... bad week.
The dead: 4 6" red tail Payara, 1 9" Ace Barracuda
The half dead: one 13" VAFT belly up
earlier last week discovered 2 payara imbalanced doing head over tail rolls. Took them out to healing tank. One fought for 18 hours, the other 24 hours then died.
No visual damage accept for bashed nose and bit of fin nipping by annoying aggressive cichlid (feeder survivor). Kicking others while they are down... the cichlid was subsequently caught and fed to a channa micro.
tank is heavily planted, large canopy covers 75% of tank so when fish die, dont always find the bodies. well... found 2 more bloated payara. One was stuck between a branch and the rear side tank wall head above water.
recent weeks every time the lights go off, the fish splash around, slam the tops of the tank. after it's dark, if another light is turned on, same thing. this wasn't the case when the fish were smaller. I think they are starting to outgrow this tank already.
I suspect the payara either KO'd them selves from fear of lights and/or possibly the cichlid.
as mentioned the tank's got heavy plants/branches looks like mangrove jungle. serves as top for tank since I dont use one. no where to brace a top keeping it clean looking.
only had one 6" VATF out of 20 or so jumping fish in 8 months. But they are all around 8" now. Cleared out some mid/low level bog wood/plants, cleaned up the canopy 2 nights ago trying to catch the darn cichlid. Last night when i turned on the house lights after the tank lights went off... 1 VATF flew out. Caught him put him back, did another light test to see if it was a fluke 3 VATF jumped out at same time and 1 scomb flew out with out provoke minutes later...
Put them all back, all fine. this morning my ace is fish jerkey on the floor.
the tank is 3x3x9 ft long. before the deaths: 4 10-12inch gatf, 2 6" gatf, 4 8inch vatf, 3 6inch vatf, 1 4inch vatf, 2 9" ace, 5 4" red tail cuda, 11 tats, 3 scomb, 1 rhalph, 1 12inch blk arrow, and some other filler fish.
all the fish have gained around 25% in size since I got them. the increase in explosive swimming power is noticeable. Will be getting a temp. cover today until their other tank is done.
seperately, my large vatf which lives in another tank jumped the divider over to the side where the giant channa lives, when I opened the cover to net him, he jumped out of the tank. slammed the concrete floor of the garage. every snap of the tail would pop the fish 1.5 feet off the ground and into the walls and furniture. By the time got him back in tank, went belly up on bottom. been like this for 3 days. he'll make an effort to swim and does so upright for a bit when Im around the tank, then floats back to bottom when i leave. hope he pulls through but not looking good. i'll know when get back from out of town in few days.
this sucks. these are some truelly powerful fish. handle with care.
The dead: 4 6" red tail Payara, 1 9" Ace Barracuda
The half dead: one 13" VAFT belly up
earlier last week discovered 2 payara imbalanced doing head over tail rolls. Took them out to healing tank. One fought for 18 hours, the other 24 hours then died.
No visual damage accept for bashed nose and bit of fin nipping by annoying aggressive cichlid (feeder survivor). Kicking others while they are down... the cichlid was subsequently caught and fed to a channa micro.
tank is heavily planted, large canopy covers 75% of tank so when fish die, dont always find the bodies. well... found 2 more bloated payara. One was stuck between a branch and the rear side tank wall head above water.
recent weeks every time the lights go off, the fish splash around, slam the tops of the tank. after it's dark, if another light is turned on, same thing. this wasn't the case when the fish were smaller. I think they are starting to outgrow this tank already.
I suspect the payara either KO'd them selves from fear of lights and/or possibly the cichlid.
as mentioned the tank's got heavy plants/branches looks like mangrove jungle. serves as top for tank since I dont use one. no where to brace a top keeping it clean looking.
only had one 6" VATF out of 20 or so jumping fish in 8 months. But they are all around 8" now. Cleared out some mid/low level bog wood/plants, cleaned up the canopy 2 nights ago trying to catch the darn cichlid. Last night when i turned on the house lights after the tank lights went off... 1 VATF flew out. Caught him put him back, did another light test to see if it was a fluke 3 VATF jumped out at same time and 1 scomb flew out with out provoke minutes later...
Put them all back, all fine. this morning my ace is fish jerkey on the floor.
the tank is 3x3x9 ft long. before the deaths: 4 10-12inch gatf, 2 6" gatf, 4 8inch vatf, 3 6inch vatf, 1 4inch vatf, 2 9" ace, 5 4" red tail cuda, 11 tats, 3 scomb, 1 rhalph, 1 12inch blk arrow, and some other filler fish.
all the fish have gained around 25% in size since I got them. the increase in explosive swimming power is noticeable. Will be getting a temp. cover today until their other tank is done.
seperately, my large vatf which lives in another tank jumped the divider over to the side where the giant channa lives, when I opened the cover to net him, he jumped out of the tank. slammed the concrete floor of the garage. every snap of the tail would pop the fish 1.5 feet off the ground and into the walls and furniture. By the time got him back in tank, went belly up on bottom. been like this for 3 days. he'll make an effort to swim and does so upright for a bit when Im around the tank, then floats back to bottom when i leave. hope he pulls through but not looking good. i'll know when get back from out of town in few days.
this sucks. these are some truelly powerful fish. handle with care.
