Wolf damaging larger fish?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

wolf damaged larger fish

  • Total voters
    7
HarleyK

HarleyK

Canister Man
Staff member
Global Moderator
MFK Member
Aug 17, 2005
7,070
1,933
1,453
USA
Howdy,

It's been a while since my Black Wolf ate a just slightly smaller pike and went to 75 gal solitary confinement. I'm toying with the idea to let him back into the big tank. But I'd hate to see him damage my (much larger) royal knife.

Has anyone's wolf damaged a fish larger than himself?

Thanks,
Harleyk
 
I think it's hard to say and it would depend on the wolf. But the general consensus that I've seen regarding black wolves with bigger fish is that it can be done, but if any of the fish bothers the wolf it will retaliate. However, there are also many cases where it will not work. Which pretty much reiterates on the wolf. Only one way to find out!
 
Royal knives are flashy. Flashy usually means food for an ambush predator. He might not even see the size just the flash and jump on it. The knife might be fast enough, tank might be big enough might be ok but I wouldn't risk it. Thing is wolves don't really "nip" you probably won't get a second chance.
 
Wolves seem like they have no fear. I have a 4" Mala in a 180 with alot of larger cichlids that can easly eat him. It will sit and hover in mid tank and can care less of the bigger fish. I seen it chase down my 10" Red texas after the Texas took a snap at it.
 
I've had wolves damage larger fish but only when provoked, if the size difference is large enough the wolf will be a little intimidated and usually won't start nothing but if the fish does something it can go one of two ways, the wolf will run in fear, or retaliate. Ofcourse it depends on the specimen

That being said one would think the knife would be sensitive to the wolves teeth, but DB had a clown knife be the peacekeeper in his 750 with aimara and Lucy his lac and the other wolves he's had.
 
Funny you mentioned that, as my huge knife is no longer in the 750, it was actually replaced with a Royal Knife........ The Clown is now a peacekeeper in a 360 where I have both my Mbiguas, an Aimara, and a Tanzy Tiger.

My opinion is the Royals seem MUCH more reclusive, less confrontational, much less bawlsy if you will then the normal Clowns, same note they seem quick to back down and easily ran off. I have no doubt that after the hatred shown for the Clown that if Lucy (big Lacerdae) wanted to she would shred my Royal with ease. BUT unlike the Clown there has been zero issues - kinda like the Clown after Lucy put it in its place.

I'd definitely give it a try. I'm guessing the Wolf will be alpha and the knife will be reclussive, unless it acts like my Clown did, and in that case cocks off to the wolf at first then the wolf promptly bites down over the knives entire head gives a few knarly shakes and immedietly ends the question of if one fish is the alpha...... After my guys' sweet little "encounter" they never had issues with eachother again. I spent many hours of my life worrying about this combo but it's been so many years I no longer even remotely question it.......

Maybe if you keep enough A-hole fish together they quit being A-holes? I have a lot of fish together here that I probably shouldn't but it's worked for me for yrears. I've had knives (Clown then switched to a royal), wolves (3 species), a Dorado, and a Jar all together and the most problomatic fish in the tank is a Lince cat.
 
  • Like
Reactions: moe214 and Experiment397
It's an interesting cycle of experience from my perspective. I had originally kept my aimara with dorado which resulted in endless deathmatch showdowns until I placed an temensis pb which seemed to draw the attention of the dorado much more than the aimara as it swims in the mid column. Surprisingly the pb holds its own against the dorado as it can gyrate 360 degrees with ease compared to an ambush predator such as the Hoplias species. Interestingly to note though, my albino clown knife actually keeps the dorado in check but is afraid of all the other fish including aimara, mala and temensis. Now, there is a full cycle of hierarchy in the tank. Dorado remains to be the police, temensis its sparring mate, aimara which can just scare everyone but mostly keeps to itself and finally the albino clown that checks the dorado from the bottom up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: moe214
greenerinks greenerinks so when are we going to get entire tank pics of all these monsters together?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom