Hi guys. I’ve been reading about northern pike in aquariums but there’s not much info about them. Always loved pike and know they’re the UK’s top predator fish. I’ve been offered a 5 inch one and really tempted. All I have in my 8x2x2 tank is a small gold dust stingray. Do you think I can get away with having the pike with a ray?
Northern Pike in aquarium
- Thread starter BOOMSHAKER
- Start date
Pikes need cooler water and don't live long if the temperature stays above 20°C for too long.
Keeping it together with warm water fish like stingrays doesn't work.
Keeping it together with warm water fish like stingrays doesn't work.
The temperature requirement is a valid point, but not the only issue you'll have.
From what I know about pike they are voracious. And they're not only top or mid water feeders, they'll take food from the bottom too, exactly where your ray is!!
At only 5" your ray might be fine for a while, but it's only a matter of time.
Lose the ray and turn the tank into a cold water set up. But in summer you may need some kind of chiller system on it, pike really do like cold water. But even then you'll come unstuck eventually because that footprint (24" width) is a bit on the small side for a fish that can get very long.
From what I know about pike they are voracious. And they're not only top or mid water feeders, they'll take food from the bottom too, exactly where your ray is!!
At only 5" your ray might be fine for a while, but it's only a matter of time.
Lose the ray and turn the tank into a cold water set up. But in summer you may need some kind of chiller system on it, pike really do like cold water. But even then you'll come unstuck eventually because that footprint (24" width) is a bit on the small side for a fish that can get very long.
Give it a miss as others have said it's not a good idea for a lot of reasons. Depending on where you are there is a few "similar" species you could have instead. There are some far more suitable fish that resemble or are even related you could potentially get instead.
If you had an unheated tank, it could work. Chiller is for fish like grayling, burbot, trout or sculpin. On the other hand pike could outgrow your aquarium, and then it would be a threat to all other fish...
Instead of northern pike I would buy hepsetus odoe- african characin which looks like your pike.
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