My new pickup - GATF

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Yeah, that's the downside of silver dollars. They eat so much and fast that they're taking food away from the ATFs. I still think the Tin Foils are the best dithers for ATFs. Mine don't eat off the surface so it leaves it to the ATFs. But my SD's are really pigs. The only positive I see is that it makes the ATFs more aggressive towards the food if they want to eat before the SDs get it.
 
I am also looking for a tiger fish but have not had much luck finding one. Other than SDs and Tin Foils what other fish can I keep with one? I was thinking about setting up a tank with a GATF and African Cichlids.
 
JonY3k said:
I am also looking for a tiger fish but have not had much luck finding one. Other than SDs and Tin Foils what other fish can I keep with one? I was thinking about setting up a tank with a GATF and African Cichlids.
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Terrible combo, that. The cichlids will likely beat the tiger when he's a baby. There's a very real chance they'd kill him. If somehow he lasts until he's larger, then you must keep in mind that cichlids are a staple part of an ATF's diet in the wild.

The best fish to go with ATF are other fish that look like them. Tinfoil barbs, bala sharks, tarpons, etc. Just be prepared to lose some of your dithers in the pellet training process. Even baby ATF have an amazing weapon hanging off of their face and they know it.
 
That was the idea. I was going to start with feeder guppies and breed them in the tank. when the tiger gets bigger I will start breeding rosy red minnows. Then start with cichlids when he is big enough. from what I am told they breed all of the time. At least convicts
 
great looking guy
 
JonY3k said:
That was the idea. I was going to start with feeder guppies and breed them in the tank. when the tiger gets bigger I will start breeding rosy red minnows. Then start with cichlids when he is big enough. from what I am told they breed all of the time. At least convicts
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I would recommend avoiding the whole live feeding at all if possible. I had my previous TATF on live and it did get to be a pain keeping multiple tanks running just to keep feeders bred and at the ready. My goliath is now exclusively on pellets/food sticks, and it's 100x less work to deal with.
 
Chicxulub said:
Terrible combo, that. The cichlids will likely beat the tiger when he's a baby. There's a very real chance they'd kill him. If somehow he lasts until he's larger, then you must keep in mind that cichlids are a staple part of an ATF's diet in the wild.

The best fish to go with ATF are other fish that look like them. Tinfoil barbs, bala sharks, tarpons, etc. Just be prepared to lose some of your dithers in the pellet training process. Even baby ATF have an amazing weapon hanging off of their face and they know it.
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Agreed, I wouldn't recommend sticking any type of cichlid in with them when they're small.

Although I must admit, it would be pretty cool looking to have a bunch of the smaller, less aggressive africans (yellow labs etc) in with a MUCH larger GATF. Think a small rock outcropping in the corner of a large tank with 20+ yellow labs swimming in and out, assuming a 18"+ ATF would ignore 2-3" fish as not being worth the chase. I actually have no idea if larger ATF ignore fish below a certain size, but if they did, I do think it'd be awesome looking. :cool:
 
RampageRR said:
Agreed, I wouldn't recommend sticking any type of cichlid in with them when they're small.

Although I must admit, it would be pretty cool looking to have a bunch of the smaller, less aggressive africans (yellow labs etc) in with a MUCH larger GATF. Think a small rock outcropping in the corner of a large tank with 20+ yellow labs swimming in and out, assuming a 18"+ ATF would ignore 2-3" fish as not being worth the chase. I actually have no idea if larger ATF ignore fish below a certain size, but if they did, I do think it'd be awesome looking. :cool:
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At 12-13", Max ignores feeder fish pretty well. I had thought that he was playing nice until he recently ate my 6" FATF and killed a tarpon and tinfoil barb. I'm pretty bummed out about all that.

Once I get my 510 up and running, I was actually planning on trying some smaller Africans in it as dithers, knowing full well that either Max, Dottie or Drogo is quite likely to pick them off over time. I was tempted to go with a proper African biotope, but I love my aro and goonch too much to do that. Oh well.
 
Chicxulub said:
At 12-13", Max ignores feeder fish pretty well. I had thought that he was playing nice until he recently ate my 6" FATF and killed a tarpon and tinfoil barb. I'm pretty bummed out about all that.

Once I get my 510 up and running, I was actually planning on trying some smaller Africans in it as dithers, knowing full well that either Max, Dottie or Drogo is quite likely to pick them off over time. I was tempted to go with a proper African biotope, but I love my aro and goonch too much to do that. Oh well.
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Ahh man that sucks, I had no idea Max took out your FATF... I would love to do some type of African biotope, but I've already screwed that up with the silver dollars and royal pleco. I'm definitely going to consider it hard when I make the upgrade in tank size, at least then I can start from a clean slate with the goliath and whatever else I decide to keep with him.
 
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