Urgent Aimara Help

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
The only catch with Styrofoam is make sure you don't cover the entire surface. I would just do 6-8" on either end. In the corners where it follows the 90 degree angle up to the top and kisses the frame with its toothy face. IMO ,Hoplias species need an uncovered area to gulp air and/or belch (belching isn't a problem). I would leave uncovered just like you would for an arapaima,gar,or any other labyrinth fish. It may not need it as much as one of those fish,but my Hoplias sometimes took a gulp of air occasionally. Yes,I know they aren't true labyrinths. Just a suggestion. Thanks.
 
Pardon my long response time everyone, the past week has been a very hectic one! Thanks to everybody for all of the input and suggestions, I have a lot to think about for aimara proofing her new tank!

Good news! She has calmed down and stabilized quite a lot over the past week or so once she beat her bout of ich. She's been eating Massivore stuffed smelt and tilapia fillet, but seems quite timid when it comes to feeding. She is only interested in food about every other day, and it generally takes her half an hour or so to work up the gumption to eat it.

I managed to get some good friends together to help move/set up the 240, so it is finally in place, and will be ready for her in short order. The current configuration is bare bottom, black back and bottom, two large pieces of Malaysian driftwood situated in a way to produce a large hide, and about a dozen 10"-12" Indian almond leaves scattered on the bottom. The tank (8') is lit by a single 48" T8 bulb, producing a nice dim feel to the whole setup. I am torn between keeping the tank bare bottom, or going with a light "dusting" of a coarse grain sand.

Filtration has yet to be figured completely out, but I have a 30 gallon sump that came with the tank, and I was thinking about combining it with an FX6 for maximum water movement (which is currently being supplied by two oversize powerheads). My main concern with the sump is in keeping the water level lowered by several inches, yet being able to have water getting into the overflow box. <---- Thoughts?!

I am leaning towards adding a school of 15 giant danios to keep a bit of action in the upper reaches of the tank, as well as keeping her feeling secure. She's currently alone in the 75, since I'm extremely hesitant about adding any fish to her currently small tank and stressing her out or bringing about another round of ich. She had 5 danios in the 75 from day one, but she ate the last one the night before last. Hopefully she'll pay the dithers a little less attention when in the 240!
 
Most overflows allow some downward scootching of the box, which will take the level down a bit.
 
You're the man Aaron! You've gotta come lend a hand and see the beast when you've got a chance!
 
So has the lil woofy settled down yet????
 
So has the lil woofy settled down yet????

Pardon the long response time everyone!

She has calmed down completely and is currently in the 240. Moving her was stressful for us both, but she hit the top of the 240 once on the first night, and has been mild mannered ever since.

My only concern is regarding her appetite (and the decided lack there of). While in the 75, she ate regularly, now it's hard for me to get her to accept anything more than once every three days or so. I still offer her the same slew of standard predatory fare like tilapia, silversides, shrimp, mussels and the like, but she seems to have lost interest.

I'm considering offering her live tilapia fingerlings, but I'm afraid that could completely remove any possibility of eating prepared foods.

Overall though, she is doing very well! I'll be maki a thread where I can post all of her pictures and keep all of the other aimara hobbyists up to date as to her captive progress.
 
For what it's worth neither of mine are regular eaters. I have other wolves in with the Aimara and they all seem to eat pretty regularly. Both Aimara seem to eat and grow in spurts neither growing real fast. Growrate seems closer to ATF then say Dorado or Armatus. Mine seem to grow slower then that reported by the people that are keeping them solo though........
 
Well being kept singly, I wonder if my specimen will put on size faster than yours in a community setting. What has the growth rate on yours been like, and what has been their diet and feeding schedule?

I'm hoping that if I can get her to eat at least something every day, and being coupled with my 90% every three day WC's, I'll be able to get around an inch a month.
 
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