanks soon to be spread out to 3 tanks. Because I think my 2 4"minimus are soon to be in the food range of the 9 new falcirostris.

My Ph is set by the local water company at 8.2. And I do nothing to alter it.

No problems at all (yet), but past experiences with cuda have taught me that anything can happen. LOL

It seems as once they reach 5-6" that they are pretty bullet proof when it comes to disease. But at that point the chance of them jumping out increases greatly. I have never lost a cuda to fin and tail rot over 4-5". Its hard to remember how many I have owned in total. But a estimate would be in the 30-40 range. I allways buy no less than 6 at a time. And I have lost entire groups before to fin and tail rot with in days of owning.

IMO the keys to owning healthy cuda's are

Good acclimation process upon arrival--- I drip acclimate all of my wild caught stuff for about an hour. Or atleast until the temps match from bucket to tank.

Ultra stable water parameters--- No ammonia or nitrite and stable PH (no ph swings)

Having meds on hand incase of a disease out break ---- I keep maracyn and maracyn2 on hand at all times. As well as jungle labs brand parasite and fungus clear tabs and salt.

Tank temps in the mid 80's --- I have had less disease problems since I rasied my tanks temperature's to 84-86 degree's while young/small. And then 80-82 degree's when the transfer to the big tank. This change was brought on by talking to a few of the japanese and chinese guys that seem to not have as many bacterial related problems.

Steady supply of healthy live foods --- Up to 4-5" I feed guppies and platy's. At and beyond 5" I switch to rosey red minnows or small fat head minnows. And after 7-8" they get large 3"+ fat head minnows and regular feeder gold fish. I buy feeders by the 100 or by the pound. And treat them for parasites and fungus for 3-4 days as well as feed them with a good quality flake food before feeding. I try to keep feeders in the tank at all times. Atleast a few but dont over due it and cause water quality problems.

No aggressive tank mates --- Tank mate choice is crucial for healthy cuda. They can not handle being bullied. I have made several cuda's dinner for other fish by introducing them into the larger tanks with other fish to soon or too small. Cichlids are a all around bad choice for tanks mates. I have lost cuda to everything from p-bass to breeding convicts as well as hujeta's and payara. Convicts are fine until they lay eggs and then they become to aggressive. Hujeta's and payara are fine as long as the cuda is atleast 3/4ths the length of the other characins.

Again just my opinion and what I have learned the hard way over the years.
 
Thanks HybridTheory a lot of good information. I put gravel in my tank today. I cant wait to get more. I will wait until my tank cycles and then longer before I buy them though.

Do you think you will keep the mimi cudas as well or mainly the bigger ones? Good luck
 
I will definetly keep big and small, just not together for long. I have never left a LFS that had them with out buying all they had on hand. :D

I guess its a good thing they rarely come in to lfs's around here. lol

I would love to have a ultra large group of the smaller ones. Like 50-75 of the Ace minimus in a 6ft tank with alot of tall live plants and branchy drift wood. But the price tag on a group like that would hurt badly.
$12 x 75= 900 bucks plus a few hundred for shipping.:screwy:

Also I am down to 8 fals as of tonight. :( I went down stairs yesterday 3pm and fed them and did my daily count. And all where there 9 falcirostris and 2 minimus. Nothing wrong with them at all not even a split fin or missing scale.

Then went down stairs this evening to fed and only counted 8 fals and 2 mini's. So i got to looking around and found nothing but a skull and attached spine under a amazon sword. :eek: i was pretty shocked, Not because one had died cause that happens. But that it died and something stripped it down like that in less than 24hrs. The only thing in the tank besides cuda are some 3/4" convict fry and fathead minnows and a few 1" Oto's for algae control on the plants. I doubt 3 1" oto's eat a 4" cuda like that. So i am guessing that maybe another cuda tried to eat it but could not work it down. So it spit it back out and the convicts and fatheads stripped himdown. IDK

3rd largest group I have ever own and i never even took a pic. i guess i better hurry up. lol
 
hybridtheoryd16;3920008; said:
apriliarider15

Just wanted to let you know that a 3" C. orinocensis can easily eat a 3" cuda.

Most all of the aggressive cichlids make really bad tank mates for characins. The characins are a fragile fish when compared to cichlids.
Click to expand...

Damn Hybrid wish I would have got on MFK to check this thread before introducing them. One by one they started going missing until one day I came home to a Cichla with a mouthful of Acestrorhynchus. I will be back no worries because I need this in my amazonian predatory community.

acestrorhynchus_falcirostris.jpg


Thanks Josh
 
That sucks but it happens to use all. ....live and learn
 
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