What's the longest amount of time.....

[koltsixx]

What's the longest amount of time you've been able to keep an Armatus alive? I'm wondering since I have 2 myself and I'm always seeing threads about how hard they are to keep. Even those experienced in keeping them seem to have trouble keeping them alive. I bought my Armatus(Armati?-I have 2) because I loved the look on these guys and was under the impression they were the easiest of the Vamp Tetra's to maintain. So I ponied up the extra dough for them. Now I'm a little worried especially seeing those in the know about these guys are losing them suddenly. So basically I was hoping to get an idea of how long people were able to maintain them before problems arose. Also if you have managed to keep them for a fairly long time, I'd also appreciate it if you shared what you think made the difference in you being able to maintain them for a long time. I personally have some theories on how to maintain them long term. However seeing as I'm a novice and have only kept them for a year I'd like to get as much info as possible so I can increase my chances at maintaining them long term. It would be nice if we could all derive some benefit from this thread. All we have to do is share our personal experiences and keep an open mind. Thanx in advance.

 

[daimion]

Woah, you may be a Novice with Armatus, but you're surely experienced with fish-keeping from your tank list. And yeah.. what IS the plural of Armatus.

Seriously though, I completely agree that the best way is to keep sharing knowledge, and this site is just excellent for that. I'm a first time Armatus keeper too, and everyone on this forum's been so helpful with all the questions I've had.

The Payara Captive care Guide was really useful, and I remember seeing a thread where everyone posted how/why their fishes died, so we can learn from it.

Did think it'd be a good idea, if we also had one where people who're keeping them successfully also post up details.

 

[Otherone]

Hydrolycus species period can be a real bugger. I lost a few to what was refered to as "sudden death" but I didn't buy into it. Reading up on their native habitat helped me out - fast moving waters. I didn't interrupt that to mean increase their current and have them fight all day to stay afloat, but to mean that the water parameters were less forgiving. More dissolved Oxygen minimal to no Nitrate and a varied diet.

 

[koltsixx]

Woah, you may be a Novice with Armatus, but you're surely experienced with fish-keeping from your tank list. And yeah.. what IS the plural of Armatus.

Seriously though, I completely agree that the best way is to keep sharing knowledge, and this site is just excellent for that. I'm a first time Armatus keeper too, and everyone on this forum's been so helpful with all the questions I've had.

The Payara Captive care Guide was really useful, and I remember seeing a thread where everyone posted how/why their fishes died, so we can learn from it.

Did think it'd be a good idea, if we also had one where people who're keeping them successfully also post up details.

Thanx for the compliment. I consider myself a novice because there are sooo many more dedicated people on here. They go all out for their fish, dedicating large tanks to one fish, feeding extremely varied diets and keeping detailed records of their maintenance agonizing over water parameters and such. I love my fish, but I also get selfish and mix fish I shouldn't necessarily for my own desire and am often times guilty of ovetstocking. I keep a very loose track of their growth and such, interestingly enough using my old posts on here to determine when I bought a fish and their original sizes. I will get off my lazy butt this time and try to find that Armatus dead thread you were talking about. Maybe I can derive some clues from that one. So thank you for already helping the cause with that one.

Hydrolycus species period can be a real bugger. I lost a few to what was refered to as "sudden death" but I didn't buy into it. Reading up on their native habitat helped me out - fast moving waters. I didn't interrupt that to mean increase their current and have them fight all day to stay afloat, but to mean that the water parameters were less forgiving. More dissolved Oxygen minimal to no Nitrate and a varied diet.

Sorry for your loss. Can I ask how long did you have them before the sudden death thing kicked in and what size were they? I totally agree with you on the dissolved oxygen content of the water be a key factor to keeping these guys. Personally I believe that due to our tight fitting covers(to prevent jumping) as well as the singnificantly reduced surface aggitation in a home aquaria the oxygen content is no where near what it is in nature. Even despite our best efforts with wave makers and power heads. I keep my Armatus at a much cooler temp than reccomended, because of that. Everybody knows the cooler the water the higher the oxygen content will be.
Plus I deal with reptiles and it's hypothisized that the reason for their longevity compared to similarly sized mammals is due to the less stress put on their bodies by being cold blooded. So I figure the same can be said of most animals if they're kept at a lower temp within reason. The stress on their body will be minimized. It might seem far fetched, but I think it's feasible. I mean when our fish get sick one thing that's suggested is to raise temperature. Apparently biologically their geared to kick into overdrive when the temp is raised. In the case of them being sick this becomes a benefit as their immune response also goes into this hyperdrive status. It also shortens the life of most pathogens affecting them shortening their life cycle(the pathogens and other such organisms). So maybe heat plays a more key role in their development than we think. Plus I look at a Armartus as a total machine geared to be a ultimate predator in it's environment and therefore it's body may need more time to mature than were giving them. Cheetahs develop slower than other cats due to the specialized nature of their musculature and skeleton needed to reach those insane speeds. I'm thinking again Armatus are this way, maybe due to growing quickly to much strain is put on their bodies. We offer them a constant supply of food where nature wouldn't. As such I keep my Armatus in the lower 70's and they get fed on a continually varying schedule. Some weeks they get 3 to 4 days in row and then will be made to fast for 2-3 days. Other weeks I feed them every other day. It vary's usually I feed them according to my Python's and Boa's schedule. As it lets me keep track of when they're eating on such a hectic schedule. The day I feed my snakes start's the cycle and makes sure it stays fairly predictable. Though these are just my thought's on keeping them, as I've said before I am a novice. Does anybody else think they have an validity?

 

[channarox]

I never had one more than a month or two....

While they do seem to be the hardiest Hydrolycus species, with people getting them to almost 2 feet and such(Unlike scombs...), they can still be tough buggers...
I wonder how many survived from that first big IA shipment?

 

[krichardson]

My first one lived for about five or six months.I bought it as a two inch fish and was a good twelve inches when it checked out.

 

[koltsixx]

I never had one more than a month or two....

While they do seem to be the hardiest Hydrolycus species, with people getting them to almost 2 feet and such(Unlike scombs...), they can still be tough buggers...
I wonder how many survived from that first big IA shipment?

It would be interesting to say the least to know if any did survive and for how long. Only a couple of responses, but so far I've had mine the longest it seems. I got mine from Shark Aquarium last February as a birthday gift to myself. George had just brought them in from his personal collection which he said he obtained the previous summer. They were about 5-6 inches at the time. Now interestingly enough I've had them for a year and they only put on another 4-5 inches since then. So they're growing alot slower than what most people experience on here experience. I pretty sure they aren't stunted only because they recently jumped from 8-10 inches. Though again I think the slow growth on mine can be linked to their feeding schedule and low temps I keep them in. I've yet to have them get a infection or parasites of any kind(knock on wood) thankfully. I'm thinkin it might be because I of the unsual water temp I keep them at, that I've had sucess with them. As I stated before lower temp's slow down their metabolism which probably puts less strain on them. They scratch each other up all the time with those teeth of their's and still no skin problems. Though one time one of got the other's eye and it clouded over for a week then it completely healed.

My first one lived for about five or six months.I bought it as a two inch fish and was a good twelve inches when it checked out.

Sorry to hear that bro. Your growth rate was far better than mine though. I just keep wondering if the sudden death thing is tied in with great growth rates. Unfortunately with out more info. it's hard to even guess as to the reason. I really hope more people share their experiences.

Anybody who does add their experiences with Armatus please just make sure you include some basic info. Xander had it set-up something like this on the Gar forum and it makes reading it much easier as well as easier to compare.

1.Tank Size:
2.Temp:
3.PH:
4.Tankmates:
5.Other notable Tank conditions:
6.Initial Specimen Size:
7.Size Specimen Died at:
8.Age Specimen Died at:
9.Cause of death if it can be determined

Keeper comments: Any other info you think my be pertinent.

 

[Otherone]

Hydrolycus Armatus X2

1.Tank Size: 55 gal
2.Temp: 78
3.PH: 8
4.Tankmates: none
5.Other notable Tank conditions: Tank was to small and under filtered Nitrate was 20-40 ppm gas exchange at surface poor
6.Initial Specimen Size: 4-5"
7.Size Specimen Died at: 1st one never grew 2nd one was 8"
8.Age Specimen Died at: 1st one 1mo. second one 9mo.
9.Cause of death if it can be determined - claustrophibia, not enuff room to grow and shed nitra gas minmal O2, fed goldfish. small insufficient water changes

Hydrolycus Scomberiodes x3

1.Tank Size: 55, 75, 150
2.Temp: 78
3.PH: 8
4.Tankmates: Cudas, brycon, dats, chalceus, BGK, vampire pleco, cats
5.Other notable Tank conditions: The one thats been alive for almost 2 years has powerheads, more filtration and larger water volume from the start.
6.Initial Specimen Size: 2-5"
7.Size Specimen Died at: 2 died @ 6"- 1 still alive 9-10"
8.Age Specimen Died at: 2 died 3 & 6mo. - 1 still alive 22 months
9.Cause of death if it can be determined - claustrophobia same as Armatus they were raised in 55 grow outs the one thats alive was in 75 gal solo for 3 mo. then 150XH for the past year and a half and this weekend will be moved to his new 210 with 50gal sump - we should list our sucesses as well.

 

[krichardson]

I think DBJUNKIE might be onto something when he suggests that something could be missing in the diet that we provide for our hydros.My past few armati (I like that plural term ) were started off on feeders and then weened onto krill,shrimp and finally smelt chunks.They were grown out in a sixty gallon tank with neutral ph,50%weekly water changes and then moved to a 180 at the size of around six inches.Thew water may be the problem also.There just may be too much harsh substances present for these fish to withstand for very long periods of time.I am going to look into some type of purifier for this one that I have now.

 

[Tom LoFaro]

I mean when our fish get sick one thing that's suggested is to raise temperature. Apparently biologically their geared to kick into overdrive when the temp is raised. In the case of them being sick this becomes a benefit as their immune response also goes into this hyperdrive status. It also shortens the life of most pathogens affecting them shortening their life cycle(the pathogens and other such organisms). So maybe heat plays a more key role in their development than we think.

You seem well educated so I'll share some knowledge with you, haha. At a certain temperature, the enzymes in the pathogens do optimal work (harmful for your fish) But, when the temperature gets too high, the enzymes denature and the virus is rendered harmless and eventually killed by antibodies. The same is true for humans, it's the reason why our body temperature raises to 100+ degrees when we have a fever, to denature the enzymes in the pathogens. The only harmful thing is that it could also denature the enzymes necessary for sustaining life, so take caution on prolonged high temperatures.