Introducing myself

[Red Tail Fan]

Well, not a lot I can say to all the above is there did you all have a meeting overnight to OUT Val???? I find your "I know but you don't" attitude thoroughly conceited and offensive, how dare you attack me like that.
LBDave Incidentally how do you heat and filter a pond.

Well I came here tonight to ask some more questions so I'll ask them.

Can the arrow or RTI eat Quorn, or canned fish in brine, i.e. sardine with the brine removed? i was told they cant have chicken yet the guy in the link is feeding chicken hearts
.Tobiassorenson I see you like piranha, what gives the predatory side of the aquristic hobby a bad reputation is people, probably yourself who feed live, terrified mammals to their fish, it is sickening to watch and I think Youtube should ban them, fnnily enough I was having the same argument with a chap last night, he was feeding live fish (maybe it was you) the fish desperately tried to escape but obviously to no avail, someone had commented that it happens in nature, well bullshit it does the feeder fish has a chance to escape in nature, trapped in a tank it has no chance.. getting angry now so signing off.

 

[sirrelicanth]

Welcome to the community.

 

[moe214]

Well, not a lot I can say to all the above is there did you all have a meeting overnight to OUT Val???? I find your "I know but you don't" attitude thoroughly conceited and offensive, how dare you attack me like that.
LBDave Incidentally how do you heat and filter a pond.

Well I came here tonight to ask some more questions so I'll ask them.

Can the arrow or RTI eat Quorn, or canned fish in brine, i.e. sardine with the brine removed? i was told they cant have chicken yet the guy in the link is feeding chicken hearts
.Tobiassorenson I see you like piranha, what gives the predatory side of the aquristic hobby a bad reputation is people, probably yourself who feed live, terrified mammals to their fish, it is sickening to watch and I think Youtube should ban them, fnnily enough I was having the same argument with a chap last night, he was feeding live fish (maybe it was you) the fish desperately tried to escape but obviously to no avail, someone had commented that it happens in nature, well bullshit it does the feeder fish has a chance to escape in nature, trapped in a tank it has no chance.. getting angry now so signing off.

Nobody meant any offense from what I read. Seems you took it the opposite of what was meant by TBTB. And I, it sure I feel he was talking about my post, but I did write "I definitely advise". So if you took it as he did, I do apologize, I don't mean to come off as telling you what to do, just giving you the advice you may or may not be seeking.

As for live feeding I won't comment as it seems your emotionally driven there. Can't fault someone for how they feel even if their view differs from yours. Although I'm not necessarily pro-live. Just not always against it. As before mentioned feeding terrestrial animals isn't advised because their stomachs aren't meant to digest it generally, while you may not see issues right away, they will eventually come if you feed enough of it. As far as the aro eating vegetable matter, it's mainly a predator, although silvers are greedy so I don't doubt it taste testing corn, just not sure how good it is for them. Rtc I believe eat nuts that fall to the floor in the wild so some plant matter may not be bad, but like with dogs and cats, some fruits and vegetables are toxic while others aren't, so the answer I can't say I know, I can only say I wouldn't risk it.

 

[Tobiassorensen]

Well that one came out of the blue. I have never nor will i never like piranhas and feed with live feeders. Feeding live feeders here in sweden is in fact illegal and punishable in court. So in my opinion it is wrong to do live feedings.

And as moe said i didnt come at you with any bad intentions. All of the replies you have got here can seem quite harsh but i dont think they are intended to be that. I can insure you that all of us talking on this forum have made bad decisions the hobby. And thats what makes us wanna help out others.

I didnt mean to be rude or anything against you. If you felt it that way then im really sorry for that. That wasnt my intention at all.

Recently there have been some threads poping up here on the forum where it has been big fishes in small tanks discussed. And to be quite honest it is really sad to see the development on fishes like arowanas and redtail in the hobby. They are cute as hell when small but they do grow quick and big.

 

[LBDave]

Well, not a lot I can say to all the above is there did you all have a meeting overnight to OUT Val???? I find your "I know but you don't" attitude thoroughly conceited and offensive, how dare you attack me like that.
LBDave Incidentally how do you heat and filter a pond.

Well I came here tonight to ask some more questions so I'll ask them.

Can the arrow or RTI eat Quorn, or canned fish in brine, i.e. sardine with the brine removed? i was told they cant have chicken yet the guy in the link is feeding chicken hearts
.Tobiassorenson I see you like piranha, what gives the predatory side of the aquristic hobby a bad reputation is people, probably yourself who feed live, terrified mammals to their fish, it is sickening to watch and I think Youtube should ban them, fnnily enough I was having the same argument with a chap last night, he was feeding live fish (maybe it was you) the fish desperately tried to escape but obviously to no avail, someone had commented that it happens in nature, well bullshit it does the feeder fish has a chance to escape in nature, trapped in a tank it has no chance.. getting angry now so signing off.

heating 600 gallon pond for tropical fish in ny

im looking to build a 600 gallon outdoor pond in ny. the pond will be about 4'6" deep and will be insulated on all sides. in the winter i will place a cover over the pond to help insulate it. my question is how should i heat it to keep it around 75 degrees farenheit. it does get down around...

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

RTF: Well, not a lot I can say to all the above is there did you all have a meeting overnight to OUT Val???? I find your "I know but you don't" attitude thoroughly conceited and offensive, how dare you attack me like that.
TBTB: Fist of all, thank you for the feedback, Val. As guys say above, written conversations are dangerous in that words are subject to interpretation. We have kept RTC and arowana. You haven't. So the "we know, you don't" reflects simple reality. Take it as you will. Now IMHO, Moe, Tobias, and I have been trying to convey our advice relatively politely. They have already apologized and so I am: if I offended you, please, forgive me.

TBTB: Also, no one attacked you yet. Believe me. You'll know when and if they will and then you will think that what we said so far had been compliments and pleasantries. I am trying my best to spare you that precious experience to the extent I've never tried before because I have been growing weary of seeing it over many years. People-hating animal lovers, activists of the PETA mindset, and finally simply those with politeness and anger issues would have teared you several new ones already and treated your feelings with the tenderness of a woodchipper treating wood.

RTF: LBDave Incidentally how do you heat and filter a pond.
TBTB: Plus a couple more examples of outdoor tropical insulated ponds in Seattle: http://anythingfish.com/images/Ted/PhotoGallery/Ted's Outdoor 3500 Gallon Aquarium.htm

Teds Outdoor Aquarium

RTF: Can the arrow or RTI eat Quorn, or canned fish in brine, i.e. sardine with the brine removed? i was told they cant have chicken yet the guy in the link is feeding chicken hearts
TBTB: I personally would never give my fish quorn or other surrogates. Fish pellets and frozen fish are what I feed mine. Sardines shouldn't be treated with anything extra, like salt, oil, seasoning, spices, etc. (sardines are a bit too oily too I think to account for a majority of a tropical predator cuisine). If it is just brine and you are willing to presoak to get the brine out, it might be acceptable. I wonder though if brine causes decomposition of some vital nutrients. To me, the more wholesome and unprocessed, the better. The best are caught and frozen, nothing else done.

TBTB: I'd stay away from any meats of non-aquatic origin. I don't know what link you mention but of course people are free to learn from their own experience. In fact, this is the best we learn. Can be painful though but helps remembering it... Problem is, it is easy for people to show how they interact or take care of their fish while it is still healthy and alive. Show off is easy. When that changes, almost all the same people will never show you that. They are quite public when it suits their ego but NEVER REPENT, neither let others a chance to learn from their blunders.

RTF: ... getting angry now so signing off.
TBTB: Val, you are asking us questions, not vice versa. We are trying to help the best we can but we are mere mortals. We are trying to help and not overstep our boundaries, which can be tricky. Please, have patience and good will. Not only Tobias doesn't keep piranha or feeds them live, he is not asking you to help him with his fish-keeping practices. But you are asking him / us to help you with yours. Also, please, reread his reply. To me he was aiming to be vague and mild in the sentence that made you angry. For example he utilized the verb "might". Still, I'd agree with you, if he was a god of written communication and mulled long and hard over each sentence he wrote (and all of us too albeit it's practically impossible), he shouldn't have said that. We are not gods.

* * *

Moe, c'mon, bro, you know better. Mine was a preemptive strike, not a reaction to your, Tobias', and others mild-mannered posts. Compared to them woodchippers mentioned above, you are a white, warm, and fuzzy kitten in a cradle. And we can only thank goodness for that.

 

[Fishman Dave]

Well, I've not posted for a while so maybe now is a bad time but, here goes nothing.
Firstly, welcome Val. Please don't get disheartened, whilst it might not seem it right now, all the posts ( well most) have information of use, which you can consider and make up your own mind on what action to take. Whether to take it on board, but ignore it, or to take it on board and create extra plans - entirely your choice.

TBTB is respected on this site by many and revered by many ( almost a god in my eyes!) But even he like many of us in the hobby will have made mistakes. Many of us (myself included) will continue to do so, hopefully different ones, that's how we learn. However, buying a fish to care for that will outgrow our tanks is something way more of us have done or continue to do than we will recognise or admit. hundreds of thousands of fish are sold for unsuitable tanks, pengasius sold at garden centres as community tank pets, goldfish for bowls, fighting fish for pint pots, and large catfish to unsuspecting owners. I do commend anyone for asking questions. Not asking is the foolish act.
I am not going to berate anyone for buying a catfish which will grow bigger than they can give it a life long home for in realistic comfort. If we did I strongly believe this forum would not exist and we would know very little indeed about the habits of these wondrous fish. Any catfish housed in a tank or pond is in unnatural surroundings, but we strive to give them the very best we can for as long as we can, preferably until they die of old age.
To be brutally honest I have just done it myself (again and knowingly) and anyone who has bought, owned or still owns a piraiba is only fooling themselves if they think they have a suitable forever home for a fish that grows to 8 ft in the wild in a water flow we could never replicate in captivity. The list of us who have or do own one is not small so no doubt we all deserve a public flogging.

Can you keep a red tail in a 5 ft tank, yes, have done so previously many years ago ( ok it was 6ft but not much difference) for well over a year keeping him lean and active before he reached 18" at which point a 622 seemed and was too cramped. My circumstances changed and I loved the fish enough to be able to build him a bigger home, sometimes they do change, sometimes they dont change but generally folks get attached to their pets and want the best for them.
No doubt the folks on here are giving the warning that in 18 months give or take, you may have two big fish which will continue to get bigger, at which point you will have choices. It's better to know that up front.
I too started off with him living with an arowana, unfortunately when the rt got to 9" he ate the then 1 2" arrowana. They have big mouths and big stomachs and arrowana fold well. Obviously I was gutted and learned the hard way. My next arrowana jumped out of the smallest of gaps in the hood - something else to beware of.
it appears you already have both so keep an eye and remember the stories, if it happens to you, I am sorry, if it doesnt, i would love to hear why you think it didnt.
As for feeding.
My arrowana liked blood worm but that meant putting frozen blocks in which float and he can pull bits off. But better still he loved me throwing small bits of mussel meat, fish or prawn in and he would dive after them. Any that make it to the bottom should get eaten by the red tail but if not eaten overnight in the dark can be scooped out. The red tail generally will eat bloodworm and pieces of fish ( I use coley or white fish or sprat).
As for feeding "none natural" foods, all is experimental but I would personally recommend not feeding anything which they would not find in the wild. They might eat and seem to like some things and they may be fine - but why risk it?
If you can find something they do like, just beware that they can both get finiky after a while on the same thing and set in their ways, only eating that food and ignoring other types. Becomes a problem if you can't get hold of it anymore, but also a varied diet would give more minerals and vitamins without having to suppllement.

If you have more questions, ask away but please be aware that our comments are meant in good faith.
I can guarantee that you won't like them all, we never do either. But generally most folks mean well even if written words are hard to make sound the same as spoken ones.two
Not one of us are perfect.

 

[Fishman Dave]

Don't know whether anyone spotted or mentioned it but the reference to Tobiassorensen liking Piranha came from the websites strange habit of labelling different users usage and status as different fish. I am plecostomus. Not my choice but I can see how this is misconstrued to be a liking of them by a new member.

 

[EntoStentor]

I asked admins to change them because i went from a JD to a candiru...nothing so far.

 

[Red Tail Fan]

All the above replies are very much appreciated particularly Fisherman Dave for that long thoughtful and honest post, yesterday I felt I was not welcome here, but now I feel different, so thank you.
Was reading a posting online regarding a tankmate for the arrowana and somebody suggested Gulpers, I had never heard of these so I looked them up...... now that is one scary fish, definitely wouldn't want one, does anyone here keep this fish. I SO wanted to put my gourami in with him but I have accepted that it is risky and not a good idea but I cant come up with anything else, any ideas welcomed but from what I read the tankmate needs to be quite big, I'll keep looking but it won;t be a Gulper.