ctoychik's update on the outdoor set-up (RTCs, gars, arapaimas + Os)

[headbanger_jib]

Expensive my father is complaining that it costs more to feed my fishes than a person ^^ though he does not pay for any of the food - i buy all, still he does consider it wasteful ...

parents are always like that, i use half of my monthly salary on fish, food and other aquarium needs, still they say, you spend too much

 

[haynchinook334]

Man i still love your tank/pond.

 

[ctoychik]

parents are always like that, i use half of my monthly salary on fish, food and other aquarium needs, still they say, you spend too much

Whoaaa, you spend half of your salary?! You do love this hobby ^^

Man i still love your tank/pond.

Thanx alot. i will keep updating as they residents are not yet fully grown

 

[ctoychik]

Well, the two paimas are settling in nicely after two weeks ... one is totally healed up (scales and scratches from moving) the other one is not so lucky ... body wise it has healed, but the big scratch on the head (when he caught his head in the net) is not quite healed ... one eye got infected too (i hope he will not go blind in that eye) - it struggled really badly when moving...and i used a fishing net out of sheer stupidity ... luckily the appettite is not diminished on the injured one ... by the way, remember the hump on the two paimas?> Well, one of them outgrew its hump so now it is correctly shaped ...slightly arched back but no break in the back ...the other one (injured one) still has a noticable break in the back

Hmmm, if not healed by next week, i will need to medicate and salt-up the outdoor set-up.

The new O is also doing really well, no bite marks or torn fins. the third gar is completlly at home now.

On the note, gar has difficulties keeping up with paimas during feeding actually (unless the food is oversized like a bullfrog or something). Paimas do not eat anything that is not 'inhalable'. RTC is game for everything.

PS: the pix include some of the nightshots ^^ but generally my photo skills just suck (pardon the expression) ... errr will be upgrading my sony cybershot soon (i hope) ...

 

[ctoychik]

...just got a phonecall from home ... the little albino oscar did not make it =(

the RTC that killed paima last time got him (no sure way to know for sure, but it had the largest belly) ... darn it, lasted for only two weeks (i was startign to get attached to it) ... the white color must have really attracted attention of RTC

 

[ctoychik]

I guess it is time for an update - not that there is much to say

One of the paimas is completely healed frrom the last moving exercise... the other one is not quite healed but getting much better. Both eating like pigs. and gaining weight. Clearly the original paima is the clear ruler of the tank. One of them complete recovered from the broken back - not so for another one (not so nice, but hey there is still room for it to grow - who knows the hump may dissapear). The two new comers eat very violently (even when gulping pellets they trash around - i was douced with pond water when they 'attacked' catfish floating pellets - BUT they LOVE hikari floating sticks) ... needless to say they all have minor loss scales and pumps on their heads. NOTE the coloration of the large paima is coming along quite nicely

Arapaimas are exceeding the gars in size (and aggression ... gars basically sit in the middle/bottom of the tank) - which are rather slow with eating (unless it is something paimas are not interested).

RTCs are doing well as well since when they want to they can really move - that is, catching their food. Note the gulping power in one of the pix

I am expecting the gars to rise in importance in the tank during the coming winter ... RTCs and Paimas being tropical and all that. The pond is not heated (fingers crossed paimas are sufficiently mature like my neighbors one to live through the winter. RTCs have survived one fairly cold winter already).

At least the tank receiving the sun would be actually good in winter - but there are days when there is no sun for several days .... all indoor aquariums have heaters ... i might have to back-up the big pond as well - if paimas start showing signs of distress (this is gonna cost for electricity ...)

PS: yes, the ancient oscar is still alive and well - not edible apparently ^^

PS1: my plant died after i doused the set-up with malachite green <Grrr>

 

[TLkmDN]

i love all the fish that u have!!! we have the same taste in fish

 

[ctoychik]

i love all the fish that u have!!! we have the same taste in fish

Thanx, dude You got wayy more in numbers and variety (i am constrained by the set-up) as well as wayyy bigger beasts though with my paima i will have a bigger (longer certainly) fish fairly soon ... and i will need a bigger place for them soon too ... more instant noodles here ^^

Yeah, i did not struggle so much with pellets, they just took them ... they don't like the cheap round catfish agri-pellets, but they LOVE hikari floating stuff. Luckily RTC does not like hikari but likes the catfish pellets (gars also)

PS: will be keeping an eye out for your aro set-up ^^

 

[Jamieishard]

im amazed....

 

[ctoychik]

Now in motion ^^

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219359