just bought a rhaphiodon vulpinus aka "vampire barracuda" got some questions

[chuckblankenship]

So i went to my local fish store today and bought a rhaphiodon vulpinus. kinda wish i would have got the silver arowana but any way just had a couple of questions.

I have done a fare share of reading on these fish but was curious if it is true that i will never be able to ween them off of live foods? Do they really only grow at a rate of 1/2 to 3/4 inches a month?

At the store the fish appeared somewhat skiddish, but i kinda figured that its attitude would change once i got him home in my tank wich is alot larger than the fish store. ( they had two of them and a peacock bass in a 15 gallon). will the fish eventually grow out of his shyness? he is about 5 inches right now.

He appears to be doing ok not swimming much just kinda hanging out arounf the bottom, but has already eatin two guppies? Are these fish very active swimmers? hope someone out there had experience with them and offer me some answers.

 

[Industrial]

My raph is not very active. He used to sit at the bottom of his 20g tank and after I upped the current he swims in the current at the top now. Watching him, I would believe that he would use up any extra space that I would give him. He will be going in a 40br soon so I will know for sure. He occasionally swims around in circles and he bites the glass a lot. I think he does this to speed up his teeth falling out. Once he grows the new ones he stops until they are ready to fall out again.

Mine isn't too skittish, although he tries to get as far as possible from my baby whale mormyrid. He will eat feeders even when I have the net in the water. He also has to problem being himself with me watching the tank very closely (when most other fish get more skittish).

Mine grew maybe an inch and a half in 3 months I believe. Although I was not doing very frequent water changes and there was low current.

Mine has no interest in feeders that are not swimming and panicking. If the feeder is swimming in the place the raph ignores it.

Make sure to vary his diet. Mine gets danios, guppys and rosy reds. Any fish alone is not a healthy diet for a piscavorous fish.

I also believe that they are more aggressive to aggressive fish. I just added a belonesox to the tank temporarily and the vampire tetra keeps sizing him up and chasing him away.

 

[chuckblankenship]

about how big was he when you bought him? have you ever tried to ween him off of live foods? Im thinking maybe i need a powerhead to give him a current to swim in because ever since i have bought him, all he does is lay on the bottom

 

[Delhezi B]

CURRENT CURRENT CURRENT you NEED current in a raph tank. mine went from 3 inches to 6 inches in under 3 months. i have 3 strong powerheads in a 40 breeder with my raphs.... Also feed them alot just keep a few feeders in at all times. It also helps to black out the sides and back of the tank it makes them much less skittish.

thats really all there is to it

 

[Industrial]

Powerheads are recommended with payara. Mine will be going in a south american whitewater biotope with a 20-50g powerhead. If I need any more current I will probably just add a sponge filter with a decent aerator to up the current.

Make sure you give him some small area in his tank without much current incase he needs to rest.

Mine was about 3.5" when I bought him and now he is around 5.

Also one more thing, these guys must be hella fast fish. I've only seen mine powerpaddle (powerwalking for fish lol) in his tank. He has never darted before. But even when he just glides away from the baby whale he is much faster. If you have the water really high and startle him with an open lid you may want to watch out because I have a feeling that these guys are excellent jumpers.

 

[Otherone]

Big Tank meaning Big - Super Clean water - Over filtration - Current - Quality Foods that do not include cyprinade aka Goldfish. Petsmart usually sells Mollies and Barbs on weekly specials @ $1 if the fish will not ween to frozen. Without the above your Payara won't be around a year from now.