Silvers more skittish in captivity?

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BenSow

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 17, 2009
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Kuala Lumpur
I have noticed something for the pass few days when watching Amazon documentaries.. Try searching "AMAZON THE FLOODED FOREST" on youtube you'll see that the arowana just gulp down the insects on the surface... What do our silvers do when there's a cricket in the tank? they lose their gracefulness and go berserk for the cricket... Can anyone explain this behavior?

Thanks
 
BenSow;4430182; said:
I have noticed something for the pass few days when watching Amazon documentaries.. Try searching "AMAZON THE FLOODED FOREST" on youtube you'll see that the arowana just gulp down the insects on the surface... What do our silvers do when there's a cricket in the tank? they lose their gracefulness and go berserk for the cricket... Can anyone explain this behavior?

Thanks
Click to expand...

How would your behaviour be affected if you were plucked from an endless expanse and put in a constrained space?
 
Chances are the ones on TV well full grown adults. At work we have two 30" silvers in a 16x4x5 tank and after the initial excitement, they gulp down their fish the same way. In the large tank they can move slowly, but still outrun a feeder goldfish.

I'd say juveniles are more excitable and they have to use more effort to move as fast as the big guys. Also, they cannot really chase fish in a tank, they have to move in place really fast to catch it.
 
My arrow it not shy at all come to the glass right away when she sees me. When i throw a cricket in it is gone in a heart beat!
 
BenSow;4430182; said:
I have noticed something for the pass few days when watching Amazon documentaries.. Try searching "AMAZON THE FLOODED FOREST" on youtube you'll see that the arowana just gulp down the insects on the surface... What do our silvers do when there's a cricket in the tank? they lose their gracefulness and go berserk for the cricket... Can anyone explain this behavior?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi bensow.. i've watched this documentary.. brilliant and i must have seen the arowanas a zillion times.. and did you notice their coloration.. around the gill plate.. the look more darker than silver.. as for your question.. i think it depends on the aro.. i agree with toxic.. my silver just takes down the cricket in no time.. and i have seen her do it.. the characteristic S shape and thrust.. at times its just a casual quick gulp.. i'm thinking this way.. in the wild there is no tank top as such.. they jump as much as they can but in an aquarium setup we have tank tops.. I've seen lots of videos of fellow arowana keepers having the water filled to the brim in their tanks and then the tank top over it with very lil space.. prob less than a feet(i could be wrong).. i dont fill to the brim.. so i give about a feet from the water level to tank top.. i guess that stops them as a barrier and no wonder the berserk behaviour.. just my thought on it..
 
Toxic Fish 9999;4430281; said:
My arrow it not shy at all come to the glass right away when she sees me. When i throw a cricket in it is gone in a heart beat!
Click to expand...

totally agree with you toxic.. same with my silver aro.. understands my sign that i have food in my hand and comes to me.. takes the cricket down in a flash..
 
my little guys dont freak out as much, they will circle the cricket and check it out before they actually take a bite.
 
I think captive aro's are well fed compared to wild ones. Wild ones have to hunt for their food, that means consuming energy, while our pets are fed 3x day while just swimming in a small space. Meaning on the sight of food, wild ones would really grab every opportunity they could get.
 
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