This is an outstanding thread. I'd give my left foot for an FTS and video. The shades of red on rainbows are on a different level.
With this fish being kept in a 180 gallon comfortably for years it makes me consider the other possibilites in terms of keeping native predators. For years on this site we've seen people push limits & keep some of the most predominantly predatory ,open water, fast moving river fish there are (ATF/Bambusa/Armatus ect), with relative success. Seeing this post made me consider other open water predators that we have here in The States. Different species of Trout, Landlocked salmon, Muskellunge, Pike, LMB (like with Cichla, LMB from different rivers have different spangling and markings, would be interesting to see), SMB, Walleye, Burbot, Fall Fish, ect.
Barramundi are a perch type, not very intricately patterned or brightly colored in most cases, yet they're seen in tanks all over the world. Its tough to find a YouTube channel with more than 3 videos of a much more easily arranged for Smallmouth Bass, why is that? Are they not both very similar in terms of coloration, nutritional needs, and feeding behavior?
Would be great to see more time put into species profiles and analysis of these fish. Thank you for this contribution @OP