Silver Arowana Help!!!!

JunhoxPark

Exodon
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May 10, 2018
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I’ve had this silver arowana (6”~ approx) for about 4 weeks now, he’s still extremely shy and hardly eats, i’ve tried everything, bloodworms, crickets, live and freeze dried, small tilapia pieces, food sticks and pellets, but when i try and feed him he always leaves it (i do also leave the room) The only thing that he’s eaten was some feeder fish (don’t really like using feeeders) that i’ve left in the tank hoping he would but even those are mostly still there.... whenever i’m near he swims around like crazy and even tries to jump out. I have him in a 4’x2’x2’ aquarium kept at 80 degrees with a fluval 406 canister filter and a powerhead on the other side to have good flow in the tank (ive tried removing the powerhead as well) he is alone with floating plants to give him a sense of security with hiding places as well has 3 of the sides are covered in backgrounds so only one viewing side and to avoid seeing the other fish in the other aquariums, i always approach the tank slowly, the tank is in my fish room which is extremely low traffic being it’s only me and nothing is working. Do i just need to give him time to get more comfortable with the new tank and how should i get him to eat. Please Help he’s gotten very thin since i’ve bought him, his stomach area looks almost sunken in.

p.s. the feeders were from a friend who has bred them for a long time for his own collection that he feeds as treats and i can almost guarantee that they are free of parasites and such

i hope i’ve given enough information about the tank and living conditions so i can get some help, anything helps me, thanks in advance
 
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kno4te

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Most silvers, especially silver aros, that size are skittish. It’ll get better as it grows. Dim the lights a bit. Would also turn off the powerhead. Give it time and be patient.

Would try a few floating pellets mixed in with live crickets to help wean off of live food.
 

tlindsey

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Most silvers, especially silver aros, that size are skittish. It’ll get better as it grows. Dim the lights a bit. Would also turn off the powerhead. Give it time and be patient.

Would try a few floating pellets mixed in with live crickets to help wean off of live food.
+1
 

JunhoxPark

Exodon
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May 10, 2018
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Most silvers, especially silver aros, that size are skittish. It’ll get better as it grows. Dim the lights a bit. Would also turn off the powerhead. Give it time and be patient.

Would try a few floating pellets mixed in with live crickets to help wean off of live food.
i have tried the crickets both live and dried, they’re always left, i tried waiting up to 15 minutes but they were always uneaten.....
 

kno4te

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i have tried the crickets both live and dried, they’re always left, i tried waiting up to 15 minutes but they were always uneaten.....
Keep trying.
 

Mr.S

Feeder Fish
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Jun 18, 2018
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i’ve been considering that, maybe a bichir, any recommendations from personal experience?
For short term just keep big feeder fish so that they will accompany uhr arowana till he grows big.. and bichir i guess they come to the surface to gulf air so that can trigger territorial instinct of uhr arowana and then fights .. if u want a real tankmate go for TSN its calm and a good mate if u keep its size in check .. my arowana use to come at bottom & chill with my tsn but i had to give my tsn to my bro bcoz it was 2 times the size of my baby aro .. i was scared that it would have eaten my aro if the feeders got over
 
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MariaS

Redtail Catfish
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Apr 13, 2015
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Silvers are usually more skittish than asians and can sometimes make you cry before they start eating
My son also got an albino silver about six weeks ago and she has only really been eating for the last two weeks
She is also very small... probably about 5 or 6".. so yes... it can be very frustrating
We keep the tank a little on the warm side at 29 degrees as it helps with appetite when they small
He managed to get her to start eating with mealworms and some earthworms
She is now taking crickets as well but still not taking pellets

Good luck
 
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