H. armatus x3

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
8 week update. They are still in the 29 though I have a larger tank but just havnt set it up yet. They are fine in there for now so I dont see what I need to move them yet.

Here is the first one I got (med of the trio but now by far the largest) when I got him and him now. He has gone from about 3" to 7" in just two months.

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The other two are about 6"
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Theyve outgrown the mosquito fish and are eating bull minnow, tiger minnows, sheepshead minnows (previous three are some local killi species) as well as sailfin mollies. All food is collected in the wild from saltwater and thrown directly into a their tank with no QT. Even coming from saltwater the fish live up to a week in freshwater until they are eaten.

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Who said you need a monster stank? They are still in my 29 gallon tank and getting big. The biggest one is about 10-11" (almost the width of the tank) and the other two are about 8". They dont freak out any more and just chill in the tank waiting for food all of the time! They are on live, have yet to attempt to get them off of live.
 
I'd be scared they'd commit suicide once dumped into a big tank. "Look we can finally stretch out!!!!!................THUD!

I'm always paranoid about water parameter swings in little tanks. I have some little VATF in a 20 gallon and even with some of the hardest water in the country I still find myself probing a few times a week just to be sure.

Hope it continues working for you, but also hope there's an upgrade on the horizon, hopefully before the big guy claims all 29 gallons.

Maybe there's something to making these fish more aware of surroundings by keeping them in small tanks, making them less likely to commit suicide later down the road???
 
Do you keep food in there at all times. I have come to believe this is a key in keeping aggression down between them. I still have mine in a 55 and if I feed every day or at least every other day there is no attacks on eachother. But push it to 3 days or more and I will start seeing gashes on eachother.
 
I feed em about twice a week and it takes a day or two for them to eat all of the food.

I do water changes about once a month. I dont scrub the glass and its covered in algae. No real aggression problems but Im worried that the bigger one is getting big enough to eat the smaller two.
 
JD7.62 said:
I ended up picking up all three. Awesome because when I got the first one I didnt even have a fresh water tank running. Now they are all in a 29 gallon tank. It should last them about 6 months or so and then I will upgrade to a 55. :headbang2

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I actually did it. I kept three armatus in a 29 gallon for six months! :WHOA:

I moved the two bigger today and kept the smallest (the black one) in the 29.

The biggest was just under 12" (he dang near touched the 29 front to back) and the second largest was 9". Smallest is still only around 6". Funny thing, the smallest was the largest when I got them and its always been the best eater. Only difference is that he has always been pretty dark. Lately he has been beaten up on pretty good and the big one could EASILY eat him. The two largest I just got off live this week (tried it for the first time this weekend and they both took fish fillet) but the smallest will always have a supply of wild caught mollies to hopefully put some growth on him!

Before anyone says anything, the fish are flawless and did well in the 29 gallon with a single Emperor 400. Hopefullly theyll enjoy the 125 until I can upgrade in a year or so.
 
Here is a pic from last night before the move. I did drop the biggest TWICE during the move and he lost some scales. Temp is bumped up to 86, lots of salt added and Seachem Stress Guard added just in case. Fingers crossed an infection doesnt set in.

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Good luck with them.Does that gator still come around?
 
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