One more try - Another Amaira

[nzafi]

Quick update. Working on getting him in dead food. Picked up some frozen krill and silversides. He did not eat the krill last night but I'll try again tonight. Figure those are healthier than the silversides.

He finished off the last barb the other day. The 3 lasted 3 days only. I'm getting soft in my old age and felt horrible for the barbs. He ate 2 the first night. You could see how terrified the third was. Went from nonstop swimming and eating to hiding in the top right corner refusing to eat.

He also gave me a scare. Thought he jumped out the tank but instead found some hiding spot lying on the driftwood in a spot that's impossible to see. I was ready to throw a fit.

 

[nzafi]

Another quick update. About 2.5 weeks in and he has been eating more consistently. I have gotten him to eat several days in a row. I do not sit to watch him eat but he has actually struck food with me in front of the tank if it floats close enough. I have also caught him patrolling more and investigating the tank more.

All great signs. He is coming out of his shell quicker than the prior aimara it seems which I am happy about.

 

[nzafi]

Decided I will begin updating this original thread instead of the one detailing my aimara's sickness. He seems to be doing well. Heavy scarring which even more apparent in the 180g due to the black bottom and black back. I'm closing monitoring the scarring though to make sure it's just scars and no reoccurrence is happening. I was playing with the idea of getting seachem stress guard but decided not to.

My main update is that this guy is now about 9in. I purchased him 4 months ago at about 4in or so. That's around 5in of growth which is think is great. We will see if it slows down. My last Aimara grew slower but was purchased at 7in. One difference is this guy is from Suriname versus the prior one was Venezuela.

Glad I decided to put this guy back in the 180g instead of keeping him in the hospital while I wait to move.

 

[moe214]

Should link the other thread for future hobbyists who read this thread. Was very informative. Glad to hear he's doing good still, that is very good growth for what is normally reported.

 

[nzafi]

Here is a link to the other thread detailing the diagnosis and treatment of my aimara
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/what-is-this.687035/

moe214 agreed. I really hope I did works and he heals up. I don't know if anyone has tracked growth of the different variants of aimara. Wes wrote that the Suriname is large 4ft ones that Jeremy Wade has caught, so I am curious if these guys grow faster than the others. Who knows.

 

[jelly]

I will add to the comm info. Agreed on the SD part. I had a small Aimara with some dollers. There is a YouTube video somewhere, once he hit a size they had large chunks removed, basically bitten in half. Brycon work well, I have three approx 14"-15" quite chunky Brycon, they get snapped at and occationally tagged but are fast enough to avoid major damage.

 

[moe214]

Here is a link to the other thread detailing the diagnosis and treatment of my aimara
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/what-is-this.687035/

moe214 agreed. I really hope I did works and he heals up. I don't know if anyone has tracked growth of the different variants of aimara. Wes wrote that the Suriname is large 4ft ones that Jeremy Wade has caught, so I am curious if these guys grow faster than the others. Who knows.

No one has as far as I've seen and read. I don't think the size difference would be so drastic regardless of variant. Maybe a few inches tops I'd think. But even then each variant will have its own size range in itself due to genetics. Size isn't something I'd gauge off of variant very much.

 

[tvbbnumber41]

Pics or vids please!

 

[nzafi]

I decided today that I want to get this guy onto pellets. He absolutely love silversides and I think the past couple days he has protested the food of tilapia and shrimp. He normally eats tilapia well. Ultimately, for ease and nutritional benefit I think a pellet is the best approach.

I am trying to get my hands NLS thera A 6mm samples, but might just buy a container. I think I will need to make him go hungry for several more days before trying the pellets though.

If you guys have had better success with specific brands let me know. I tried carnisticks that I had but he ignored them because they floated. I have also tried Sumo Red (just had it) and then NLS Hex when he was sick but he just spit it out. I have not tried the "let him go hungry" approach any of these times though.

Wish me luck!

 

[moe214]

Wolves are easy. No trick for them. Offer him some food in 3-4 days and he should go for it. I've fed wolves anything from arosticks massivore, carnivore, shrimp pellets when smaller. You can try feeding freeze dried shrimp and krill for a bit of a transition to floating foods then throw that in there along with some similar sized floating pellets then when he's used to it throw some sinking pellets in the mix and then feed what you wish.