Considering a Black Arowana - Input Please

[SimonL]

The FRT with rays and aros is a bad idea. I've tried mixing mine with a number of different set-ups, the FRT only gets along with small fish and mid size cichlids...it could be an expensive experiment lol

 

[tanglovers]

How large was your FRT? Mine is about 10" shell length and I can say (knock on wood) has been great with everything he has been with so far (rays, cichlids, clown loaches). I too have read a ton of horror stories about it as well.

 

[AU_Arowana-RG]

Black aro will do well in your tank. You may need to grow it out a bit first depending on the size of your cichlids. It is hard to say if the aro will eat smaller fish or not. I have two 27" black aros, they pretty much will leave most any smaller fish alone, ranging from serpae and black skirt tetras to silver dollars, angelfish and clown loaches. However if I put gialt danios in the tank, they will hunt them down rather quickly, so ya just won't know until ya try.

Sounds your blacks target the more slender bodied fish. If I'm correct, the Serpaes have thicker bodies than the Danios despite the Danios being slightly longer.

@ tanglover: How long have you had the FRT? And any observations of nipping or biting? Any of these would be helpful info for you, as someone lost an Australian Lungfish once to an FRT bite.

 

[tanglovers]

I have had the FRT for about a year now, no issues at all. Has been kept with loaches and medium sized cichlids the whole time. Has also been kept with rays, larger rays no issues at all, one smaller ray got a very small nip on the tail.

 

[Bderick67]

Sounds your blacks target the more slender bodied fish. If I'm correct, the Serpaes have thicker bodies than the Danios despite the Danios being slightly longer.

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I think the main reason is the giant danios move quickly and stay at the top of the tank. This seems to trigger the black aros natural instincts. The tetras would go right to the bottom of the tank when introduced, and the blacks would then just ignore them.