Payara

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fargokid

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2010
35
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Fargo
At a local fish store there are two payara for sale, ive been reading up on them the past few days and asked a couple of the workers if they knew what kind they are but they didnt know and just said they get big. I read the sticky, i just dont know how to identify them, they seem to swim at an angle and they cost 50 each. I am from fargo nd so that may affect things being there is only one real fish store here that is open at the owners convenience. So i guess the reason for me posting is to see if you can help identify it or just help me figure out general care for payara in general. I also heard they lead very short lives, is this true?

Thanks
 
I agree

the most common payara is a scomb. And like most large predatory characins they are somewhat fragile. And do not do well with any sort of a aggressive tank mate. I believe that tank mates and parasites cause most of the deaths that started the short life span rumor.

All of these fish are wild caught specimens and there for there is a high likely hood that they will be infested with internal parasites when purchased. And if these issues are not treated then death is inevitable.

I have had my oldest for 2-3 years. I have a local friend that has one that is 5-6yrs old and 10-11". And I know of a Aquarium that has had a few on display for 8yrs that I know of, maybe longer.

I truly believe that success with payara long term depends on 2 things.

1) clean/healthy LIVE food

Because there have been many many cases of what is known as wasting disease with lrg pred characins. And its a known fact that wasting disease in animals is mostly caused by nutritional deficiency's. So IMO it can be the same with fish. And you just can not recreate a predators natural diet 100% with a pellet or any other dead food.

and

2) parasite treatments

Again there wild caught. Most literature suggest that most fish in tropical climates have parasites. So if you take a fish with parasites and take it out of its natural habitat and place it in a aquarium. Death will occur. Because fish have resources in there natural habitat to get rid of the parasites.

Hope that helps
 
vamptrev;3912733; said:
get a pic

would be a sweet pick up if they were tats!
Click to expand...
Yeah,that would be sweet but I suspect that it is a scomb.
 
tried taking a pic just saw a reflection. i looked at them more closely and their pectoral fins are really long. Their body's are about at 30 degree angles up parralel from the bottom of the tank. They are pretty dark... I cant remember anymore right now.
 
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