tips for Armatus

[JD7.62]

Superlaz, IME armatus are not finnicky or skittish.

Also extra filtration will not reduce your need for w/c. We do w/c do lower nitrates and removed other impurities out of the water that filters will not remove, so no matter how much filtration you must still do w/cs.

I would be worried with your CLs unless they are huge. An armatus will quickly grow large enough to attempt to eat even a large (5" even) clown loach and the result would be two dead fish. My armatus is 7" and Im feeding him 3-4" comets and he takes them down no problem.

 

[dr exum]

Armatus grow very quickly when the proper conditions are present....but like most characins, even predatory characins...they are very finnicky and easily startled. Think young Piranha, Atf's, etc...mine came in with a damged nose, and took a month or so to heal...every time he was startled he would charge the glass and re-injure it. I kept the tank 3/4 covered with black garbage bags to keep him settled. He has now grown out of it, and if feels unsure simply goes to an area with cover...but is much more curious and up front now. If keeping it with other fish I suggest bottom dwellers, and fish that do not startle easy....I have mine with some clown loaches, catfish and a couple of baby cichla....he ignores everyone....but is definitely territorial. from what I have observed, they get very active in the evening, and that is when mine atleast does the majority of his hunting....just make sure to always keep the tank stocked with feeders and he'll grow before your eyes. Also, I suggest upping the filtration so you could cut back on the water changes...the less stress you put him through....the better.

thanks for the comments... he will probably if any get a couple ray freinds and thats it..... maybe a differant pleco...

the filtration...

there are two fish in there and ...

2000gph running in a 135g... seems pretty adequate to me.... and i still change the water weekly on all tanks regardless of filtration or feeding ....

thanks all for the comments..i'm warming up my camera for some photos as he is coming out of his den with the lights on now and sitting in the middle of the tank....

 

[Superlaz]

Superlaz, IME armatus are not finnicky or skittish.

Also extra filtration will not reduce your need for w/c. We do w/c do lower nitrates and removed other impurities out of the water that filters will not remove, so no matter how much filtration you must still do w/cs.

I would be worried with your CLs unless they are huge. An armatus will quickly grow large enough to attempt to eat even a large (5" even) clown loach and the result would be two dead fish. My armatus is 7" and Im feeding him 3-4" comets and he takes them down no problem.

Armatus are very skittish when young. They are easily startled and ram into the glass...not as much as an atf, but similar. I realize I didnt include YOUNG in my original post. They quickly grow out of it though. but like you said...in your opinion...this is what i have seen in mine, and a few others that I know that keep them. My armatus is pushing 10" now....My clowns are all 6"+ you can can search in my threads and see pics of both my armatus and my Clowns. As for the filtration, I never said to never do water changes...I said increase filtration and you can prolong the time in betwen water changes to reduce stress on the fish. THere is no one given way to do it "right". They key to fish health and growth will always be space, good water, and lots of food. My pond with large cats, dats, and a few others as well as my temensis tank rarely get a large water change....most the time all I need to do is top off the evaporated water...and I have grown everyone out to their current size without losses...I assure you...the filtration lesson is not needed.

Dr Exum,
I really don't recommend any rays in there until the Armatus packs on some size...but to each his own.

 

[JD7.62]

Superlaz, what are the nitrates like with in your pond? A lack of w/c in a pond (Im assuming its indoors so still a relatively small body of water) will cause the nitrates to continue raising as w/c are the only way to reduce those nitrates. Nitrates dont harm fish, especially large ones, immediately, but over time an exposure to high nitrates can lead to brown blood disease and other problems causing a premature death.

Regarding your clown loaches and armatus. Of course right now your loaches are big enough that the armatus doesnt see them as a meal, but if you are planning on housing them together long term (you didnt say either way) Id be cautious When that armatus is say 14-15" hell perhaps even 18" as Im sure that those loaches will still be around 6" due to their agonizingly slow growth rates and the armatus' fast growth rates, and that is when Id start to worry of an armatus trying to eat a clown loach and both dieing.

Of course if you plan on removing them once the armatus gets alittle bigger then no big deal. I know a 6" loach is alot bigger then a 6" comet but take this into consideration; my 7" armatus is easily handling 3" feeder commets so that means an armatus can eat a prey item that is large compared to the armatus itself. Baisically what Im trying to say is; your armatus may look at one of your loaches as a prey item before YOU think he should. Weve all seen a fish try to eat a prey item that was too big or seemed too big to us so we let them co-hab. Normally I wouldnt care but Id HATE to see some one loose an armatus and a nice loach like that~!

 

[Superlaz]

My nitrates as well as all my other readings are in the safe or appropiate range in all my tanks....and again I never said i never do water changes. Re-read my posts.. The armatus is currently in the first of a couple grow out tanks...and his final tankmates when larger have been long decided at large cichla and characins....the tank he is in now is the clowns permanent home, his temporary. Now Having owned various large preds and a few un-mentionables...I am well aware that most predatory fish eat with their eyes before their actual mouths...especially vivacious eaters like Armatus, Cats and cichla. I wouldnt house anything 3/4 his size with him...unless I were ready to lose them both...and in the end, #1 im not the bandwagon type (not that you are) whom jumped on the Armatus boat because of a good deal and "fish of the month" mentality. Yes, I got it because of a good deal, but like all my other fish was aware and ready for what I had coming. #2 I understand that this is a forum, and we don't know what our background knowledge is or our tones of voices, sarcasm, etc are...so on that note, I appreciate the Nitrate lesson you are trying to impart.. ...but its not needed...it is however good information to be had out there for all to have at their disposal...especially for the impulse buys that arent thought through...there is a lot to learn from simple questions like "what can I house with my armatus?" because of the inevitable other topics connected and related that will and do undoubtedly spring up On the same note...we (myself included) type an explanation and leave certain details out assuming the reader knows what those details are, ...for in the end Only I am in my own head, so....questioning and informing each other back and forth is a good way to get all the info out that we sometimes think was already included. thereby painting a clearer picture of how things are...

 

[JD7.62]

Excellent reply. You hit every proverbial nail on the head when it comes to these "forum talk" type of situations.

We dont know what one person knows or not know and I appreciate you not getting upset when I questioned some of the things you do. Rather, you clearly explained your self so I understood where you are coming from and also other readers gained valuable information (if they didnt know before hand!) from both of our commets!

 

[Superlaz]

agreed...its easy to fall into the argument mentality because as much time as ome of dedicate to these forums we feel we"know" some of the members...but in the end, its very difficult to convey your rarionale,tone of voice and all other aspects already mentioned....and smiley faces only go so far LOL