Falling in love with Vampire Tetra and need help....

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koltsixx

koltsixx

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Just looking for some info here. I like to know as much as I can about the fish I want to buy before I get them. First question is about how long do Scombs live? From everything I'm reading they seem to die at the 12 inch mark. How true is this has anyone had personal experience with this? Also has anyone kept them here and for how long? Next question is about RAPHIODON VULPINIS. Does anyone here have these guys and how's their longevity? Also I'm having a hard time finding pics of the raph's. If anyones keeping one and it's over the 6 inch mark could you put some pics here for me. I'd really love to see one of these guys at a decent size. From what I hear the major difference between them and other Vamp's is they're more streamlined want to see it for myself. Please help me out it would be greatly appreciated. Thanx in advance.
 
Thank you for trying to help, but I read all the info I could on MFK before posing the questions. I also googled as much info as possible. But the MFK guide to these fish lacks pictures of the Raph and describes they're being prone to infections, but doesn't answer the questions I posed such as their Life expectancy(longevity), or anybodys personal experience with them and their longevity. So I still need help, so can anyone else try to help me out. Thanx again.
 
The 12" scomb death ordeal has not been proven to be a myth or fact yet.

The problem is there slow growth rate and they are very easily killed by injury and sickness. So getting them up to 12" or more is hard work.

I have 2 that are about 2-3yrs old in captivity. They are about 7". But I have also killed 12-14 others by buying juvenile sick fish that never seem to pull thru.

So basically even if they die at 12" they grow so slow that it will take several years before it happens. I would guess that if you got a 4" scomb that it would take atleast 6-8 yrs before it seen the 12" mark.
 
I've had 3x - Scombs die at around a year sizes have varied up to 8". I bought a Payara labelled as Rhaph- Biara @ about 2" and supper skinny that grew up to be another Scomb. His true colors came out @ 4" - Purchase date was 7-24-09'-$16.99 so he's roughly 6 and a half months old now @ 7". I changed game plans - rather than try to grow the Payara out in a 30 -55 - 75 - 150 and so on, I started @ 75 gal planted, 3x overfiltration with powerheads. Now he's in 5'-150 planted w/ current 3x overfiltration. Also rather than jamming tons of other fish into the tank with him his tankmates have been very sparse. His diet changed from feeder cyprinids in the past to mollies and cichlids. Obviously this is the best growth rate I've gotten. If he dies @ 12 mo. or so I'll probably breakdown and spend the big bucks on an Aramatus or Tat but so far -really good, eats like a hog and does some of the strangest gymnastics I've ever seen in a fish - swimming vertically, bending into a U shape, back flips - crazy fish. He's also shed his teeth a few times and been basically disease free. When I first brought him home he had ick - cured within a few days.
Myth or No Myth I'm givin' it the college try and time will tell and hope this helps.
 
I posted a couple nice pictures of my rhaph here http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=305768

Personally I think rhaphs look cooler than scombs but I am pretty sure they both need small schools to stay healthy and happy. With a scomb this would be a lot easier to achieve. My LFS has been selling 2 - 3 1/2" scombs for 20 each. I got my rhaph for 30 and I haven't seen one before or after. Scombs also don't grow as large as rhaphs and I know rhaphs need a lot of swimming room. I would guess a rhaph would eventually need a tank wider than a 180g due to it's claustrophobic nature. I am not sure, but I think scombs would be okay in smaller tanks.
 
they are cool looking fish but i have never had good luck with them, they are not very harty and dont live too long
 
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