Big bad wolf

[DMD123]

Got this guy in November of 2021. He is in a 65B with a BN pleco tankmate.

Was very outgoing when I first got him and then went through an invisible phase where it hid in its log decor all the time. Later saw it pop its head out and it had some damage to it eyes. A buddy of mine who is in the medical field called it a traumatic cataract. You can see the eye damage.

Time has helped heal it up a bit. This is him today


He has gotten to be a very outgoing fish again. Still loves his ZooMed log but comes out regularly and is very territorial, attacks the gravel vac when I clean the tank. Hope his eyes clear up a little more but he is a fun fish.

His tankmate, a large male BN pleco

 

[MetalRavioli]

He looks like a big bad wolf! He's very cool looking!

 

[Friller2009]

He's stunning mate! Absolutely incredible!
Spewing I can't have one, love them!

 

[Deadeye]

Stunning fish - can’t wait till mine gets that big!

My blood parrot had a similar issue with his eye years ago that never seemed to go away. That said, characins have much better healing properties.

 

[jjohnwm]

Gorgeous! Very vibrant colours on that guy.

Interesting to hear how his personality has changed back and forth over the time you've had him. Mine was similar; started out painfully shy, then fairly abruptly turned into a very in-your-face outgoing fish...then sort of went back to being shy and retiring. Now seems to be growing more inquisitive and also aggressive...weird fish.

What size was yours when you got it, and what size now? Looks chunky, not hurting for food.

 

[DMD123]

Gorgeous! Very vibrant colours on that guy.

Interesting to hear how his personality has changed back and forth over the time you've had him. Mine was similar; started out painfully shy, then fairly abruptly turned into a very in-your-face outgoing fish...then sort of went back to being shy and retiring. Now seems to be growing more inquisitive and also aggressive...weird fish.

What size was yours when you got it, and what size now? Looks chunky, not hurting for food.

The eye damage was a huge factor in its behavior. I could tell it was having difficulty when I dropped in pellets it would sometimes completely miss them falling and have to pick them off the substrate. Or it would put its body at some very extreme angles to be able to see. I think it felt vulnerable to predators and hid in its cave until its sight got better. At least thats the theory I have for mine.

When I got it it was about 4” and very active at the store and when I brought it home. Didnt even use its cave and was out all the time. When I added the large bn pleco, then it started using the hide more. Im horrible at guessing size, I always underestimate so Im going to say 8” currently but Im sure its likely larger.

It has been easy to feed in that it took to pellets quickly. Ive fed Hikari carnivore and now Massivore. It gobbles up an entire Massivore pellet like nothing. It also gets other foods that I use for my puffer like frozen clams, krill, silversides, tilapia and shrimp.

 

[jjohnwm]

Yes, the eye damage seems like a possible explanation for its behaviour.

Mine was impossibly shy for the first few weeks; I literally never saw it after releasing it into a well-planted tank until several weeks had passed. Then it became very outgoing...but went back to shy and retiring after a major tank re-scaping/re-structuring.

It's eased up quite a bit now, but still spends more time lurking...either in hiding, or just in plain sight atop a sponge filter or piece of decor...than it does actively patrolling. Like yours, an easy feeder on most types of food.

Mine's about 7 inches now, started at about 2.5 inches when I got it about a year ago.

I am considering transferring it to a different tank soon, a 70-gallon that is plumbed together with a 200-ish gallon into a single system that will be my only heated water system. I am half-expecting it to "go dark" and disappear for several weeks after the move.

 

[DMD123]

Now having seen its growth, size and activity level, am really not sure if I would recommend to anyone an 40B for this fish. Im using the 65B which is the taller 36x18 footprint and when the decided it wants to patrol or feed, makes the tank feel small. That said, I feel like mine is still growing! Im almost tempted to move it into my 300 with the big endli and ansorgii since Ive seen others have good success with them. Problem is Im growing out a tire track eel I want to add. Might just be too much territory issues. While not as wide a tank, I think a 4’ (55g) tank would be better choice. But a 75g would be better.

 

[mike paner]

What size was yours when you got it, and what size now?

 

[DMD123]

What size was yours when you got it, and what size now?

I would guess I got it around 4" and it is at least 8"+ at the moment