Is this a black pacu?

[thebiggerthebetter]

Unless you underfeed your pacu (which would be cruel in my book), I think you don't have the luxury of 2 years in 220 gal. Not to mention that tanks are almost never built as planned and on schedule; and if they are built, they are usually built from 1 year to 5 years behind the schedule but most usually never. Just statistics, nothing personal.

Life always interferes with our hobby and always in the opposite of the upbuilding way.

1000 gal will not hold an adult pacu in a humane manner. Along with another 7 pacu, we have a 3'-long and 2'-tall, 4-5 year old, redbelly or hybrid pacu in a 4500 gal 13x13x4.5' and it looks like it could use a lot more swimming room. Granted it is our current biggest...

 

[Mfkjr75]

The wife and I are planning on buying a new home in 2 years. I plan on building the aquarium myself. Would be a wooden tank with a glass front. I Don’t think building an aquarium of that size in my current home that I would be able to take it with me. Lol won’t fit out the front door. I never under feed my fish. I feed them twice a day, sometimes more if I see them wanting food I’ll throw in some pellets. The pacu is growing fast. Atm I’d say he is about 12 inches. You said something about another 7 pacu? I only have one pacu. But whatever happens, if the pacu does get to big for the 220 I will make sure he is well take care of. If I got to build a tank in my current home then so be it.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

The wife and I are planning on buying a new home in 2 years. I plan on building the aquarium myself. Would be a wooden tank with a glass front. I Don’t think building an aquarium of that size in my current home that I would be able to take it with me. Lol won’t fit out the front door. I never under feed my fish. I feed them twice a day, sometimes more if I see them wanting food I’ll throw in some pellets. The pacu is growing fast. Atm I’d say he is about 12 inches. You said something about another 7 pacu? I only have one pacu. But whatever happens, if the pacu does get to big for the 220 I will make sure he is well take care of. If I got to build a tank in my current home then so be it.

I was speaking of our own pacu gang.

It's extremely commendable what you say. If you merely needed to buy some time, an easier and cheaper way out might be an above ground pool pond or a water storage tub, etc. But you may luck out and last 2 years, it's just that the chances are pretty slim IMHO.

Our pacu run down:

 

[tlindsey]

I was speaking of our own pacu gang.

It's extremely commendable what you say. If you merely needed to buy some time, an easier and cheaper way out might be an above ground pool pond or a water storage tub, etc. But you may luck out and last 2 years, it's just that the chances are pretty slim IMHO.

Our pacu run down:

That was a great tutorial video. Video wasn't long but learned why I won't buy any Pacu.

 

[Tobiassorensen]

Matteus, I have tried lettuce, apples, carrots the pacu would pick at it but never ate it. Maybe he got use to meatier stuff? That would be my fault then. I would always throw in the meaty stuff first then pellets and fruit/veggies. As far as what you said pacu mom, yes they are curious fish and I always find pieces of my plants floating at the top of the tank. I see him picking at them. They are fake plants, but I have them in there to lower the aggression of my Oscar towards the pacu. I always was afraid of exactly what you said about feeding them feeders. In the beginning I fed live feeders due to my peacock bass. I know that can make fish become more aggressive and not to mention costs a lot. So I’m hoping feeding them dead feeders I can slowly get the peacock off of feeders and lower any aggression. It has worked so far for my clown knife. He is now eating whatever I put in there.

For the cichla its easier to stop feed frozen feeders and feed exclusivly what you feed your other fish. The cichla will get it after a couple days of starving that its food. Easier then that it wont become. Eat or die method is the easiest way to get cichlas to eat what you prefer to feed them as they are greedy bastards and always hungry they cant turn down food after a couple of days.

 

[Mfkjr75]

Lol, yes they are greedy, but fun to watch eat. My concern was I don’t want him to die. I don’t know how long he can go without eating. The longest I’ve waited before giving in and giving him feeders was two days. I know they say some fish can go a week without eating and be fine. He is only about 7 inches so I’m not sure how long he can go.

 

[Tobiassorensen]

Lol, yes they are greedy, but fun to watch eat. My concern was I don’t want him to die. I don’t know how long he can go without eating. The longest I’ve waited before giving in and giving him feeders was two days. I know they say some fish can go a week without eating and be fine. He is only about 7 inches so I’m not sure how long he can go.

If hes fat and healthy he can go without foods for weeks but it would normally dont take that long with him at all. Two weeks tops then he gobbles down the food of your choice. Ive converted wc cichlas in a week.

I normally feed my large fish every third day except for an pregnant ray that i targetfeeds every day

 

[Mfkjr75]

Thanks for the help on how to get this stubborn fish to eat other than feeders.

 

[mattybecks]

Pacu are extremely curious fish and very interested in the world inside and outside of their tank. With no hands and fingers to investigate things, they only have their mouths and teeth to check out their world. They can consume and/or destroy anything in their tank either with their teeth or by ramming into stuff during one of their violent freak outs. The bigger they are, the more damage they can do to themselves and objects in the tank during their characin freak outs. Here are some injuries my pacu sustained just slamming into tank lids.

View attachment 1395479

View attachment 1395480

Fortunately, lower lip and tail did regenerate.

Being omnivores, pacu will eat anything (including suction cups and other items in their tank). Some owners feed their pacu an exclusive diet of fruit and vegetables. Others get a kick out of feeding live food to their pacu, essentially training their pacu to be killers. They then lament the fact that their pacu kills everything that moves in the tank including all their tank mates.

All said, pacu are just curious charming rascals.

Just curious if the top lip regenerated too? seems like it was also a little damaged there.
How long did the regeneration take?
Was it totally back to normal like nothing ever happened, or could you see after healing the mouth/tail were not the same as before?

 

[Nilsafeller]

Thanks for the help on how to get this stubborn fish to eat other than feeders.

Hows the pacu doing?