Need to make a choice

[nzafi]

After my aimara committing suicide last night I need to decide what I want to do. My thoughts are the following in order of my preference right now:
1) Aimara
2) GATF
3) Dorado
4) Armatus

The fish will be in a 180g solo and will be there for about 2 years and will move to around a 10x4. I really want a fish based on the following factors:
1) Physical appearance - Want people to say holy **** when they see it. My order for this is GATF, Aimara, Armatus, Dorado
2) Personality - I want the fish to be aggressive and interact with me. My order for this is Dorado, Aimara, Armatus, GATF (until these get to like 2ft I guess)
3) Durability - My intention is to still keep this fish for years and the chance of moving them is pretty much 100%. Plus I dont want them to be super sensitive as I cannot do a drip system. My order for this is Aimara, Dorado, GATF, Armatus

Based on the above, I think Aimara wins with Dorado close behind. I love the idea of a large GATF but considering I have only ever seen 1 picture of a large GATF in the home aquarium this is unlikely. My issue with dorado is that they just seem the least impressive. I think I would consider them if I could do like 3-4 of them but that seems unlikely.

 

[shookONES]

Having kept all the fish on your list, I'd rank dorado at the bottom. For a few reason, they just don't do it for me. If I were you, my list would go Aimara, GATF, Armatus based on your criteria.

 

[greenerinks]

I have kept and still keeping all of these and pretty much have always even been in communities. My GATF now has the most commanding presence as it's around 20". I do enjoy the way doradoes being on a constant patrol but they are just very mean to other tankmates. My aimara is just in a **** mood always and will bite 100% if I taunt it. Armatus is nice too but will always and forever be one of the worst fish to move because of the fangs and they are also probably the most fragile with the gatf coming in the same predicament. Aimara and doradoes can take a ridiculous amounting of physical beating and thrashing and be alright. If you do 10x4 you can honestly keep a combination of them in IMO.

 

[nzafi]

I have kept and still keeping all of these and pretty much have always even been in communities. My GATF now has the most commanding presence as it's around 20". I do enjoy the way doradoes being on a constant patrol but they are just very mean to other tankmates. My aimara is just in a **** mood always and will bite 100% if I taunt it. Armatus is nice too but will always and forever be one of the worst fish to move because of the fangs and they are also probably the most fragile with the gatf coming in the same predicament. Aimara and doradoes can take a ridiculous amounting of physical beating and thrashing and be alright. If you do 10x4 you can honestly keep a combination of them in IMO.

Thanks for the feedback. I would love to have more than one but know I dont have the time to constantly monitor, not to mention no second tank to quarantine. I think the armatus is definitely out, and I have heard of too many of dorado's picking on aimaras. The only combination I think I would like is a GATF with aimara, but I think the GATF grows way too slow to keep up with the aimara.

 

[nzafi]

greenerinks how long did it take to get your GATF to 20in? At what size did it stop being extremely skittish and actually start being aggressive/unafraid of you?

 

[Quason778]

I currently have all 4 of these guys just like greenerinks also, but they're not as big yet. My Dorado and GATF are around 14". The Armatus and Aimara are around 12". My favorite is definitely the Armatus, but like Green said they're most fragile. IMO, the Aimara needs the least monitoring and least maintenance, then the Dorado, GATF and Armatus.

 

[moe214]

Having not kept any but read almost everything I can find on majority of them, I'd narrow it down to aimara and dorado personally. Armatus I'd be turned off completely because of their sudden deaths that seem to happen. I think for what you want a gatf would be best but your tank idk if it will suit it. Aimara don't grow very fast either once past a foot usually, so if you can get a gatf larger I think that's your best bet at a comm, you'd probably need dithers and one area for a large drift wood piece or something for the aimara to call home. I'd take the responses of those who have kept them all more valuable than mine, but keep in mind this is a very opinionated topic.

So I'd get rid of armatus for SDS, gatf cause the tank size. If you had the bigger tank already I'd do a monster comm, including dorado aimara and possibly a gatf, just not so sure about a 4' width for them. Honestly, a tatf might be a better option than gatf, looks closest to gatf but stays a bit smaller. And I'd only want a brasiliensis for a dorado, so I'd be trying to locate one if that is what I decide on, in the meanwhile I'd grow some SD to have something lol and so it's something hardy that may cohab with my choice.

 

[fugupuff]

I personally have kept all of the above. I would absolutely love the challenge of raising a goliath to 30 plus inches. but its definitely a challenge.

Aimara, are by far the most robust and fierce fish out there, that will take your finger if provoked and can easily attain a adult size in an aquarium. Also you can keep with other fish if you want, like silver dollars or arowanas. peacock bass, Suriname aimara!

 

[nzafi]

Looks like it will be Aimara again. I love the idea of growing a large gatf but don't think I'll ever be able to provide a large enough tank for life.

 

[greenerinks]

N nzafi interesting to note.. my GATF went from 12" to 19" within the first year actually.. this was by far the fastest GATF I have raised. I've had about half a dozen others that grew much slower. In regards to skittishness and personality, it depends on the individual fish. The big guy I have right now is not afraid of me and wasn't ever really to begin with. I've had another smaller one that seemed to be fine too, the rest of them seem to be much more nervous. That being said, bent snouts and broken noses was never really an issue even in my 6ft long tanks. I really don't think you need anything more than a 10x4 to house a monster comm. I can tell you I don't monitor my fish 24/7 but at the least once a day to feed and since mine are already larger, I skip one or two days a week of feeding. A large GATF just as fugupuff has stated is an incredible feat to have and see. I have seen very few that grow to their potential size and it is just amazing in person. I do love all kinds of monster characins but GATF would be number one for me, aimara being second. I think those two could be commd with a few dither silver dollars etc. if you are raising from small, they will get use to each other and you'll be fine. Here in Asia, I've seen much more success with general monster fish keeping and people don't seem to be super anal about exact parameters nor tank sizes as the west is. Again, I was only planning to make a 10x5 to house all of my monsters together.. 10x4 is plenty already if space/cost needs to be budgeted.