Question: Geophagus and Silver Arowana

[Clever Bs]

Hello,

I have just foud this forum because I have some large fish questions.

I am doing an amazon Biotope with my 220g tank. I planned on having the following fish:

1x Silver Arowana
6x Geophagus Altifrons
5x Electric Blue Acaras
1x Royal Pleco
1x Catfish (Not sure what type)
1x Oscar (Maybe still researchin the compatability with the Aro)

Heres my question. I hear that geo's are slow growers and its really hard to find good sized altifrons so I will have to get them small 2-3" I would think if I power fed them I could get some decent growth out of them. My concern is the Aro growing much faster and making a meal of them. I have also wanted to start out with a 9-12" arowana so what should I do here?

I am thinking I could maybe get a small aro and grow him out myself along with the altifons. If I did this would he be less likely to make a meal of them when he is a foot long? I am figuring he will grow much much faster then the altifons and acaras.

another option may be to get the other fish fist and grow them out for a few months then get the aro later.

What do you guys think? How Would you do this?

 

[KNH]

I've owned multiple silvers and 2 blacks and none of them ate any tankmates. My current 16-17" black is housed with fish as small as 3". The key is to never feed live. If the aro is used to getting his meals from floating pellets etc than you should be fine. Geos tend to stay towards the bottom and aros towards the top so that's also going for you. The problem I see is a 220g will start to get cramped for an aro relatively fast and they will feel less comfortable and more likely to jump etc.

 

[Allan01230]

yes a 220 would be a little cramped for a silver. Altrifons ime seemed to grow at a decent pace not like an oscar or black shark but they will get 10 inches in a 220 easily. I would skip the silver and oscar and the altrifons will grow quicker and have nice trailers when larger, they will use all of the 220

 

[Clever Bs]

I understand the concerns about the silver however I will be able to have him for quite a few years and I'm lucky enough that we have a very large aquarium at our zoo I think it's still the 2nd laegest in the U.S. And they will take him when he outgrows it. I will probably skip the Oscar after more research I think that it would be for the best with the other fish.

 

[MRE]

I've kept a 12" aro with a 3" geo before and never had an problems between the two. Like someone else said, the geo hangs out near the bottom and the aro swims around at the very top. My geo does grow very, very slow though. I've had him in a 150 gallon for about a year and he is only 4" at most. As long as you feed your aro regularly you shouldn't have a problem.