Tankmates for GATF?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
i have 2 tanzanie atf around 5.5 inches. its house with 1 azul, 6 ziare blue frontosa, 3 mpimbwe frontosa and 7 redhead geophagus. seems to be ok at its size
 
theres a video on youtube of a gatf ripping the face of an arowana that is larger than it so be warned everything will be at risk.... i so want one!-)
 
heres my take from my experiences with ATF's.... they are a tough fish to keep tankmates with because they grow very slowly, thus most fish will out grow the ATF and stress him due to size.... they are also a bit skittish so fish that are aggressive eaters will stress them, and make them eat less, therefor making them grow even slower.... and if you buy fish that are much smaller than the ATF theres always the risk of the tiger killing tankmates.... Tigers are extremely fast swimmers, and can freak out often bashing themselves into the glass and decorations, so a large tank with minimal and soft decorations with lots of current is the way to go.... best way to do it is get the ATF first, grow him out get him comfortable, structure the tank around him, then add smaller community fish, but not too small and not too aggressive.... i keep mine with a tarpon, datnoids and a dorado.... also multiple ATF's will help them form a community where they all feel more comfortable, and school together, however they nip and chase eachother, sometimes to the point of death, so multiple ATF's together can be risky as well..... hope this helps

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no problem.... of course it's possible that you could have a bold tiger, and he would have no problem with other larger fish, but that could go the other way and you could get one thats a serial killer! My VATF could def hang with other big fish, he is bold, while my Goliaths are sissy's, it just depends, but i'd agree that schooling fish are a good choice, they'll help to make the tiger less skittish .... i just gave you my take on what i've experienced with mine, and i think environment and who his tankmates are play a large factor in the temperment of the ATF as well .... fish like peacock bass, and even Aro's grow very fast and are bold eaters, so you must make sure the Tiger is at least 8-10 inches while the others are equal, or smaller.... i'd also suggest tankmates that eat pellets, so the ATF will quickly start eating pellets cause IMO they give the fastest growth.... Datnoids are a good combo for me cause they grow more slowly, and basically stay out of the way of the tigers, but are beautiful and amazing predators as well.... the tarpon is a good choice cause he schools with the tigers, and also i had a couple yellow tail barracudas that worked well too, however they dont have a huge max size so down the road they may become lunch

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i think a ray is a good choice, just be mindful of his growth as they can get big and pretty quick .... dont think a lot of current is as much of an issue as keeping the tank's water pristine.... lots of water changes, very low nitrates, and no ammonia, but i'm no ray expert... guess it a pretty good habit to do frequent waterchanges for all fish though, i just know rays are particularly susceptable to bad water

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