Ouch.

[DB junkie]

Yes..... Samarhi H / Seichii (sorry if mispelled). I've spent a lot of time admiring his pics. That collection has to be breath taking to witness.

I aquired my Aimara at 6 inches. First tank it went into had rays in it (about 5-6"). This was in Septemeber 2011. Tank was 3x4x1.5' It has been housed with rays ever since. Had it in with juvies and pups (Marbles and black hybrids) till about 9" then it was moved into a 6x3x1.5' with a trio of young Falkneri (7-9"). Once it hit a foot a few months ago I moved it into my big tank with the adult Marbles (biggest about 18" across). That tank is 10x4x2.5'. The tank had a few bigger fish in there (lemonfin barbs and brycon) and no issues there either. Added the Dorado and they seem to have much more issues between themselves then the Aimara does with them.

I have never seen a bit of aggression towards rays the whole time. Not at feeding time or when it gets grumpy during tank maintainance. If there was any question at all I would have never kept it in the same tank as my prized Falkneri.

 

[KNH]

I know the other Dorado descales and trims fins..... Could have also ran into something as well, who knows. I will try keeping them together again, but won't be holding my breath. They are definetly one of my favorite fish, still sad my last one got cooked in a stealth heater failure. These guys are now the second biggest I've ever raised. Yours was a monster wasn't it???? Got any old pics???

I've owed several but always seem to sell/give them away once they are 14-16" or so. The last one I had started circling a smaller ray I had so I decided to get rid of him rather than deal with the possible issues that seemed to be coming. The largest I had was prob 18" I think. They always seemed to grow very fast for me so I didn't get to enjoy them long before they found new homes. I'd love to try it again some time but I now have an African scat, gold sev and a slew of barbs in there that would be in jeopardy. I may have a pic on my computer I'll have o take a look.

 

[DB junkie]

Whenever I've raised Dorado they've always been the cherry on the sunday so to speak. I know there's very few fish out there capable of growing as fast as Dorado. I usually add them after everything else is grown out. Seems like as long as they're the last added they seem to get along fine with what I've tried them with.

I don't think mine knows they aren't Brycon... lol. Very tight shoal and have yet to see a nipped fin on the Brycon that's a good inch or 2 smaller then the Dorado.

The one I moved is healing nicely. I'm guessing another week and it will be hard to notice anything happened to the tail or stomach. They're only about a foot and the one I seperated makes a 180 look small, looks cramped and unable to stretch its fins.

Looking forward to pics Kevin!!!! I'd love to see that Scat. I've always loved Scats and kick myself everyday for taking down my brackish masterpiece. I've never seen the kind of movement I had in that tank with Scats and Monos. To have that over rays must be amazing...... I bet it takes a small miracle to find Tigers Scats these days?

 

[DB junkie]

Another thought.... Not sure how much truth there is to it, but I've heard that different variants of Aimara posses different temperments. I have heard VZ to be the most aggressive. I have an Amapa. Maybe this has something to do with mine being a puddy cat compared to most?

 

[BraveheartCalif]

Ichthologists such Maddox that revised the Aimara taxonomy. Who I have gotten to know personally over the years. Have really no interest really in the fish temperment behaviors. Other then to say its a highly predatory fish and often reported to attack humans and eat piranhas. Ive had about almost 20+ aimara pass through my tanks from VZ to Brazilian Aimaras. These are all Aimara and the same sp. there is no genetic differance. However, there does seem to be some slight physical morphism from the head shape comparinng the ones from say Amapa which are more slanted. To the Vz which are more of a bulldog round face. When you have in front of you 10-12 differant aimara in there seperate tanks. You have the time to really study there similarties and began to see some differences as well from fish to fish. In each shipment i would see 1-2 that didnt really come across as i want to kill you through the tank. Sure they would bite you if you stuck your hand in tank, but not overly crazy like the rest of the motley crue. The rest of the group where your typical aimara flare "kill bill" look. There was one aimara that was very special out of the group. That was so crazy, i could not walk within 12 feet without him going bizerk. I was a bit afraid of him but for some reason he wanted to literally jump out of the tank as if he had wings to kill me 15' away. Ive never seen this extreme "Ojeriza" temperment before or ever since in any fish. To make a long story short this fish one day jump out of the tank say almost 10" as i was carefully trying to do something outside the tank. And he came out full force expolding from the bottom of the tank in some aerial acrobatic feat and and bit my fingers. I was lucky too, because it just grazed me and that alone was almost enough to send me to the hospital for stiches. I still bare the scare from this Aimara prodigy. So in my experience in dealing with differant aimaras coming from many differant locations around south america. The VZ aimara, though the ugliest of the bunch imo, seem to be the most agressive towards human imo. Though there are exceptions as mentioned, u will find some that dont live up to there reputation. Then youll find the one legend i had that redefined the worst aggressive in the fish world. If you buy an aimara and u want a killer, if he is not showing killer when you buy him. Dont expect him to grow into the extreme killer youve read about on some forums.